Entrance Exam
September 2013
For entry in September
2014
D.O.B Range
1st September 2002
31st August 2003
Altrincham Grammar School
for Boys
Tonight we will talk about:
• The Application and Admission Process
• The Entrance Examination
• Internal Review Process
• Special Requirements
• Places Available
• Appeals
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
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 31st October 2013
• 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.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
• Our entrance exam is on Saturday September 14th
• 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.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
• 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 2014).
• Please
refer to our school website nearer the
time for the date our results are posted.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
•
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....
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
• 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
2014 – 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 2014 Admission Policy.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
• In previous years we have been able to offer
out of area boys with the following scores:
• 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 20% of the places
available go to boys living out of the catchment
area.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
For full details please refer to our 2014 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.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
• 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.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
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.
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 2014)
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
• 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.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
•
You must aim to arrive between 9:00 - 9:15am. 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.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
• 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.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
• 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
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
• 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
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
NVR
VR
20 Minutes (2x10)
50 Minutes
40 Questions
80 Questions
SHORT BREAK
Creative Writing
Maths
50 minutes
20 Minutes
50 Questions
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. Any time lost for a
toilet break cannot be added at the end!
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
• 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
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
•Return to school between 12:30 - 12:45pm.
•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
displayed and your son will be
designated room letter point.
•If you are not there your son
the sports hall.
•Please DO NOT BE LATE
concerned.
letter will be clearly
told to meet you at his
will be asked to wait in
as it is unfair to all
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
NVR
40
VR
80
Results
MATHS
50
• RESULTS SENT TO PARENTS MID OCTOBER
• STANDARDISED (and ‘age weighted’)
• STANDARDISED RESULTS RETURNED TO AGSB
• REVIEW LATE SEPTEMBER
• RESULTS SENT TO PARENTS MID OCTOBER
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
•
•
•
•
Pupils who are within 13 marks of the pass mark will
automatically be reviewed by our Review Panel i.e. 321-333
inclusive.
This is when the Creative Writing is considered.
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
Review Report from Primary School, if received
Special Circumstance Form reporting serious
medical/family issues only (as detailed within our
Admissions Policy)
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
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.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
• The practice packs are numbered 1-8
• 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!
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
Thursday 27th 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.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
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, application forms and copies
•
•
•
of our
admission policy 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.
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
Any Questions?
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys