Admissions to Sir Thomas Rich's School

Application for Entry into Year 7 - For Sixth Form Admission click here

All

parents of children in Year 6 should receive, early in September, an information leaflet and a summary of secondary schools’ Open Evenings. The County Council also produces a book detailing admissions procedures for all schools and a separate Transfer to Secondary School booklet – these booklets are available online and copies are in all primary schools, secondary schools, children’s centres, libraries and in Shire Hall. They give full details of the process of transfer, how to apply, each secondary school’s admission criteria, etc..

You will also see that the Calendar of Open Evenings, the grammar registration forms for Sir Thomas Rich's and a Q&A leaflet for the grammar test are on that website available for parents to download. Parents who wish to consider Sir Thomas Rich’s will need to complete a Grammar Registration form. This is available on the above site or can obtained from the Access to Education Team (0-16), Shire Hall, Gloucester GL1 2TP (telephone 01452 425407) or it can be downloaded from www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/schooladmissions.

The form must be returned to them by Friday 16 October 2009. This ensures that children are registered for the admissions tests and parents will then be sent all relevant information about the tests. The tests will be held in the grammar schools on the morning of Saturday 7 November 2009. Children will take the tests in the grammar school to which they are likely to apply or, if application to more than one grammar school is possible, at the grammar school which is likely to be placed as the highest preference. Parents are not obliged to apply for a grammar school, but DO need to complete a Grammar Registration Form if they wish their child to take the test.

Parents will be informed of the result shortly after the tests have been taken (around 20 November), and before the Common Application Form needs to be submitted.

All parents of Y6 children must submit a Common Application Form to the Access to Education Team (0-16) at Shire Hall by Friday 4 December 2009. Application may be made online – parents are given a UPN and may use this to register at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/schooladmissions.

The Council encourages parents to use this system, an e-mail reply will be sent to confirm the application has been received.

What is the admissions test like?

The

County Council will send you a familiarisation test so that both you and your child can have an indication of what to expect on the day. On the morning of 7 November a short practice test will be given to ensure that all children are happy with what to do. There are then two multiple-choice verbal reasoning tests, one lasting about 45 minutes and a second one lasting 50 minutes. Verbal reasoning tests are essentially simple maths and English questions, examples can be found in bookshops. A type of question which is in some commercial products but which will not be set is ‘non-verbal reasoning’. The School has a booklet of four practice tests (plus guidance and answers), published by NFER who set the admission tests – available for £10 plus 90p (first class) or 74p (second class)

What if my son is ill on the day of the tests?

An

alternative date (Friday 13 November 2009) is set aside for children whom the County Council is assured were ill on 7 November.

When can I see the school?

Parents and children

are welcome to visit Sir Thomas Rich’s at any time, simply telephone to request a suitable day and time. However we shall be holding two Open Days – on Tuesday 6 October and Wednesday 7 October 2009. On each day parents and children are welcome to visit at their convenience. The school may be seen ‘at work’ from 8.40 a.m., starting with morning assembly, to 1.05 p.m. and from 2.15 p.m. to 3.30 p.m..

There will be an Open Evening on Wednesday 7 October 2009. The Headmaster, Mr. Kellie, will give talks at 6.00 p.m. and again at 7.30 p.m. and there will be tours of the school. Pupils and staff will be on hand to answer questions and visitors may see displays of pupils’ work. School prospectuses will be issued on each of the above occasions.

What is the pass mark?

The

scale of marks which can be achieved ranges from about 70 up to 140. The average score for a child who is of mid-range ability within a whole Year group is 100. Children must reach a combined score of 210 in the tests to be considered for a place at Sir Thomas Rich’s.

As an approximate guide this equates to about the top 40% of the ability range. It is probably roughly equal to a mark of around 75% in practice tests.

What if the school is over-subscribed?

In

the event of over-subscription our Year 7 places would be offered to the highest-scoring 108 boys. Parents should rank schools in order of priority. Schools can no longer operate a ‘first preference first’ system. Thus if Sir Thomas Rich’s is placed first but a place cannot be awarded, the second choice school will become the first effective priority i.e. putting Sir Thomas Rich’s first would not jeopardise the chances of gaining a place at lower-placed schools. Full details of the admissions criteria are in the Transfer to Secondary School booklet.

Is there a catchment area?

There

is no catchment area, pupils from anywhere in the county and beyond are considered equally, and there is no priority for siblings. In essence admission depends solely upon performance in the tests.

It is up to parents to decide if the journey is acceptable, the school cannot take responsibility for organising transport. There are buses, operated commercially, which bring pupils from the Forest of Dean and from Cheltenham. The Council’s conditions regarding eligibility for free transport are set out in their Transfer to Secondary School booklet. In summary you may be eligible only if you live in Gloucester City and Sir Thomas Rich’s is your nearest grammar school but it is more than three miles from your home, measured by the shortest available pedestrian route.

When will I find out the result?

There

is a national ‘offers day’, the County Council will post confirmation of the secondary school places to all Year 6 parents for receipt on Monday 1 March 2010. One place only is offered for each Year 6 child.

How can I find out more?

Sir Thomas Rich’s

is a community school which means our admissions are entirely controlled by the Local Authority (the County Council). They set the tests, mark them, they administer the admissions process, application is made to them, they allocate our places. So if you have questions about the application process please contact the Access to Education Team (0-16) at Shire Hall, Gloucester GL1 2TP, telephone 01452 425407. They have the “top ten questions” on their website, www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/schooladmissions.

If you have any questions about Sir Thomas Rich’s please contact the School at Oakleaze, Gloucester GL2 0LF, telephone 01452 338400, e-mail schoolsecretary@strs.org.uk.