ALTRINCHAM GRAMMAR SCHOOL FOR BOYS Entrance Exam September 13th 2014 For entry in September 2015 D.O.B Range 1st September 2003 - 31st August 2004

Welcome Tonight we will talk about: The Application and Admission Process The Entrance Examination Internal Review Process Special Requirements Places Available Appeals

The Application Process For your son to be considered for a place here: Make an on-time application to your Home Authority by completing your Common Application Form( CAF). The National Closing Day is usually 31st October 2014 Your Home Authority should send you a CAF in early September. If your son attends an Independent school you may need to call your HA for a form. You must also apply to us directly.

Entrance Examination Our entrance exam is on Saturday September 13th You must submit an application form along with 2 passport colour photographs and a S.A.E. Once we have received your application we will send you an acknowledgement pack. This will contain an Orange Registration Form which shows the examination room your son will be in and we ask him to bring this with him on the day.

Results Results will be sent to all parents informing them of their son’s total standardised score mid October, in time for you to complete your CAF. This is not an offer of a place – it is for information only to assist you in making an informed decision. Offer of places to qualifiers will be made by Home Authorities on our behalf on National Offer Day ( 1st March 2015). Please refer to our school website nearer the time for the date our results are posted.

Common Preference Form As you will now know the outcome of your son’s assessment, it will assist you in listing your preferences. You will be asked to rank 6 choices in order of preference listing as your highest preference the school you most wish your son to be allocated. Your HA 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 not, you could lose out on an offer! If you cannot be offered your first preference, then your second choice automatically becomes your first choice, and so on....

Ranking – Qualifiers In Area boys who achieve the qualifying score of 334 and above are eligible for a place and should receive an offer from Trafford LA on 1ST March 2015 – National Offer Day! Out of Area boys who qualify will be ranked by score and distance and offered places by their Home Authority subject to our admissions criteria on National Offer Day. All offers are subject to you completing your CAF correctly and on time! Also, to satisfying the admission criteria as detailed within our 2015 Admission Policy.

Out of Area Offers In previous years we have been able to offer out of area boys with the following scores: 2013 Boys with a score of 349 and above 2012 Boys with a score of 353 and above 2011 Boys with a score of 353 and above 2010 Boys with a score of 355 and above Each year approximately 25% of the places available go to boys living out of the catchment area.

Catchment Area For full details please refer to our 2015 Admissions Policy. Postcodes: WA13 WA14 WA15 WITHIN THE TRAFFORD LOCAL AUTHORITY ONLY! Also: Specific roads within the M33 Postcode. As listed within our Admissions Policy.

Special Requirements You must inform us at the point of application of any special requirements your son may need during 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 Any disability requiring assistance on the day We will try to accommodate his needs as long as you let us know in advance.

Special Circumstance Form A yellow Special Circumstance Form is sent to every applicant upon application. However, you need only to complete and submit this form if the circumstances you wish to report relate to: an existing medical illness which can be supported by a Hospital or Doctors Note or: to serious issues within the immediate family which may have had an effect on your child prior to the exam and therefore may affect his performance in the exam. Special Educational Needs Forms received within these guidelines ONLY will be considered as part of the Internal Review Process. Parents will be offered the opportunity to present special circumstances other than these as part of an independent appeal following National Offer Day (1st March 2015)

Accepting an offer Should your HA make you an offer at this school, please notify them immediately as to whether you wish to accept or decline the place. Once all possible offers have been made and accepted, we will hold a waiting list for one term only for any subsequent vacancies that may arise. We will also write to you requesting you notify us of your intent as we anticipate a number of boys waiting anxiously for a place to be come available.

On the day You must aim to arrive between 8:45 - 9:00am. Bring your son to the Marlborough Road entrance. It will be clearly marked. Boys will enter the school via ‘The Grammar’ (our sports facility). Parents will not be allowed to enter the building. We anticipate around 900 boys attending and strongly advise you not to park within the immediate vicinity of the School!!! AGGS hold their exam on the same day so local traffic is very busy! The queue may appear to be long but we ask you to be patient. We will endeavour to make your waiting time as short as possible. Your son will then be taken to his exam room in a small group.

Feeling Ill If your son is ill immediately prior to or on the morning of the exam, PLEASE DO NOT BRING HIM! We will make alternative arrangements for him. Although, a few butterflies are normal!!! If your son attends and consequently has to go home ill part way through a test, he will be unable to finish that particular test when he returns. He can only take the tests he has not yet started.

Equipment to Bring Pencils and an eraser (glasses and inhalers if required). Small drink and light snack. No stop watches, mobile phones or clocks allowed(There will be a clock in each room) Emergency contact number for day of exam should your son fall ill and need to go home early. All boys must wear their School Uniform

The Test GL ASSessment (formerly NFER-Nelson) National standardised tests Secure tests, copies are prohibited Monday 16th June (confirm exam content i.e. option 1or option 2) Refer to School website

The Test Option One Option Two Verbal Reasoning English Maths Non Verbal Reasoning Verbal Reasoning Creative Writing (for review purposes only) Maths Verbal Reasoning English Maths

Timings Option One Option Two NVR 20 Minutes (2x10) 40 Questions VR 50 Minutes 80 Questions SHORT BREAK Creative Writing 20 Minutes Maths 50 minutes 50 Questions Option Two VR 50 Minutes 80 Questions English 45 Minutes 56 Questions SHORT BREAK Maths 50 minutes 50 Questions

Timings Tests are carefully timed by an Invigilator There will be a clock in the room Time warnings are given in the VR, English 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 Any time lost for a toilet break cannot be added at the end!

Creative Writing Assessment Option One only Boys are asked to continue a short 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 story. There are no practice papers available for this test. Duration 20 minutes

Collection……… Return to school between 12:20 - 12:30pm. Please wait quietly as some boys may still be working. Pupils will be led out through The Grammar into the car park. Flags displaying their room letter will be clearly displayed and your son will be told to meet you at his designated room letter point. If you are not there your son will be asked to wait in the sports hall. Please DO NOT BE LATE as it is unfair to all concerned.

Standardisation (Option One) Results 40 NVR 80 VR MATHS 50 RESULTS SENT TO PARENTS MID OCTOBER STANDARDISED (and ‘age weighted’) STANDARDISED RESULTS RETURNED TO AGSB REVIEW LATE SEPTEMBER

Qualifying Score is 334/423

Standardisation (Option Two) Results English 56 80 VR MATHS 50 RESULTS SENT TO PARENTS MID OCTOBER STANDARDISED (and ‘age weighted’) STANDARDISED RESULTS RETURNED TO AGSB REVIEW LATE SEPTEMBER

Qualifying Score is 334/423

Internal Review Process Pupils who are within 13 marks of the pass mark will automatically be reviewed by our Review Panel i.e. 321-333 inclusive. Reviews are carried out before results are sent. Boys who have a successful review will have their score raised to 334R. The Review Panel will take into account the following: Test Scores in each individual assessment Creative Writing (if Option One) Review Report from Primary School Special Circumstance Form reporting serious medical/family issues only (as detailed within our Admissions Policy) Special Educational Needs (SEN)

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 sent to you by your HA on National Offer Day. You may also wish to contact the school for further information.

Practice Packs The practice packs are for sale in C1 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!

Thursday 26th June 5:00pm – 7.30pm Open Evening will provide you and your son 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.

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. Practice papers and application forms are available on your way out this evening. Also, all information is available on the School Website. Come and see us on Open Evening – bring your sons We are always on the end of the phone.

Thank you for listening