ALTRINCHAM GRAMMAR SCHOOL FOR BOYS

Entrance Exam September 2012 (for entry in September 2013) ALTRINCHAM GRAMMAR SCHOOLFOR BOYS

Welcome • LEA Common Preference Form • AGSB Application Form • Test day • Results • Review Process • Offer of places • Appeals • Summary

LEA Common Preference form • The ‘National Closing Date’ for applications is 31st October 2012 – Please confirm this date with your Home Authority. • Common Preference Forms are sent to you in the first week of term in year 6 of Primary School. If your son attends an Independent School you may need to contact your Home Authority for a form. • Parents should rank their choices in order of preference listing as their highest preference the school they most wish to be allocated.

Equal Preference • Your Home Authority will endeavour to offer you your highest preference school, subject to the admissions criteria for that school. • As you will only receive 1 offer it is essential that you name your highest preference school first. • If, for whatever reason, you cannot be offered your first choice, then your second choice becomes your first choice, and so on....

TAKE NOTE If you do not complete the CPF indicating AGSB as a preference your son may go through and pass the Entrance Exam but in the end he will not be allocated a place here by Trafford, on our behalf, in March! Late applicants are only dealt with after all on time applications have received their offers

Application • For your son to gain a place at AGSB :- • You must fill out your Common Preference Form and put AGSB where you wish us to be ranked • However, in order to qualify for a place here your son must pass the AGSB Entrance Exam and to take this you must apply directly to us • Applications should be submitted no later than Friday 31st August. Forms are available this evening and to download from the school website at www.agsb.co.uk

Entrance Exam Date • Our entrance exam is being held on Saturday September 15th • Our results will be sent to you in mid-October – before you have to return the Common Preference Form to your Home Authority. • We are unable to confirm an exact date for postage but it is usually around the 15th October once the Internal Review Process has taken place. • Results are posted to the address given on your application form, only one set of results may be sent to each applicant. • Notification of postage is published on the school website. So check around 15th to see if they have been sent

Application continued • You send us your application form together with two passport sized colour photographs and a large(A4) envelope with 75p postage (last date for applications – Friday 31st August). On this please include a contact telephone number for the day of the exam, just in case your son is ill on the day and we have to ring you to collect him earlier. • Once we have received your application we will send you an acknowledgement pack. • The orange form – gives useful information • Equipment for the day • HB pencil, eraser, glasses and inhalers if required.

Application continued • Inform us in advance of any special requirements needed for the entrance examination such as: • Large print test papers, use of coloured paper • Impaired hearing – request to sit at front of room • Alternative arrangements due to religious reasons • We can accommodate you as long as you let us know in advance

Special Circumstance Form • A YellowSpecial Circumstance Form is sent to every applicant upon application. However, this form need only be returned at this time if the circumstances you wish to report relate to; • a medical illness which can be supported by a Doctors Note • or to serious issues within the immediate family which may affect the child on the day of the entrance exam. • Please submit prior to the exam.

Special Circumstance Form Cont: • Forms received which are within these guidelines will be considered during the Internal Review process. We will also contact your son’s Primary School for additional information. • Circumstances other than these will not be considered as part of the Internal Review but parents will be offered the opportunity to present additional information in support of an appeal following National Offer Day.

Ill on morning of exam If your son is ill on the morning of the exam: • Please do not bring him. • Call us on the morning of the exam to notify us and we will arrange an alternative date for assessment.

Test Day – Saturday 15th September 2012 • Arrival • The test room • The test itself • Break • Collection • Departure

Arrival • You must aim to arrive between 9:00 - 9:15am • Traffic will be heavy and parking will be extremely difficult. Park nearby and walk along Marlborough Road • AGGS on same day! • 900 pupils and their parents came last year so please be patient – two queues at the main doors - all will get in! • Come to the main entrance with your orange form – it tells you which door to go through and which room to go to with your son

The Test Room • Approximately 30 pupils in each room. Applications are processed in the order they are received • 1 Staff & 6th former assistant in each room • Pupils sit in assigned places, allocated on application

The Test Itself • GL ASSessment (formerly NFER-Nelson) • National standardised tests • Secure tests, copies are prohibited • Non Verbal Reasoning • Verbal Reasoning • Creative Writing (for review purposes only) • Maths

The Tests - Timing • GLASS tests • NVR – 2 x 10 minute sessions • VR – 50 minute session • AGSB test • Creative Writing 20 minute session • GLASS test • Maths – 50 minute session Tests are carefully timed by an Invigilator, also there will be a clock in the room. Time warnings are given in the VR and Maths tests half way through and 5 minutes from the end, also half way through the Creative Writing assessment. No time warnings are given in the NVR test.

Creative Writing Test • Boys are asked to continue a story, using their imagination • We are looking for the ability to write correctly and interestingly – writing as vividly as possible is more important than finishing the short story • Three or four well structured paragraphs would be very impressive • Quality is more important than quantity

Break • Break of 20 minutes after NVR and VR test • Staff and 6th former changeover • Small snack may be brought by boys • SMALLdrink please! • After the break CREATIVE WRITING followed by MATHS test • Any time lost through a toilet break cannot be added on at the end

As you return to school…….. • Please be mindful of pupils and other parents as you return, it will be busy • Roads will be congested again, so please be patient • Details about return and collection will be displayed around the school when you leave your son for the tests Briefly they are……..

Collection……… • Return to school between 12:30 - 12:45pm • Follow the signs to the Grammar Car Park – please wait quietly as some boys may still be working • Estimated finish time 1:00pm • Pupils led through Hall to the south yard nearby • Room flags will be on desks where your son will be told to meet you • If you are not there your son will be asked to wait in the hall

VR MATHS NVR 80 50 40 The Tests - marking MARKED AT AGSB STANDARDISED (and ‘age weighted’) STANDARDISED RESULTS RETURNED TO AGSB REVIEW LATE SEPTEMBER RESULTS SENT TO PARENTS MID OCTOBER

141 141 141 80 50 40 VR MATHS NVR The Tests - Standardisation

The Tests - Results • The maximum possible score is 423 • There is no minimum pass mark for each individual paper. The papers are equally weighted so it does not matter if your son is stronger on one paper than the other. • The qualifying score is 334 for all applicants

The Tests – Internal Review • Pupils who are within 13 marks of the pass mark will automatically be reviewed by our Review Panel, i.e. 321-333 inclusive The Review Panel will take into account the following: • Test Scores in the exam • Creative Writing • Review Report from Primary School, if received • Special Circumstance Form reporting serious medical/family issues only (as detailed within our Admissions Policy) • Invigilators Room Report Sheet

Review Continued: • The reviews are carried out before results are posted • Those applicants whom the Review Panel deem to have qualified for admission pursuant to the review process will have their score amended to the qualifying mark of 334R

Ranking – Qualifiers • In Area boys who qualify will be eligible for a place and should receive an offer letter from Trafford on 1ST March 2013 – National Offer Day! • NB: this is subject to if and where you have ranked AGSB on your preference form • Out of Area boys who qualify will be ranked by score and offered places subject to our admissions criteria on 1st March 2013 – National Offer Day! • NB: this is subject to if and where you have ranked AGSB on your preference form

Ranking – Qualifiers: recent offers • In area applicants In 2011 every qualified boy whose parents ranked us as their highest preference, was offered a place in the March of that year • Out of area applicants Ranked in accordance with our admissions criteria. In 2011 approximately 33% of the places that we offered were made to qualified out of area boys

Out of Area Offers • In previous years we have been able to offer out of area boys as follows: • 2011 Boys with a score of 353 and above • 2010 Boys with a score of 355 and above • 2009 Boys with a score of 349 and above • 2008 Boys with a score of 348 and above

Confirmation Letter • In mid October before Trafford require completion of your CPF, a letter will be sent to all parents informing them of their son’s score in the exam. • This is not an offer of a place – it is for information only. Offers can only be made by Local Authorities on our behalf. • Offer of places to qualifiers will be made by Trafford LEA (or your local LEA) on our behalf on 1st March 2013

Accepting an offer • Should your Home Authority make you an offer at this school, please notify them immediately as to whether you wish to accept or decline the place • We will also write to you requesting you notify us of your intent as we have a large number of boys who anxiously wait who may not have been offered a place initially

Appeal If your son is not offered a place you have the right to appeal. • The Appeals Panel is independent of AGSB • Details of how to appeal will be given to you on National Offer Day

Waiting List • Once all the possible offers have been made and accepted, we will hold a waiting list for one term only for any subsequent vacancies that may arise.

Open EveningThursday 28th June 5:00pm – 7.30pm • Open Evening will provide you with a chance to see the school in action • You can talk to boys and staff about opportunities at AGSB • You can buy some more practice papers if you wish • The Admissions Department will be available on the evening to answer any further questions you may have.

Practice Tests • Practice tests are available to buy tonight and up to the exam date for £9.99 • Same style as actual test – 4 versions

Practice Packs • The practice packs are numbered 1/2/3 etc., • This is purely so you can identify which practice paper your son has already done so that you are not purchasing the same practice paper again! • It does not matter which numbered pack you start with. • It is purely repetitive practice!

Experience has shown us that • Practice is good and familiarisation with materials makes sense; however… • Over coaching just to pass the test is not in the best interests of a boy • A moment’s pleasure at the result could lead to 5 – 7 years of struggle!

Questions • If you have missed some of the points or you find you have further questions after tonight do not worry… • You can ask questions in a few moments • Look through the application literature again • Practice papers, application forms and copies of our admission policy are available on your way out this evening • Come and see us on Open Evening – bring your sons • We are always on the end of the phone • Look at the school website – for admissions information, a copy of the school prospectus and, shortly, a copy of this presentation

A Final Word • As well as applying to AGSB and your son sitting the test here, you must also ensure that you fill in your LEA common preference form • Our entrance exam is being held on Saturday September 15th2012 • Results will be sent to you in mid October – before you have to return the common preference form to your LEA • National Closing date is 31st October. If you are not a Trafford resident, please double check this date with your Home Authority.

Thank you for listening Any Questions?

ALTRINCHAM GRAMMAR SCHOOL FOR BOYS