FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Entrance Test

The parents of any child currently in Year 5, who might apply for a place in Year 7 in September 2016 at any of the Consortium schools under the Test Criteria, Music Criteria or PE Aptitude Test will need to register with the Consortium. The best way to do this is via a website that we have created, but postal registration is also available.

PLEASE NOTE: this is only registering with the Consortium to do the tests, IT IS NOT AN APPLICATION FORM TO ANY SCHOOL.

Therefore, if you are contemplating applying to one or more of these schools, the form MUST be completed. The Consortium Schools are: Grammar School for Boys, Watford Grammar School for Girls, Parmiter’s School, St. Clement Danes School, School, Queens’ School, Meads School. You can go onto any of the school's websites to complete the Registration form. It should only be completed ONCE, this will cover all the Consortium Schools.

The school’s admissions tests are administered jointly by the South West Herts Admissions Consortium. Your child will sit one test regardless of which school/s you might later apply to, your child will not need to sit a different test for each school.

An electronic form to register for the tests will be available from Tuesday 5th May 2015 until Friday 19th June 2015. The website address is: www.swhertsschools.org.uk.

Key dates for entry in Year 7 in September 2015

Date - 2015 Test Tuesday 5th May Online registration for the tests opens Friday 19th June Online registration closes Monday 6th July Parents informed of test venue

Saturday 5th September Academic test Tuesday 15th September Music aptitude test Friday 18th September or Tuesday Queens’ School sports aptitude test 22nd September* Saturday 19th September Bushey Meads technology aptitude test w/c Monday 28th September Start of second round music tests

Monday 19th October Scores notified to parents Friday 30th October Secondary application deadline *Test allocated on an alphabetical basis which cannot be changed.

Academic Test (Mathematics and Verbal Reasoning) Information about the test and the arrangements, will be sent to applicants prior to the date. Sample questions for the Academic Tests, will be available on registration with the Consortium. There are no sample questions available for the Music Test. The tests do not have multiple choice answers. Mathematics: This part of the test will take 50 minutes and consists of 50 questions. Papers are prepared specifically for the Consortium. The test is based on Year 6 Mathematics. Verbal Reasoning: This part of the test will take 45 minutes and consists of 100 questions. Papers are reserved specifically for the Consortium. Similar VR tests for this age group are available from book shops. The scores are "age standardised". This takes in to account the age range within the year group so that all have a fair assessment. There is no pass mark for the academic test, places being offered strictly in descending order of each applicant’s standardised test score until the places are filled.

Statement regarding the change in VR paper for September 2015 testing – Entry 2016

The publisher of our VR test has changed, but it is still a test of verbal reasoning and any preparation that might have been done is in no way wasted. Reading regularly for pleasure is always good preparation.

We will not be disclosing any additional information regarding the type of questions, the number of questions etc. Such information lies with the test provider and is confidential to ensure parity for all candidates.

However, parents who register their children to sit the Consortium tests will of course be able to download a familiarisation paper based on the new verbal reasoning format.

Academic Test - Special Consideration If you consider that your child might be disadvantaged under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act, or has special educational needs which require the test centre to make particular provision for the tests, you must provide written evidence of this from your child's current school Headteacher. This evidence must be sent immediately after registering for the test. Please send a copy of the test registration confirmation email along with the written evidence to: Test Co-ordinator South West Herts Schools Tests PO Box 2439 Watford, WD18 1UZ

It is very important that you do this so the paperwork is received by Friday 3rd July 2015 at the latest.

If you have applied via a paper application please send the information along with your name, child’s name, date of birth, address, telephone number, current school to the PO Box address. If you are unsure of your child’s eligibility for special provision, please contact any Admission Secretary

Music Test All applicants for Music will sit a written aptitude test. The test does not require any previous knowledge of music theory. There are no practice papers for the Music Test. MUST MY CHILD SIT FOR THE ACADEMIC TEST AND/OR MUSIC TEST OR SPORTS TEST

If you are not applying under Criterion 4a or 4b then you are strongly advised to enter your child for the school’s admissions tests WHAT HAPPENS IF MY CHILD IS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE ACADEMIC AND/OR MUSIC OR SPORTS TEST? Those unable to attend on this date owing to compelling religious, medical or other reasons should notify the Admissions Officer at the allocated test centre as soon as possible and the applicant will be offered one alternative date. WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY CHILD IS ILL ON THE DAY OF THE ACADEMIC AND/OR MUSIC OR SPORTS TEST? You should notify the test centre as soon as possible and the applicant will be offered one alternative date. There are only 2 set dates for the PE Aptitide test and due to the organisation of this test, then these are the only dates available for this test. WHAT HAPPENS IF MY CHILD LATER COMPLAINS THAT THEY FELT ILL DURING THEIR ACADEMIC AND/OR MUSIC OR SPORTS TEST? If your child feels ill on the day of the Test, you should inform the school so that arrangements can be made for them to attend on the alternative date. If they take the tests but says afterwards that they felt unwell during them, there is nothing that can be done. If they complete the test, their score will stand regardless of whether they felt unwell on the day. No adjustment can be made to marks once a test is taken. IF QUEENS’ SCHOOL IS MY ALLOCATED TEST CENTRE FOR THE ACADEMIC TEST AND/OR MUSIT OR SPORTS TEST, CAN I PARK ON SCHOOL PREMISES? No. There are no parking facilities for applicants during the tests and cars cannot be brought onto the school grounds. Parents must register their child and then leave the building and the school site - returning at the time specified by the School.

WHEN WILL I BE NOTIFIED OF THE TEST VENUE You will be sent notification of your Test Venue by Monday 13th July 2015. The venue allocated will have absolutely no bearing on any eventual applications or allocations.

GENERAL

HOW DO I MAKE AN APPLICATION? 1. Send a completed Supplementary Information Form (SIF) form to Queens’ School (This will be available from Queens’ School from Thursday 1st October 2015) 2. Send a completed Common Application Form (CAF) form to your own Local Authority (the Authority to whom you pay your Council Tax) with Queens’ School as a named School. (This will be available from your Local Authority in September 2015) BOTH forms MUST be completed and returned to the correct place before the application deadline.

WHAT IS THE DFE NUMBER FOR QUEES’ SCHOOL? 919 5410

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO NOT SUBMIT A SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION FORM (SIF) TO QUEENS’ SCHOOL? We will not know about your application and will, therefore, be unable to consider your child for a place in Year 7. WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO NOT SUBMIT A COMMON APPLICATION FORM (CAF) TO MY LOCAL AUTHORITY? Even if you take the Academic and/or Music or Sports tests, we will not be able to offer your daughter a place

IF I LIVE OUTSIDE , DO I STILL NEED TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL? No, but you MUST complete the Common Application Form for your own Local Authority (the Authority to whom you pay your Council Tax) with Queens’ School as one of your named preferred Schools.

CAN I APPLY IF MY POSTCODE IS NOT IN ONE OF YOUR POSTCODE AREAS? Last year the school received over 1400 applications for 265 places and, unfortunately, this means that, because of our over subscription criteria, applicants outside the Admission Area have no realistic chance of being offered a place.

CAN I APPLY UNDER MORE THAN ONE CRITERION? Yes, you can apply under as many criteria as are relevant.

HOW NEAR TO THE SCHOOL DO I HAVE TO LIVE TO QUALIFY UNDER THE DISTANCE CRITERIA? This will vary from year to year depending on who is applying and where they live. Information regarding the furthest child admitted under the Distance criterion for previous years is on the website

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT MY CHILD’S SPORTING ABILITIES AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES? No. This does not affect her application.