YEAR 7 ADMISSION SEPTEMBER 2018

Altrincham Grammar School for Girls Cavendish Road Bowdon Altrincham Cheshire WA14 2NL

Telephone: 0161 912 5912 Fax: 0161 941 7400 Email: [email protected] Web site: www.aggs..sch.uk

Principal: Ms S Gill

Admission arrangements for girls who will be 11 years of age by 1 September 2018 (Date of Birth must be between 1st September 2006 and 31st August 2007)

The Admission Authority for this school is the Governing Body and the intended admission number for 2018 is 174.

You are warmly invited to our OPEN EVENING, where teaching staff and pupils are available for questions. Please visit our Admissions stand if you require advice on admissions.

Thursday, 22 June 2017 4.00pm – 8.00pm

ENTRANCE TEST DATE Monday 18th September 2017

Parking for all our events is limited, please park considerately. Toilet facilities are not available to parents

Applications to Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, , Grammar School and Grammar School

These four Trafford Grammar Schools are to be known as the Trafford Grammar Schools CEM Consortium (TGSCC).

Please consult individual websites for further specific information including the admissions policy for each school.

Altrincham Grammar Cavendish Road Single sex – girls only School for Girls Bowdon, Altrincham Cheshire WA14 3NL www.aggs.trafford.sch.uk/admissions/ Sale Grammar School Marsland Road Mixed – girls and boys Sale Manchester M33 3NH www.salegrammar.co.uk Stretford Grammar Granby Road Mixed – girls and boys School Stretford Manchester M32 8JB www.stretfordgrammar.com Newton Road Mixed – girls and boys School Urmston Manchester M41 5UG www.urmstongrammar.org.uk

Applications to Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Sale Grammar School, Stretford Grammar School and Urmston Grammar School

Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Sale Grammar School, Stretford Grammar School and Urmston Grammar School are using the same entrance test and consequently your daughter can only sit one test. However, parents can request that the raw score is shared between all four schools for inclusion in their standardisation. Parents can therefore choose to receive results for all four schools. Please read the registration form carefully and tick the appropriate statement to request that the scores are shared. Scores cannot be retrospectively shared between the schools after the standardisation process has taken place.

Admission Procedures 2017

How to apply for a place Altrincham Grammar School for Girls’ admission information is available on the school website and summarised below:

 Please apply to any of the four schools for your daughter to take the entrance test on Monday 18th September 2017. You only need to complete one application form but you must state where you want your daughter to sit the examination and what schools you wish to share the results with. Only girls can sit the examination at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls.

 You must also complete your Local Authority’s Common Preference Form which, in Trafford, must be returned to the Local Authority by 31st October 2017. If you reside outside Trafford please check the return date for your own authority. You must ensure that you have named Altrincham Grammar School for Girls as a preferred preference on the Local Authority’s Common Preference Form if you wish to be considered for AGGS.

 Your child must have a date of birth between 1st September 2006 and 31st August 2007.

 To enter your child for the entrance test, please complete the online registration form which is available under Admissions on the school website www.aggs.trafford.sch.uk by 12 noon on Tuesday 27th June 2017 at the latest, but preferably well before this date.

 On receipt of your application to sit the entrance test we will send you a confirmation email. In the event our test centre reaches its maximum capacity then ALL spaces will be reallocated by distance i.e those living closest to the test centre will be given priority. Details of the examination day, an attendance slip and a Special Circumstances Form will be posted to you on 7th September 2017. Your child must bring the attendance form on the day of the test with a photograph attached and stamped by the primary school. Please contact our Admissions Officer on 0161 912 5912 if the information is not received by Tuesday 12th September 2017. If your child does not have the correct attendance slip and photo ID on the day of the test, they will not be allowed to sit the examination.

 If there are exceptional circumstances and your child is unable to sit the entrance test on Monday 18th September 2017, please let us know when you apply and we will make alternative arrangements.

 If your child is ill immediately prior to, or on the day of the test, please do not bring them. Please contact our Admissions Officer and supply a doctor’s note by 12 noon on Friday 22nd September 2017 and alternative arrangements will be made.

 If you feel that there are any special circumstances that might affect your child’s performance on 18th September 2017, it is important that you let us know on the Special Circumstances Form which will be included in the information posted on 7th September 2017.

The Entrance Test

The entrance test consists of two multiple choice tests, each approximately one hour in length, containing questions which assess verbal, non-verbal and mathematics skills.

No extra time will be allowed if your daughter needs to leave the examination for any reason. She will be allowed a short break between the two tests for a toilet visit and/or a drink.

If your daughter does have to leave the room because of illness and subsequently goes home, please complete and return the Special Circumstances Form as soon as possible, giving full details. We will then contact you.

Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Sale Grammar School, Stretford Grammar School and Urmston Grammar School are using the same entrance test and consequently your daughter can only sit one test.

Test Results The test results will be posted on Friday 20th October 2017. For your daughter to qualify for a place at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, she must gain a qualifying score of 334 and you must ensure that you have named Altrincham Grammar School for Girls as a preference on the Local Authority’s Common Preference Form. For the qualifying scores for other schools within the consortium, please go to the relevant website. This form must be returned to the Local Authority in which you reside. Please be aware that achieving the qualifying score is not an offer of a place.

As required under the National Co-ordinated Secondary Arrangements the list of qualifiers is then sent to the Local Authority, who will apply their allocation procedures to determine the offer of a place on national offer day, the 1st March 2018.

Oversubscription and how places are awarded Where eligible applications for admissions exceed the number of places available, places will be awarded in accordance with the following order of priority: -

I. Children who are Looked After, regardless of their place of residence;

II. Applicants residing in the school’s catchment area who are in receipt of pupil premium;

III. Applicants residing within the school’s catchment area who will have a sister who will be a pupil of the school at the time of the applicant’s proposed admission;

IV. Applicants residing within the school’s catchment area. Where the number of applicants qualifying for admission under this category exceeds the number of places available, then priority shall be given to those applicants residing closer to the school (see ‘distance’ in the Admissions Policy);

V. Applicants residing outside the school’s catchment area who will have a sister who will be a pupil of the school at the time of the applicant’s proposed admission. Where the number of applicants qualifying for admission under this category exceeds the number of places available, then priority shall be given to those applicants residing closer to the school (see ‘distance’ in the Admissions Policy);

VI. Applicants residing outside the school’s catchment area. Where the number of applicants qualifying for admission under this category exceeds the number of places available, then priority shall be given to those applicants residing closer to the school (see ‘distance’ in the Admissions Policy).

Where child-care arrangements are shared between two addresses please see the Admissions Policy for further clarification.

What happens after students have qualified and been offered a place?

In April 2017, families will be sent further information about an induction day for students and a welcome evening for parents.

Appeals Procedure The governors arrange an independent panel which will consider any appeals. If we do not offer your child a place you have the right of appeal. Details of the appeals procedure are available on request from the Admissions Officer.

Waiting List The school will operate a waiting list for Year 7 admission in September, following the completion of the allocation and appeals process. Each added child will require the list to be ranked again in line with the published oversubscription criteria. Priority must not be given to children based on the date their application was received or their name was added to the list. Should a place become available, the oversubscription criteria will be applied to those on the waiting list.

REMINDER

 Please complete the online application as soon as possible, so that your child can be registered for the entrance test. If you are unable to apply online please contact the school for an application form.

 If your child is ill on 18th September 2017 do not bring them to the test. Please contact the Admissions Officer and supply a doctor’s note by Friday 22nd September 2017, and we will make alternative arrangements for your child to sit the tests.

 Please let us know as soon as possible if your child will not be taking the tests to avoid unnecessary expense to the school.

For further clarification please see the Admissions Policy at aggs.trafford.sch.uk/admissions/ or telephone the Admissions Officer on 0161 912 5912.

Frequently Asked Questions 2017

Who provides the 2017 entrance test? The University of Durham is internationally recognised for its pioneering work in developing monitoring systems for schools and colleges. It is a global leader in the design, development and supply of assessments and the largest educational research unit in a UK university. All tests used are extensively trialled and schools and local authorities who have adopted the test have reported that they select appropriate cohorts of children for a grammar school education.

We believe that not only will the tests provide an accurate reflection of each student's innate ability but also be consistent with the school’s fundamental policy of consistency and fairness in the assessment of high academic ability.

Why is the entrance test to be Monday 18th September 2017? A number of schools across the country are working with the University of Durham and this is the agreed date.

‘When is the closing date for applicants?’ Applications should be made by 12 noon on Tuesday 27th June 2017, but preferably well before this date. Please note this is a strict deadline and no further applications can be made after this date.

Are practice papers available? No practice papers are available. The tests are designed so that children can complete the tests, to the best of their ability, without practice. Familiarisation material is available on the school website www.aggs.trafford.sch.uk

How many questions/sections are there? There are two papers, each approximately one hour long, provided by the University of Durham containing questions which assess verbal, non-verbal and mathematics skills. Please refer to the familiarisation materials available on our website. The number of questions and theoretical maximum mark information is not released to the school in advance.

How are the three skills combined? Information regarding examination scripts is confidential; all applicants have access to the familiarisation materials available on our website ensuring fair access to all information available. Examination content is confidential to protect the integrity of the test and supplied to school with a confidentiality provision - Altrincham Grammar School for Girls cannot disclose information about the University of Durham’s test.

Do the entrance tests take into account my child’s age? Yes, the results are age standardised.

When will the standardised mark be available? The test result will be posted on Friday 20th October 2017 and consists of one standardised result. A breakdown of score by paper or raw score will not be available.

Is it possible for my daughter to pass the entrance test for one school, but not the other? Yes. Although the entrance test will be the same for each school, and the raw score will be the same, the standardised score may be different. This is because the same raw score is being compared to those of a different cohort of children.

What if my child requires special arrangements? You must inform us at the point of application of any special arrangements your child may require during the entrance test. Please provide supporting documentation for such requests with your application. Please note we may contact your child’s primary school in connection with the request.

What if my child is ill on the day? If your child is ill immediately prior to or on the day of the test, do not bring them. Please complete the Special Circumstances Form and return for the attention of the Admissions Officer, together with a Doctor’s note, by Friday 22nd September 2017 and we will then advise you of an alternative date.

Do I need to make the school first preference on the CAF? If Altrincham Grammar School for Girls is your first choice parents/carers are strongly advised to make the school their first preference on the LA Common Application Form. If your child meets the admission criteria for more than one of your chosen schools the LA will allocate your child to the school of highest preference. If Altrincham Grammar School for Girls is not made first preference your child may not receive the offer of a place even if they pass the entrance examination. For further advice on completing the CAF please contact your home LA.

What is a looked after child? A looked after child is a child who is in public care or has previously been in public care. (Children previously in public care are children who were in public care and ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order). Looked after children are considered as Category 1 within the oversubscription criteria.

What is Pupil Premium? 'Pupil Premium' is funding for publicly funded schools in England to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and close the gap between them and their peers. In addition to 'looked after children' schools receive pupil premium funding for pupils who were looked after by an English or Welsh local authority before being adopted, or who left care on a special guardianship order or child arrangements order. Schools also receive funding for each child registered as eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years as well as funding for children who have a parent serving in the armed forces.

My child is successful in the entrance test but not offered a place; can they be placed onto the waiting list? Yes, please contact School Admissions at Trafford Local Authority after your allocation letter has been received or the Admissions Officer at Altrincham Grammar School for Girls.

My child has been successful in the entrance test. We live outside the school’s catchment area. If the school is oversubscribed, what are the chances of my child being offered a place? This depends on the number of candidates who achieve the pass mark within the school’s catchment area who include Altrincham Grammar School for Girls as a preference on the CAF.

You must include Altrincham Grammar School for Girls as a preference on the CAF to be eligible for consideration.