Medway Grammar School Applications 2011 Entry
REGISTRATION FOR THE MEDWAY TESTS 2010/11 IS NOW OPEN
MEDWAY TESTS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD TO 25 SEPTEMBER 2010
Views on Review process last updated below on 5 May 2009
Medway children are selected for grammar school using different tests and a different process of selection to that operated in Kent.
The Medway test pass mark for entry in 2010 was 521. With Rochester Grammar School having increased its admission number by 10 to 165 and Fort Pitt Grammar School reducing its number by 30 to 120, we can expect changes in the admission pattern of the two schools, inparticular Fort Pitt was oversubscribed for the first time in many years so that applicants from areas such as the Hoo Peninsula were not be accepted.
Please note that there has been a considerable advancement in the Medway test dates, the registration dates for the test (opne now) and the closing date for admission forms.
Further, unlike the Kent test registration, there is no online facility for the Medway tests, parnst need to fill in the paper form from the Medway prospectus which is now available.
TIMETABLE
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Key Action
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Key Dates in Scheme
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Medway Admission Booklet published
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7 June 2010
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| Opening Date for Registration for Medway Tests | 7 June 2010 |
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Closing Date for Registration for Medway Tests
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2 July 2010 |
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Medway tests
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25 September 2010 |
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Parents informed of test results
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8 October 2010
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Closing Date for review requests
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15 October 2010
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Parents informed of review results
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27 October 2010
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Closing Date for Common Application Form
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31 October 2010
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National Offer Day
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1 March 2011
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Vacant places re-allocated
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w/b 21 March 2011
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Parents will receive decisions on Saturday 30 October and, where unsuccessful, will need to make decisions about whether to go to Review by 6 November. Following complaints by me to the Local Government Ombudsman, Medway Council has carried out a full review of the Review process and has sent out out additional advice to relevant parents with decisions. My preliminary comments are at the foot of this page.
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THE MEDWAY TESTS
Children take three tests: verbal reasoning, mathematics and extended writing. The first two tests are multiple choice, the English is a single piece of extended writing, usually to an essay title, but it can be any Key Stage 2 theme. The scores on each test are standardised according to the scores of Medway children taking the tests, so that a score of 100 is allocated to the average child who took the test. Scores then range from 70 to 140.
The scores from the three tests are then added together in the following way: verbal reasoning score given a weighting of one, and the maths and English scores given a weighting of two, so for example:
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Test
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Score
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Weighted
Score |
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Verbal Reasoning
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112
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112
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Mathematics
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98
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196
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Extended Writing
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108
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216
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Total Score
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524
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The pass score is then determined to admit 23% of Medway children (those from out of Medway are found selective in the same way, but their scores do not influence the calculations). In 2008 the pass score was 525 so this child would not have passed.
I am quite critical of this pattern, as Extended Writing is the least reliable of all tests used for selection processes, according to NFER who are the country's leading experts in test setting. Because it receives a double weighting, the result dwarfs that of verbal reasoning, the best predictor of academic success according to NFER. As a result, a child can gain a pass on the strength of a single strong essay, or similarly lose a place because they have misunderstood the extended writing question. For these reasons, different children will perform well in Kent and Medway and so it may well be worth taking both sets of entrance tests, to secure a grammar school assessment (although each is only accepted in the Authority in which it is taken).
Kent and Medway
Kent parents who apply for a Medway grammar school place and need to go to Review (see below) will not receive the outcome until after the Kent SCAF needs to be submitted. This presents problems as you only have four places on your SCAF. You cannot appeal for a Medway grammar school place unless it is named on the SCAF.
The Schools
The Schools
A grammar school assessment does not necessarily secure a place at the school of one's choice. Rochester Grammar School is regularly oversubscribed and takes those girls with the highest scores (together with able musicians). Rainham Mark Grammar School takes highest scorers but in recent years these have included all who were assessed grammar. Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School takes those boys who live nearest (but in the past six years has taken all who have passed and appealed, in three of those years after complaints by me to the ombudsman). Chatham Grammar School for Girls would take high scorers, but traditionally takes all those who have passed as has Fort Pitt. Fort Pitt has reduced its Planned Admission Number to 120 this year following its change to Foundation status. I think it will still take all Medway and Walderslade children who pass, but to be sure of a grammar school place you should also include Chatham Gramamr Girls. Chatham Grammar for Boys, and the grammar stream of The Howard School will take all who have passed. So if your son has passed the Medway test and you name at least one of these on your application form above any non selective school you name, you can be confident you will offered a grammar school place.
Review and Appeal
If your child is unsuccessful in the Medway tests you are entitled to apply for a Review of the decision, designed to select another 2% of children. This process identified a further 61 Medway children out of a total of 70 successful Reviews in 2008. Current legislation is in a mess, and if you apply for a Review and are unsuccessful, you can only have your case heard by an Independent Appeal Panel if you can show the Review process was not fair, objective or consistent. You will find the legal background at Code of Practice for School Appeals, paras 3.36 and 3.37. I do not know how parents can weigh up which option to choose! However, I attempt to summarise the situation below.
For 2009 admission, parents, including clients of mine, persuaded all Appeal Panels that the Medway Reviews were unfair – I believe my arguments were decisive (one after a complaint by me to the Ombudsman), and so parents did have their cases heard. However, will Medway Council be able to change the Review process sufficiently in the light of last year’s findings to convince Panels it is fair?
The Review procedure for 2009 was as follows. Review Panels, each comprising two teachers from different schools, looked at three pieces of each of English, mathematics and science submitted by the primary schools, together with standardised test results taken in the schools and a grammar/non selective recommendation from the primary school. They were not given any other information although parents were asked to complete a form (which was ignored) giving their reasons for asking for a Review. Each Panel then made a decision on the children they were reviewing and the total of successful reviews turned out to be around 2%.
At an Independent Appeal, parents have the right to present whatever information they wish, to try and persuade the Panel that their child is of a grammar school standard. This is likely to include reasons why the child underperformed and alternative evidence of his or her grammar school ability. However, the statutory Code of Practice states that where a Review has taken place, the only grounds for appeal are that the Review was not fair, objective or consistent. In other words panels cannot consider alternative evidence that the child is of a grammar school standard, or that there were reasons for underperformance on the day, unless they are satisfied that the Review process was unfair.
The problems are compounded by a Review process for 2009 entry that again invites parents to give their reasons on a form, for requesting a Review. This year for the first time it is made clear that parents should not send in additional information or documentation. However, the form also states that decisions will be based on the evidence supplied by the school, implying that once again parental reasons will be ignored. Further the primary school headteacher is again forbidden to write letters of support or to provide information, other than KS1 results, Year 5 levels and a high/grammar recommendation. In 2008, following a complaint by me, the ombudsman criticised this process as the combination of the two procedures denies parents any opportunity to put forward their case, which flies in the face of natural justice.
I have received many enquiries on the value of the words on the R1 Review Reqeust form. All I can get from Medway Council is that:
Those carrying out the Review process should see the parental statement (and no more), just to place the academic evidence in context. The review panel will (then) make their decision based on a consideration of the academic evidence provided by the school.
This moves us no further forward as if parents have reasons for underperformance, no Panel should/could accept these without evidence that would be supplied by additional materials. In any case, the decision is based (solely?) on academic evidence supplied by the school. I am very disappointed that Medway Council is unable to give proper guidance to parents on the value of their statement on Form R1, preferring to leave them in confusion. My own view is that Panels will not be able to take the statements into consideration, but parents should proably put something down for your own peace of mind!
Not surprisingly, I therefore expect that there will be many more challenges at appeal this year and complaints to the ombudsman if these are not upheld.
SUMMARY OF ISSUES AND Strategies for Review Process
- 61 Medway children were successful at Grammar School Review in 2008 out of some 200. I don’t know the total number of children, initially non selective, who were successful at appeal following an unsuccessful Review, but estimate it was of the order of 30 across Chatham Boys, Chatham Girls, and Fort Pitt. The number of children, initially non selective, who were offered places at The Math, Rochester Grammar or Rainham Mark would have been negligible.
- Appeal Panels at Chatham Boys, Chatham Girls and Fort Pitt all found the Review process was faulty. The Panel at Rochester Grammar found it to be fair, but this decision was reversed by the Ombudsman following a complaint by me. I don’t know the Panel decision on this issue at The Math and Rainham Mark.
- If you go for Review and are unsuccessful, an assessment of your child’s work is sent to the appeal panel. I believe that because markers want to create clear water between those who are found selective and those who are not, Review reports are often unduly harsh and have a negative effect on Panels.
- The Admissions brochure, like the parental advice is ambiguous on the issue of whether parental reasons are taken into account, in spite of being criticised by the Ombudsman who considers parents should have the right to have their reasons considered either at Review or at Appeal. I do not know the answer although my reading is that reasons are not taken into account at Review. I am trying to confirm this and will post any response on this page.
- Medway Council will surely have worked hard to try and make the Review process fair, objective and consistent, to meet the Code and ensure that Appeals cannot consider parental reasons. I believe, but won’t know until it is tested either by Independent Appeal Panels or the Local Government Ombudsman, that the process is inherently flawed and can be successfully challenged.
- If you don’t have powerful reasons for your child’s underperformance in the Medway Tests I therefore recommend that you go to Review. If you are unsuccessful, then attempt at appeal to show the Review process is unfair (naturally I am happy to help in this process!) so that the demonstration your child is of grammar school ability (that you would need to show) can be considered by the Appeal Panel.
- If you do have powerful reasons for underperformance, then your decision making is much more difficult. Last year, cases I was involved in included: massive disruption during testing ignored by invigilators (shouldn’t have affected quality of work submitted so probably go for Review), previous illness and hospitalisation (would have affected quality of work, so decision difficult), disruption in continuity of teaching affecting quality of learning (again affecting quality of work), demonstrable bullying affecting progress (quality of work), family tragedy (several cases, one following long term illness affecting child’s progress at school, another sudden not affecting work, but did produce poor performance).
- Until 2008 entry, parents have been told they were required to go to Review if they were to have the right of appeal. Following a complaint by me, the Ombudsman ruled that this restriction was unlawful, so this is the first year that Independent Appeal Panels will see parents coming to Appeal who have chosen not to go to Review. We do not know what view they will take of such appeals!
I am sorry I can’t give a clearer recommendation. Until Medway Council resolves the issues parents are being placed in an impossible position in terms of making rational decisions as required by the various Codes of Practice and by natural justice.