It can be a confusing time when you receive eleven plus grammar test results from the different schools you applied for. In our area you are given a rank for each school, they tell you how many places they have this year and what rank they went down to last year. From this you can gleam what the likelihood of your child getting in is, and then place the schools in order on the common application form. Thing is apart from the uncertainty, or knowing as the case may be, it shouldn’t really change your order of preference as if your child does not get a place at your first choice school (because they did not meet the criteria or have a high enough rank) it just disappears from your choices – and the next school down becomes your first choice. When it does make a difference is that you only have a certain number of choices and so if the amount of schools you wish to list is greater than this then careful planning will come into play. You then just have to wait for school allocation day before seeing the outcome and deciding if you wish to go on the waiting list or do a grammar school appeal.
The Results of The Eleven Plus for Our Son
Sorry I just haven’t had a chance to write this up before now as we have had the results of our son’s eleven plus examination for over a month. I was so stressed that day as I really, really wanted him to go to a certain school. A school that in my opinion is so hard to get into that you must be really bright to achieve a place. Obviously the school has much more to it than just this and I just felt it was the one which would suit him best. It is also the only local grammar he hasn’t had any siblings go to!
Before the test he had expressed an interest in going to one of the schools his brother had gone to – but as the test got closer he dropped the odd hint that really he wanted the one I felt was best for him. After it was over it became more and more clear this is where he wanted also. I went off to Spain for a week with my friend to get away from worrying about it (we were celebrating our fortieths) and on results day itself I had such a bad headache just from the stress of what if he didn’t get that school (which is crazy as there are plenty of fantastic grammar schools in our area and it was even madder to consider that he might not get into any of them – which I have heard of very bright kids doing!)
The first e-mail came in and it was for a school over 20 miles away from our house. It told us that he was ranked high enough for a guaranteed place. Thrilled with the result I immediately congratulated him, telling him that he had a place at grammar school. I straight away wrote a Facebook post telling the world he had secured a place and how proud I was of him. I let my husband know (who was at work) and he began to get excited for the place at the school we really hoped he had achieved. People had already been talking in terms that he had got in and I just kept telling him how not to get his hopes up. It really isn’t the easiest of schools to get into.
I opened the e-mails in order of preference of schools, each one saying that he had a guaranteed rank of getting in. Excited and nervous moving on to the next school. Finally I opened the last e-mail and tears just streamed down my face! He had only gone and done it! He had got into the most difficult school – the one we felt he suited and the one he really wanted to go to (I checked he didn’t still want the one he had originally said!).
Results were on the Friday and the following Tuesday he was invited to a special open day. He was pleased to see one of his friends and we went and sat with him and his mom (who I also know). He saw another few children he knew during the day too. The boys were having skiing lessons at the time and I asked if he was sure he wanted to go to school – but yes he definitely was. We are going to miss him at home but glad he is going somewhere he is hopefully going to be really happy and looked after.
We also have a son looking for where to do his A-levels and he is now aspiring to go there too!
Grammar school results mess up
Our county also had a lot of confusion with their results – telling people the wrong thing which completely changed where children ranked. Fortunately this did not affect his score at all. I believe it was something to do with those children who automatically got a place as long as they passed the qualifying score if they received pupil premium – and there was a mix up as to when this was applied. This only affected our son in terms of there being fewer places for him as I think they are allocated first. That and the fact that he is 11 very early in the school year – and scores are corrected for age down to the day, which means he had to have answered more questions correctly than someone born in August for example.
Those still waiting on Grammar School Allocation
For our son it was a very good result because not only can we be confident of a place at his chosen school but because for us the wait is over. Many children are having to wait until secondary school allocation day on the 1st of March to see which schools they have been given (and whether they have secured a grammar school place) as we had to with our last son. I wish everyone all the best of luck.
Other posts of interest:
- Living life in Limbo – after the eleven plus
- Home Education and the eleven plus
- The Ultimate Guide to 11+ Options
- Grammar School Appeal