Transfer Test AQE 2014-2015

Mummyglam

to all those still hoping and praying to get your child into one of the better schools DO NOT GIVE UP HOPE. My child a few years ago wanted Grosvenor and did not get it. They got ther 2nd/3rd choice cannot remember now. However, I knew I was never going to give up trying and as the summer came and went and my child started their new school (2nd/3rd choice). I tried to put a brave face on it, but knew I was still going to try for my child and guess what my child DID end up getting the school of choice. You must keep trying.


Grosvenor an EXCELLENT school with EXCELLENT results.


Not wanting to give false hope but one thread said that if they went down to 76 they must have all their places filled. Not necessarily, perhaps there are still a few places to fill and they did not get all their 155 applications this year. However, they are maybe holding out offering those last remaining places, until they see who does have the higher scores. Keep having faith and keep all us Mums who are happy up to date as although we are happy it could just have easily not worked out for us. Get your applications and letters in (I would even send school reports etc)..

aqeworrier

Rang round a few schools and have established lowest scores so far:

Grosvenor: 76
Campbell: 90
Strathearn: 104
Regent: 94
Bloomfield: 90
Hunterhouse: 88

Shocked about Grosvenor!!

Sugarmummy

inzane_mummy wrote: »

Ive just completed application for waiting list to Grosvenor! Its not even a school we know much about as we live in Hillsborough but willing to try anything right now
Our nearest school is 4mile away and they turned 50 applicants away this year.....madness!

That wasn't Dromore was it?? I know they were oversubscribed as none in my local primary school got in except those with siblings, but by that much?? It's not just those with Aqe results are struggling to get into the school of their choice!!

rolo1_2

Mummyglam wrote: »

Grosvenor, fantastic school. In previous years really hard to get into. Do not know what has happened this year. Think perhaps because Strathearn a new school a lot applied there instead. Or else parents did not put on list because in East Belfast it is the school with the highest cut off 103/104. Therefore parents assumed not worth trying, but it shows what the schools always say at the open nights DO NOT SECOND GUESS. No matter what your score put the schools in order of parent/child preference.


Inzane-Mummy did Grosvenor give you much hope or tell you where your child would be on the waiting list? Write a letter in with the application and keep ringing them. Good Luck

Exactly!!, you hit the nail on the head -unfortunately it happens every single year, parents not applying as they"assume" score not good enough.
Hope all get sorted, its not nice I know, but it will work out in the end.Good luck

Greenisler

aqeworrier wrote: »

Rang round a few schools and have established lowest scores so far:

Grosvenor: 76
Campbell: 90
Strathearn: 104
Regent: 94
Bloomfield: 90
Hunterhouse: 88

Shocked about Grosvenor!!

that 88 Hunterhouse must be with SC, I know a 92 that didn't get in.

Co_Down_mum

Hunterhouse apply bands. So it was from 88-93 and once banded the criteria apply eg siblings etc. So an 88 with a sibling at the school would get in before someone with 93 without a sibling

Scarletlady_2

Last heard methody cut off was 105 unconfirmed

flymetothemoon_2

Has anyone asked what Grosovenor's lowest accepted score was excluding kids with SC? The 76 could well have been an SC case and if so, their real lowest score will be higher than 76.
When my DD missed her 1st choice school a few years ago I asked the school how many SC cases they had accepted and what the final scores of those SC cases were. They told me they'd accepted 3 SC cases and gave me their scores. All 3 scores were several points lower than my DD who was right on the school's cut off that year!
Hence, it is important, if asking for the lowest accepted score for any school to tell them you want to know the lowest score accepted excluding SC cases.
Just to confuse us all even more, the lowest scores reported in the press over the past few years for schools have sometimes included SC cases and sometimes not so I don't think we can fully rely on the scores that have been published in newspapers either.
Also, there have been a few big variations in scores over the years by 7 and 8 points so everyone should definitely put their preferred grammars in order of choice, as you want them, regardless of lowest scores accepted in previous years.

Mummyglam

Grosvenor took a lot in the 70s some might be special circumstances,, but not them all. My friends son into Grosvenor and he was in the 70s and not special circumstances. They are pretty shocked he got Grosvenor. It appears that they did not get the applications this year and hearing Methody, Campbell,, Strathearn lowest scores it appears they were chosen over Grosvenor,

flymetothemoon_2

I noticed Campbell College heavily promoted and advertised itself this year with some impressive articles in the Press etc.. maybe that attracted more applicants - who knows?
And as someone else has pointed out, Strathearn has a new build and this always seems to attract more people whether it's a Primary or post Primary school.
It could simply be that Grosvenor received a lot less applications this year.
If you look at the figures for the numbers of applications received by schools each year (as posted on a number of websites) it is clear that numbers vary greatly from year to year. There could 100 more applications or 100 less for some schools each year - there is no rhyme or reason !