Admissions Arrangements for September 2007
The governors of Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Alford will admit, essentially by assessment, those pupils who they consider the most likely to benefit from grammar school education.
1. Entry at 11+
The 11+ testing will be in line with the Lincolnshire Grammar Schools’ Consortium, with the school’s Year 7 intake drawn from those in approximately the top 25% of the ability range of the relevant age group. The admissions number in Year 7 is 84 (three-form entry).
The catchment area’s primary schools have offered to administer the 11+ tests on behalf of the governors of Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Alford. Out-of-catchment pupils may take the 11+ tests in their nearest grammar school or at Queen Elizabeth’s.
The 11+ procedure will involve two tests: one verbal reasoning and one non-verbal. Both tests will be taken in the September for pupils in their final year at primary school (and of the appropriate age group). The results of these tests will be considered alongside any written recommendations and assessments from the primary school headteacher (or acting headteacher) by an admissions panel consisting of the headteacher (or acting headteacher) and a minimum of three governors, at least one of whom shall be a parent governor.
Preference will be given to:
- pupils who have reached the required score and who have a statement of special educational needs which names Queen Elizabeth’s Alford or are in public care
- pupils living within the traditional catchment area (from the following feeder primary schools: Aby, Alford, Huttoft, Mablethorpe, Sutton-on-Sea, Theddlethorpe, Willoughby and Withern) who score 220 or over in the two tests and for whom Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Alford, is one preferred by the parents.
- pupils ‘out of catchment’ who attain 220+ and for whom Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Alford, is one preferred by the parents.
Other places may then be allocated to pupils in catchment who score just under 220 with strong recommendations from their primary school headteachers and/or extenuating circumstances.
In the case of oversubscription from pupils, who have reached the required score, pupils will be ranked according to their 11+ test scores. In the event of a number of pupils having exactly the same 11+ score then the governors will apply a tie-breaker based on the straight line distance (measured by Microsoft MapPoint software between the post office address point of the home and the post office address point of the school), with the child living closest to the school being awarded the place.
Parents of pupils not awarded places at the school have the right of appeal against the school’s admission panel decision. Any such appeal should be made following the notification of a place not being offered at the school. Appeals forms may be obtained from the clerk to the governors, Mrs H Leitch, c/o QEGS, Alford. Such appeals will be heard by an independent appeals panel. The panel will consider whether the decision to refuse the child a place was one which a reasonable admission authority would make, and if the child would have been offered a place if the published admission arrangements had been properly implemented. They will also consider whether ‘prejudice’ would arise were the child to be admitted, and the weight of the parents’ case in terms of extenuating circumstances.
Repeat applications will not be considered in the same academic year unless there has been a significant change in circumstances.
For September 2007 there were 84 places available in Year 7. 176 pupils living in the school’s traditional catchment area took the 11+ tests. Twenty appeals against non-admission were heard of which seven were successful. Please note that the outcome of last year’s admissions and appeals is not necessarily indicative of future decisions.
2. Entry at other times
Pupils are normally admitted at 11+ and 16+, but we are happy to consider requests for places at other times. The governors seek to admit the most able pupils and will admit those pupils where there is evidence that the pupil is in the top 25% of the ability range and whose performance indicates that they would benefit from the curriculum and pace of work available at this school. Selection will be based upon English and Mathematics tests, KS2/KS3 results and school reports.
Entry into the upper school at Y12 is based on pupils attaining at least 6 or more GCSEs at C or above, with at least 4 grades at B or above. For A level study pupils should normally have a grade B or above in the subjects they wish to study. The Published Admissions Number (PAN) for Year 12 is 20. This applies to students joining the sixth form from other schools.
Pupils will be selected without regard to colour, race, creed or gender, and without regard to a pupil’s likely or known requirements for special educational needs. The school will continue to provide for pupils with special educational needs, provided that such pupils meet the criteria in force for selection of a place at the school, and will admit such pupils on an equal basis. These pupils will be taught in “mainstream” classes, with special assistance being provided as required.
Parents of pupils not awarded places at the school have the right of appeal to an independent appeals panel. Any such appeal should be made following the notification of a place not being offered at the school. Appeals forms may be obtained from the clerk to the governors, Mrs H Leitch, c/o QEGS, Alford.
3. Visits to the school
The school’s annual open day takes place in October. Details are sent to all feeder schools and publicised in the local press. There is also an Open Day for the Upper School in January/February. Parents of prospective pupils are welcome to visit the school at other times by prior arrangement with the headteacher.
