ALTRINCHAM GRAMMAR SCHOOL FOR BOYS

ALTRINCHAM GRAMMAR SCHOOLFOR BOYS Entrance Exam September 2011 (for entry in September 2012)

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

LEA Common Preference form • Trafford LEA requires all common preference forms to be completed and returned to them by the 31st October 2011 – other LEA’s may have similar dates – please check . They are sent to you in the first week of term as your son begins Year 6 in his primary school • Parents should rank their choices in order of preference listing as their highest preference the school they most wish to be allocated on their LEA preference form • Your LEA will endeavour to give you your highest ranked preferred school – equal preference • If your son currently attends an Independent School, please contact your LEA for a CPF.

Equal Preference • Your first choice of school will be allocated to your son 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, etc

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 he must pass the AGSB Entrance Exam. To take this you must apply directly to us

Entrance Exam Date • Our entrance exam is being held on Saturday September 17th • Our results will be sent to you in mid October – before you have to return the common preference form to your LEA

TAKE NOTE If you do not complete the LEA form indicating AGSB on your preference form, 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 continued • You send us your application form together with two passport sized photographs and a large(A4) envelope with 66p postage (last date for applications – Friday 2nd September). On this please include a contact telephone number for the day of the exam, just in case your son is ill on the day • Once we have received your application we will send you an acknowledgement pack – which includes some sample question sheets • Preparation is useful • The orange form – gives useful information • Equipment for the day • HB pencil • Eraser

Application continued • Inform us of any special requirements such as: • Impaired eyesight – we provide enlarged papers • Impaired hearing – will be sat at the front • Any other medical conditions that may affect performance can usually be accounted for • Religious reasons • We can accommodate you as long as you let us know in advance

Test Day – Saturday 17th September 2011 • 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!

Arrival continued…… • 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 • If you son is ill on the day, please do not bring him. Contact us immediately by telephone and we will advise accordingly • Special circumstances form - yellow • If in doubt fill it out! • Hand in before exam date or on the day. You must hand it in to the Enquiries Table NOT to the test room invigilator

The Test Room • Approximately 30 pupils in each room • 1 Staff & 6th former assistant • 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 invigilator. There will be a clock in the room – but working through at a steady pace is required for these tests. Time warnings are given in the VR and Maths tests only, half way through and 5 minutes from the end.

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 leave, 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 boys will 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’) RESULTS AND PASS MARK OBTAINED 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 mark =141 x 3 = 423 • No minimum pass mark for each test • The qualifying score is 334

The Tests - Review • Pupils who are within 20 marks of the pass mark will be reviewed • Review panel will include staff from AGSB as well as a Primary Head teacher • Creative Writing test is used at this point to help assess ability • Primary school report is also requested and considered • Scores obtained on the exam • Special Circumstances

Creative Writing test • Boys are asked to continue a story, using their imagination. i.e. Jack wandered into the woods and stumbled on a giant black box……. • 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

Ranking – Qualifiers • In Area boys who qualify will be eligible for a place and will receive an offer letter from Trafford (subject to where you have ranked AGSB on your preference form) on 1ST March 2012 – National Offer Day • Out of Area boys who qualify will be ranked by score and offered places subject to our admissions criteria (and again subject to where you have ranked AGSB on your preference form) on 1st March 2012

Ranking – Qualifiers – recent offers • In area applicants In 2010 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 The criteria used is score order In 2010 approximately 33% of the places that we offered were made to qualified out of area boys. For out of area

Confirmation Letter • In mid October, a letter will be sent to all parents informing them of the pass mark as well as their son’s marks in the individual tests • This is not an offer of a place – it is for information only • Offer of places to qualifiers will be made by Trafford LEA (or your local LEA) on our behalf on 1st March 2012 • Final date for acceptance of a place is 15th March 2012

Appeal • Appeals body is independent of AGSB • Details of how to appeal will be given to you on National Offer Day

Offers of places after 1st March • Any parent disappointed with their allocated school will have to re-apply to Trafford immediately after National Offer Day for any vacancies that are subsequently available at their preferred school • No offers are made directly from the school during this period – they are still made by Trafford on our behalf • Once all the possible offers have been and accepted, we will hold a waiting list for one term for any subsequent vacancies that may arise. So keep in touch!

Open Evening - Thursday 30th 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

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

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 complete copy of the latest school prospectus and, in a week or so, 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 17th this year • Results will be sent to you in mid October – before you have to return the common preference form to your LEA • Trafford requires you to return this form to them by 31st October. Other LEAs will have similar dates – please check with them

Thank you for listening Any Questions?

We hope to see you at Open Eveningon Thursday 30th June5.00pm – 7.30pm

ALTRINCHAM GRAMMAR SCHOOL FOR BOYS