Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to register for the test on each school website?
If I am planning to apply for a sibling place, does my child still need to take the test?
What if I enter my child’s details incorrectly?
If my child is out of year group, what should I do?
What if I can’t see my child’s primary school in the drop down list of primary schools?
When will I know my test centre?
Where will my child take the test?
What should I do if my child has a disability or needs extra time for the tests? (If your child usually receives extra time or special intervention in class then you must let us know.)
What if I forget the details of the test?
Can I change the venue I have been allocated?
My child is taking the test at a school I am not applying to – does it matter at what school my child takes the test?
What happens if my child is not able to attend the Academic and/or Music Test?
What should I do if my child is ill on the day of the Test?
What if I have registered my child to sit a test in a different borough and it clashes with a consortium test?
What do I do if I cannot attend the Music Aptitude Second Round time I have been given?
What tests do the children take?
At the Second Round of the Music Aptitude Test, can my child use the opportunity to give a more detailed account of their aptitude and experience?
What do I do if I want to amend/change the test(s) I want my child to take?
What equipment does my child need?
How can I get hold of practice papers? Do the Consortium or any of the schools hold past papers?
If I have a query regarding any of the tests, who do I contact?
Can I stay with my child or wait for my child during the test?
How will I find out my child’s test results?
How are the test answer sheets marked?
Requesting a marking review of your child’s academic test papers
Requesting a marking review of your child’s Round 1 music test paper
Requesting a marking review of your child’s Round 2 music test
Are the scores age-standardised?
What mark does my child have to achieve?
If I have registered my child for the test, do I still need to apply for a school place?
How do I apply to any of the Consortium Schools?
What are each school’s admission criteria?
Should my primary school help my child prepare for the VR Test?
I have missed the deadline to register for the test. Can I still register after the deadline?
What is the process in the case of adverse circumstances during a test?

FAQS

1. Do I have to register for the test on each school website?

Single Registration: You only need to register once for the test through any of the seven consortium school websites. This registration is only for the Consortium Tests, not for school applications.
Separate School Applications: After the test, you must apply to the schools separately through the Local Authority (Hertfordshire County Council or your local authority if you live elsewhere) by submitting a CAF (Common Application Form).
School Information Form (SIF): You may also need to complete a School Information Form (SIF) for each school you’re applying to. These forms are available on each school’s website.
Test Limit: Your child can only take the test once

2. If I am planning to apply for a sibling place, does my child still need to take the test?

If you have a child currently at Queens’ School you do not need to register a sibling to take the Academic or Music test, unless you are planning to apply to one of the other Consortium Schools as a higher preference. You do not need to register a sibling to take the Sports test. (A sibling must be on the roll of the named school at the time of application.)
If you have a child currently at Parmiter’s School, you do not need to register a sibling to take the Academic or Music test unless you are planning to apply to one of the other Consortium Schools as a higher preference.(A sibling must be attending the school and residing at the same family household from Monday to Friday at the time of application).
If you have a child currently at Rickmansworth School, you do not need to register a sibling to take the Academic or Music test unless you are planning to apply to one of the other Consortium Schools as a higher preference. (A sibling must be on the School’s roll in Years 7 to 12 and is reasonably expected to be on the School’s roll in September).
If you have a child currently at St Clement Danes School please look at the schools admissions policy
If you have a child currently at Watford Grammar School for Boys please look at the schools admissions policy
If you have a child currently at Watford Grammar School for Girls please look at the schools admissions policy
If you have a child currently at Croxley Danes School, you do not need to register a sibling to take the Music test unless you are planning to apply to one of the other Consortium Schools as a higher preference. (A sibling must have a brother or sister who is in attendance at the school at the time of application).

Alternatively please contact the schools directly here.

3. What if I enter my child’s details incorrectly?

One Registration Only: Your child can only be registered once. Ensure all details are correct when registering.
Check Details Carefully: Double-check your child’s full name and spelling. Any discrepancies in the name (e.g., initials vs. full name) can cause issues with matching the test scores to the application.The same version of the name should be used across all correspondence (e.g., school application forms and test registration).
Test Preferences: Make sure to select the correct test options. Test options cannot be amended after the registration period has ended under any circumstances. If you make any errors, contact info@swhertsschools.org.uk immediately.
Address and Matching Test Scores: The address provided during test registration must match the address on your school application to ensure the test score is correctly matched to your child.
Eligible Date of Birth: Your child must have a date of birth between 1st September 2014 and 31st August 2015 to be eligible for the test.

4. If my child is out of year group, what should I do?

Contact the Consortium: If your child is out of the year group and was born outside the correct date range (for testing in 2025 for entry in 2026, the date range is 1st September 2014 to 31st August 2015), you must contact the Consortium Administration Team via email at info@swhertsschools.org.uk.
Primary School Letter: You will need to provide a letter from the primary school confirming that your child is out of year.
Test Limit: A child can only take the Consortium test once, and you may be asked to sign a declaration confirming your understanding of this.
Registration Details: When registering, input a date of birth as 1st September 2014. Afterward, contact the Consortium with your child’s correct date of birth for standardisation purposes.

5. What if I can’t see my child’s primary school in the drop down list of primary schools?

Tick the “I can’t find the school” Box:
Manually Input the School Details: Enter your child’s primary school name, town, and postcode in the provided box. Afterward, go back to the School postcode field and enter the postcode again. You will not be able to save the page without completing this step.
Double-Check the School List: Before inputting the school manually, ensure your child’s school isn’t already listed. Look for variations: Faith schools often use “St.” instead of “Saint,” and some schools may begin with “The.” Make sure to check for these variations.
Importance of Correct School Name: Getting the correct school name is crucial. If not entered correctly, your child may not be allocated a place with the whole cohort.

6. When will I know my test centre?

Please see the Calendar section of this website for all important dates.

7. Where will my child take the test?

Test Location: Your child will take the test at one of the schools in the Consortium.
Parent Portal: You can log into the parent portal in July to find out the specific test location.
Geographical Allocation: The test centre is generally assigned based on the geographical location of your child’s primary school, though you may not be allocated the nearest Consortium school.
Travel Consideration: It’s advisable to ensure that you can travel to any Consortium school, as the location is not guaranteed to be the closest to your child’s primary school.
Not Related to School Preference: The allocated test centre has no bearing on your school preferences or final school selection.

8. What should I do if my child has a disability or needs extra time for the tests?

Inform Us Early: If your child typically receives extra time or special support in class, notify us as soon as possible.

Equality Act 2010 and SEND: If you believe your child may be disadvantaged under the Equality Act 2010 or has special educational needs that require adjustments, you must upload written confirmation from your child’s SENDCo or Headteacher during the application process. Only documents from the current school will be accepted—other documents will not be accepted.

Upload Confirmation: Please upload the confirmation to the portal during the application process. If you do not have scanning facilities, ask the primary school for help. No paper copies will be accepted.

Deadline: Ensure the paperwork is uploaded by Friday 6th June. After this date, requests for special provisions will not be considered for the main test day and will be allocated to the reserve day.

Missed Deadline: If you miss the deadline, you will need to contact the Consortium Administration Team via the “contact us” tab for guidance, but no late submissions can be accepted.

Eligibility: If you’re unsure about eligibility for special provisions, speak to your class teacher or SENCo at your child’s primary school.

9. What if I forget the details of the test?

Test Information Email: After registration, you will receive an email with your test details from admin@applicaa.com. The sender will be listed as “Applicaa”. Make sure to follow all instructions provided in the email (e.g., activating your account, completing registration, confirming test venue, etc.).

Log in Regularly: We recommend that after registration, you log on regularly to the secure web page to check: Initial registration details, Test centre allocation, Music aptitude test second stage times (if applicable).

Test Results: You will be when your test scores are available on the portal. If you do not receive emails, you can still access the results on the portal.

Parent Portal Responsibility:It is your responsibility as a parent to log in to the Parent Portal to review all necessary information, especially if you haven’t received an email from us. Check the calendar for deadlines and important timescales.

10. Can I change the venue I have been allocated?

No – the venue cannot be changed. We allocate entire primary school cohorts to a single test centre. The popularity of the test means that each test centre is filled to capacity and each test session is carefully planned in terms of numbers and staffing.

11. My child is taking the test at a school I am not applying to – does it matter at what school my child takes the test?

No – the test venue is simply where your child will take the test or tests for which you have applied. The venue is immaterial to the final allocation of school places.

12. What happens if my child is not able to attend the Academic and/or Music Test?

You will be asked to confirm your attendance via the link emailed to you following test centre allocation. We strongly advise you do not decline this test session without confirming with the Consortium Administration Team that you are eligible to do so. You will not be permitted to take the Academic, Music or Sports Test on an alternative date for any other reasons than medically certificated illness or religious observance. If your religious observance means you cannot take the test on the main test day, please upload a letter from your religious leader citing your family’s membership of your particular place of worship, when you register. We can then allocate your child a place on the reserve test day. If your child is being tested on the main academic test day (Saturday) in another Borough or County, we will try to to swap your test session from morning to afternoon or vice versa, however there will be limited availability to offer this and any request should be submitted to your test centre prior to the end of the academic year. The test calendar is planned with as much consideration for other events, such as religious festivals and for tests being held in adjoining boroughs and counties, as is possible.

13. What should I do if my child is ill on the day of the Test?

It is important to note that if your child is ill on the main test day, you should contact the test venue you have been allocated immediately and arrangements may be made for the student to be entered on the Reserve Day. Medical certification WILL BE required to confirm eligibility for the Reserve Day. Please do not attend the test in the hope that your child will recover. If your child takes ill during their test, they will not be permitted to complete their test or re-take the test.

14. What if I have registered my child to take a test in a different borough and it clashes with a Consortium test?

In the first instance, we recommend you try and arrange to request a place on the other Borough’s or County’s test reserve day. 11+ tests in Buckinghamshire should offer you an alternative date as their application process requires a test score, whereas our schools do not.

If this is not possible, you should contact your allocated test centre to see if the session can be swapped i.e. morning to afternoon, or afternoon session to the morning and they will speak with the Consortium Administration Team to see if it is possible to swap your session. You may not be able to request a change to your test session after the end of the Academic Year.

15. What do I do if I cannot attend the Music Aptitude Test Second Round time I have been given?

You will have the opportunity to decline the appointment you have been given and every effort will be made to change your time slot to one that is more suitable. We will endeavour to offer a “swap” but we can only offer this when another candidate wishes to change their test time. We can realistically only offer you one alternative so please try to accept one or other of the times.

16. What tests do the children take?

If your child is applying under the Academic Criterion then the tests are in Mathematics and Verbal Reasoning and are provided by GL Assessment. Children applying under the Music criterion will take the Consortium Musical Aptitude test.

In addition, a Sports Test is arranged by Queens’ School and relates to this school only.

To help children get themselves familiar with the layout and types of question found in the South West Herts Consortium Schools tests, GL Assessment have provided us with free sample materials. The purpose of both the familiarisation materials and the practice papers is to help acquaint children with the overall of the tests so that, on test day, they will both recognise the style of the test booklet and the separate answer sheet where candidate responses are recorded and to see the types of questions they may face in the actual test.

The following should be noted:

We believe these materials are a useful tool to prepare your child to be able to recognise the test booklets and the separate answer sheet in readiness for test day. As entrance tests vary from area to area, the familiarisation materials and practice papers offered on the familiarisation papers tab are generic and are not intended to replicate the timings or number of questions on the papers candidates will take on test day. These materials are not designed for a specific area, region, or test and the quantity of questions and timings should not be relied upon as a base line for the test that will be taken in September.

Mathematics: Papers are prepared specifically for the Consortium by GL Assessment and are based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum. Click Here for Mathematics Familiarisation Paper

Verbal Reasoning: Papers are prepared specifically for the Consortium by GL Assessment. Click Here for Verbal Reasoning Familiarisation Paper

There will be a short break between the tests, when children can have a small snack. Please do not provide any snacks that contain nuts or sesame or that may contain nuts or sesame or indeed any allergy or anaphylaxis inducing ingredients. This includes Nutella. Any snack provided must be suitable for a school environment. A good rule of thumb is that if you would not be permitted to take a particular snack into your child’s primary school, you may not bring this to the test centre.

CANDIDATES MUST BRING:

Two pencils and a rubber

CANDIDATES MUST NOT BRING:

Any potential technological/web enabled sources of information such as:

• iPods;
• mobile phones; (these are not allowed in the exam room)
• MP3/4 players or similar device;
• Smartwatches;
• FitBits; or
• Wrist watches which have a data storage device, cellular or Bluetooth capability.

These items, in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Instructions for Conducting Examinations (“ICE”) issued by the Joint Council for Qualifications (“JCQ”), are NOT PERMITTED to be worn in the test venue at any time.

Any mobile phones brought into the examination will be collected in prior to the start of the test. Invigilators will check that all mobile phones have been handed in, and will return them after the tests have finished.

An analogue rotary wrist watch may be worn, but must be removed prior to the examination starting and placed on the desk.

Music Test: The test will consist of 60 questions in four sections which are played on a CD, usually in the main hall of the test centre on that school’s Audio/Visual Equipment which is used throughout the school year for a variety of aural examinations. The only equipment required by your child will be a pencil and an eraser. Special consideration can be given for this test if your child would usually qualify and those children are tested at a separate venue (on the same day as the main music test).

The questions are in relation to Pitch, Melody, Rhythm and Texture as follows:

Pitch: for these questions, candidates listen to two sounds and have to indicate whether the second sound is the same as the first, or whether it is higher or lower. There are twenty of these questions and some of the pitches are less than a semitone apart.

Melody: for these questions, candidates listen to two tunes consisting of five notes. Candidates have to decide whether the second tune is the same as the first or if one of the notes has been altered. If there is a change, candidates will be expected to identify which note has been altered, by giving the number of the note. There are ten questions in this section.

Texture: for these questions, candidates listen to a number of notes played together at the same time; this is called a chord. Candidates need to decide whether or not each chord has two, three or four notes. There are twenty questions in this section.

Rhythm: for these questions, candidates listen to two patterns of notes and have to decide whether the second pattern is the same as, or different from, the first, and where any difference occurs. Each rhythm will be four beats (or pulses) in length. There are ten questions in this section.

A limited number of applicants will be invited back to perform a single piece on their chosen instrument or vocally. This will be a free choice of piece, which should last no longer than three minutes. As there is a free choice of instrument and piece, it will give candidates of all abilities and all cultures equal opportunity to succeed. Those applicants invited back will be given an individual appointment during the school day. Please see the Calendar for further details.

Music Aptitude Test Second Stage:

The notification time for the test is the adjudication time. You should arrive 10 minutes earlier to warm up prior to your performance in the warm up area provided. There will be a Clavinova for piano and keyboard candidates should they wish to warm up.
Your performance time must not be longer than 3 minutes. The examiners reserve the right to stop the performance if it exceeds this length. You may only play one piece of music.
You cannot bring your own accompanist. If you wish for a member of our staff to accompany you, you must bring music sheets for them.
If your child has changed instrument compared to that which was entered in the registration form then please inform the steward.
For piano/keyboard candidates there will be both an acoustic piano and a keyboard in the test room and the candidate can choose which one he/she prefers.
Although pianos and generic Casio keyboards (as found in many schools) are available, we recommend that you bring your own portable keyboard from home if you are more familiar with this instrument or if you require any other type than Casio.
Please ensure that your instruments are tuned before the test appointment. We do not have the facility to offer spare strings nor reeds.
Music stands can be provided.
Backing tracks can be brought in by a device compatible with Bluetooth. (e.g. phone, ipad etc). CDs can be brought but please bring your own CD player. If a CD is being used please ensure that the track is clearly specified and is preferably the only track on the CD.
For bass and electric guitars – please bring your own amp and amp lead.
We can provide an acoustic drum kit but not an electronic one. Please bring your own drumsticks. You must inform the Clerks upon registration when you arrive that you require use of the drum kit.
The examiners will only converse with your child in order to ensure that they have warmed-up using the correct equipment and to settle them for their performance. No candidate will be asked about their music experience nor their qualifications as they are not relevant to the test.

17. At the second round of the Music Aptitude Test, can my child use the opportunity to give a more detailed account of their aptitude and experience?

No. As each candidate is assessed in an identical manner, your child will simply be asked “please begin playing when you are ready” at the start and then thanked once they have concluded their piece. No questions will be asked after the piece has been executed and there will be no further opportunity for candidates to show their musical aptitude more widely. No candidate will be asked about their music experience or qualifications as this is not relevant to the test.

Sports Test: The test is based on the Eurofit test and consists of seven events. Please see the Queens’ School website for further details.

18. What do I do if I want to amend/change the test(s) I want my child to take?

You can amend your test preferences at any time up until the registration closing date in June by either contacting the administration team or by logging into the parent portal and making your changes. You may not make any further changes to your test preferences after this date. If you have not selected a particular test and wish to do so after this date, you will not be permitted to do so.

19. What equipment does my child need for the Academic Tests?

For all tests:

CANDIDATE MUST BRING:

Two pencils and a rubber

CANDIDATES MUST NOT BRING:

Any potential technological/web enabled sources of information such as:

An analogue rotary wrist watch may be worn, but must be removed prior to the examination starting and placed on the desk.

Any refreshments for the break (between the maths test and the verbal reasoning test) should be neatly packed and named and of a nature appropriate for a school environment. Please do not provide any snacks that contain nuts or that may contain nuts. This includes Nutella.

20. How can I get hold of practice papers? Does the Consortium or any of the schools hold past papers?

Familiarisation papers can be downloaded from this website from the links above or from the tab on the Home page of the website. The Consortium does not send out past papers and the same applies for all the Consortium schools. Similar styles of papers can be purchased from bookshops or from the Internet. Our test provider is GL Assessment for both maths and verbal reasoning.

21. If I have a query regarding any of the tests, who do I contact?

If you have any queries regarding the test prior to the date upon which the test centres are allocated, please contact the Consortium Administration Team via email info@swhertsschools.org.uk. Once you have been allocated a test centre, please direct all queries to the Admissions Officer of the test centre to which you have been allocated:

Please Click Here to Contact the Admissions Officer at Croxley Danes School (Music Test only)

Please Click Here to Contact the Admissions Officer at Parmiters School (Academic and Music Tests)

Please Click Here to Contact the Admissions Officer at Queens’ School (Academic, Music and Sports Tests)

Please Click Here to Contact the Admissions Officer at Rickmansworth School (Academic and Music Tests)

Please Click Here to Contact the Admissions Officer at St Clement Danes (Academic and Music Tests)

Please Click Here to Contact the Admissions Officer at Watford Grammar School for Boys (Academic and Music Tests)

Please Click Here to Contact the Admissions Officer at Watford Grammar School for Girls (Academic and Music Tests)

22. Can I stay with my child or wait for my child during the test?

No. Parents must leave the test centre site once they have registered the children and return to collect them afterwards at the time given by the centre.

23. How will I find out my child’s test results?

Please refer to the test calendar for information regarding the time frames for publishing of test results. Please note that first stage music test results are published first and parents will be emailed with the result of that first round test. If you have not received an email on the date specified on the test calendar please log in to the parent portal and check your results. All successful and unsuccessful applicants who attend Stage 1 of the music test will receive an email indicating their test score and status for progressing to the second round. Those applicants will also be able to log in to the Parent Portal and view their mark, prior to commencement of the Music Aptitude Test Second Stage week.

All final test results will be published on Wednesday 16th October around midday. Having registered for the tests using a password which should be memorable and secure you must then log on to the parent portal regularly to view the initial registration, the allocation of the test centre, the tests you have selected and the allocation of Music Second Stage Test times if your child has been successful in the first stage. Results of tests will be available on Parent Portal and you will also receive an email to advise you of this. As mentioned previously, please see the calendar for information on timescales and deadlines. Please remember that it is your responsibility, as a parent, to log on to the Parent Portal to view the information at the appropriate times throughout the testing process.

24. How are the test answer sheets marked?

The answer sheets are returned to GL Assessment for marking by computer. They are machine-marked (scanned) and the computer detects the shading made on the answer sheets using OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) technology. Before taking the test, all children were provided with a Familiarisation Booklet to work through and this included examples of how to record answers on the separate answer sheets. To do the test children were told in the Booklet to:

“…read each question, chose the answer you think is correct and then put the answer on the separate answer sheet. When you have completed the test your answer sheets are then marked by a computer.”

To record an answer on the answer sheet:

In the test you will need to mark your answers on a separate answer sheet. You have to mark the correct answer for each question by drawing a line with your pencil through the small rectangular box beside it, like this.
Some questions may require you to mark two correct answers so make sure you read the instructions carefully in each section of the test!
In the test itself, be sure to keep your place on the answer sheet. You should always check that you are marking your answer in the box that has the same number as the test question you are on. This is especially important if you decide to skip a question that you can’t answer and come back to it later.
In the test you can use the question booklet for rough working, but you should not write any working-out on the answer sheet. If you need to change an answer, you should rub out the incorrect answer and mark the correct one instead. Do not cross out your answers on the answer sheet as the computer will not be able to mark them.

Examples of the answer sheets are available to view in the Familiarisation Papers section of the website. Our answer sheets are pre-printed with your child’s name, date of birth and individual candidate number.

Each answer needs sufficient shading (enough of a ‘mark’) for it to be recognised as such. The scanning process will also look at the size, sharpness, density and position of the ‘mark’ within the box

How can I be sure that my child’s answer sheets have been marked correctly?

Each child has a unique pupil ID and bar code which are clearly displayed on the answer sheet. This enables the answers to be linked to the particular child. Answer sheets are marked in batches as follows:

Online keying

As the batch of answer sheets is being scanned, the scanner stops if there is an ‘issue’ with a particular answer sheet (answer not marked, multiple marks) and the operative will look at the answer sheet via a viewer and make a decision on the question concerned (correctly answered or not), seeking the support of a supervisor as necessary. Scanning then recommences.

What happens if more than the required number of answers (marks) are detected on the answer sheet during the scanning process?

The scanning software uses an ‘erasure discrimination’ process to determine whether two marks are different enough for one to be considered an ‘erasure’, or whether they are too similar and should be treated as a ‘multi-mark’.

In the instance above, what guidelines do the scanning team work to in order to determine which answer to mark?

Multi-marks are flagged by the scanning software and the scanning operator will view the answer suspected to be a multi mark on the screen, the scanning operator will then look at the answer sheet to determine whether a mark has been crossed out, erased or appears to be a genuine multi-mark. If required, the query is flagged for a supervisor to make a decision.

A record is kept where manual intervention has been required and also if the outcome is that a question has been multi-marked or not attempted.

What quality assurance processes are in place?

In addition to the information above, if it is not possible for an answer sheet to be scanned the scanning operator will transcribe the original answer sheet onto a new answer sheet, the responses are then checked by a different scanning operator and the transcribed answer sheet is then scanned. GL Assessment, the test provider, will keep the original answer sheet and the transcribed answer sheet together.

25. Requesting a marking review of your child’s academic test papers

Please return to the homepage of the website and click on the Academic Test Paper Marking Review tab and follow the instructions onscreen. You must complete the form and pay the £35 administration fee via online banking, receipt of which will be confirmed to you via email from the Consortium Administration Team. You will then receive confirmation of your child’s academic test score in an emailed letter, which we aim to send in approximately 15 school days. This does not include school holidays. The marking review is final and will simply be confirmation of your child’s score or confirmation of a change to your child’s score. We do not offer a breakdown of scores. We do not offer raw score data. The tests are not an opportunity for parents to assess their child’s performance. The Consortium undertakes to provide a test score with which an application to one or more of the Consortium Schools can be made, and this they do. We will not enter into protracted correspondence in this regard. Your route of appeal will be via the Secondary Transfer Appeals process in May and June of the year following testing.

Before you begin, please bear in mind that it is extremely unlikely that there has been an error in the marking of your child’s test papers. Last year NO errors in marking were found to have been made.

When making the online payment, in the reference space, you must put the candidate’s first initial and surname followed by your student code (this can be obtained from the parent portal).

For example: Z Brown U-A97D

If no reference is entered, the finance department will not be able to identify the payment.

An online application for academic test paper marking review requests will be available to parents between the dates specified on the Marking Review Tab of this website and is relevant only to test candidates making secondary transfer applications for the same year. No marking review requests will be offered outside of the dates specified.

26. Requesting a marking review of your child’s Round 1 music test

Please contact the test centre at which your child took their Round 1 music test and request a marking review of the paper. This request should be made immediately following release of the Round 1 test scores. Requests for marking reviews that are received later than seven school days after Round 1 test score release, will be declined.

27. Requesting a marking review of your child’s Round 2 music test

We do not offer remarks of Round 2 music tests and we do not provide parents with a breakdown of the marks awarded. If you believe that your child has extenuating circumstances which may have affected the outcome of the Round 2 music test, you will have the opportunity to cite these as part of an appeal during the Secondary Transfer Appeals Process.

28. Are the scores age-standardised?

Academic Ability Test

The Verbal Reasoning and Maths raw scores are age standardised. The raw scores are converted to an “age-standardised score” based on the child’s age in completed months. Standardisation balances the overall performance of children from one year to the next and makes sure that all children are placed on an equal footing and that no child is unfairly advantaged or disadvantaged because of his or her age. It takes into account the child’s age in years and months on the date they take the test and that some children are very young in the year group. It is worth noting that the South West Herts Schools Consortium test is not an 11+ test as we only test maths and verbal reasoning (a traditional 11+ test is maths, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and English). To that end, our final standardised scores are not comparable to a traditional 11+ test score and it is not advisable to use one as a guide for the other.

For more information on age-standardisation please refer to A guide to standardised tests – GL Assessment (gl-assessment.co.uk)

Music Aptitude Test

The Music Aptitude test scores are not standardised.

29. What mark does my child have to achieve?

There is no pass mark for the academic test, places being offered in accordance with each school’s admission arrangements. Once you have received your test score final standardised test score, you will then be able to decide which school(s) you wish to apply to. Historical data can be found on every Consortium school’s website giving the lowest scores which gained entry into the school in the last three years. Although these historical scores are broadly comparable with this year’s scores, they should be treated with some caution as standards do vary from year to year.

30. If I have registered my child for the test, do I still need to apply for a school place?

Yes: this is very important. It is also worth noting that school applications and test applications are entirely separate registrations. An application for a school place is not an application for the tests and vice versa.

31. How do I apply to any of the Consortium Schools?

You must complete the Common Application Form (CAF) for the Local Authority in which you live. (The borough council to which you pay your council tax.) The national deadline for applications for secondary transfer is the 31st October. If you apply for a school place after this date, your application will be considered as a Late Application and will not be considered alongside applications made on time.

In addition you may be asked to complete the individual school’s School Information Form (SIF). This form will also have an application deadline.

32. What are each school’s admission criteria?

Each school’s admission criteria can be found in the school’s admission section of its website. Links have been provided on this website.

Please note that each school’s criteria are individual to that school and your child having taken the Consortium test does not mean that he or she will be eligible to apply to any of the Consortium schools. You should, therefore, read carefully through the criteria for any school to which you might be thinking of applying.

33. Should my Primary school help my child prepare for the VR Test?

Unlike Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning is not part of the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum which is taught by all state primary schools. The Headteachers and staff of primary schools have no obligation or reason to adapt the primary curriculum to accommodate preparation for the Consortium’s tests. Indeed they are prevented from doing so by the need to remain impartial in the secondary transfer process. It is wrong therefore to expect primary teachers to coach children to do Verbal Reasoning tests or to devote any school time to practising them. Preparation for the Verbal Reasoning test can be done perfectly adequately at home using comparable tests that are easily obtainable together with a broad range of age-related reading material; this is the parent’s responsibility, not that of the primary school. The Mathematics test is based on Key Stage 2 Maths, which the children are studying in their primary schools.

Any requests to primary schools to become involved in disputes with test centres on behalf of parents of pupils of their school will also be declined as this directly conflicts with the need of all primary schools to remain impartial in the secondary transfer process.

34. I have missed the deadline to register for the test. Can I still register after the deadline?

If the deadline has passed, it will not be possible to register your child regardless of your circumstances.

The Consortium has jointly taken the view that no late registrations will be permitted for the following reasons:

Registration for the tests will run from 8th April 2024 until 14th June 2024 which is a period of almost ten weeks. If you have not been physically able to make an application yourself, your primary school would undoubtedly have assisted if you had asked.
In order to assist the primary schools in alerting their Year 5 parents to the test process, notifications are sent out to Hertfordshire County Council and over 170 primary schools both in the state and independent sector across Herts, Herts/Bucks borders and the London Boroughs that surround Hertfordshire. These notifications are sent in January, early April and again in early June. The vast majority of these schools onforward the information to their parents, however, it is neither their nor our responsibility to ensure that you receive an email making you aware of the details of the test.
Information regarding testing is widely available in the public domain. The Test Calendar, setting out all relevant dates, has been available on all seven of the Consortium Schools websites since December 2023, making all dates publicly available for a period of almost six months prior to the commencement of registration.
The Consortium Administration Team sends reminder advisories (as set out above) throughout April, May and June, asking the primary schools to remind parents of the closing date for registration.

To allow late registrations would effectively prejudice those parents who have met the deadline. In fairness to those applicants, it has been agreed by the Headteachers of all the Consortium Schools that the deadline for registration will stand and no late applications will be permitted.

Whilst this means that your child cannot take the tests, it does not preclude you from applying for a place at any of the Consortium schools, since your school application will still be assessed under the applicable alternative criteria. If you are not successful in obtaining a place and you believe your circumstances are exceptional, you will have the opportunity to appeal any rejection and cite the circumstances that prevented you from applying when presenting your case during the secondary transfer appeals process.

There are no exceptions to this ruling and we cannot enter into lengthy correspondence in this regard.

35. What is the process in the case of adverse circumstances during a test?

From time to time, adverse circumstances may occur during a test which could affect a student’s performance. In such cases, the JCQ Special Consideration process will be used. JCQ Special Consideration is not designed specifically for 11+ entrance tests, but is applied to a wide range of national qualifications including GCSEs and A Levels. Given that this process is considered suitably rigorous for use in national qualifications, and in the absence of a specific Special Consideration process for 11+ tests, the South West Herts Consortium considers it the most appropriate process for dealing with such circumstances.

Students will be eligible for Special Consideration where performance in the 11+ test/s is materially affected by adverse circumstances beyond their control occurring during the test. Where an adverse circumstance occurs for a whole cohort in a test venue, and it is clear to South West Herts Consortium staff that all students present were affected, the Headteacher of the school at which the test was taken will inform the South West Herts Consortium Chair, Deputy Chair and Admissions Secretary in writing within 2 working days. Full details of the incident and how it affected the students present will be included. This trio will then consider whether it is appropriate to apply special consideration and will document the incident and decision making.

Where an adverse circumstance occurs for an individual in a test venue, the parent/carer must write to the South West Herts Consortium Admissions Secretary providing the details of the adverse circumstance and how it affected their child. The South West Herts Consortium Chair, Deputy Chair and Admissions Secretary will then consider whether it is appropriate to apply special consideration and will document the incident and decision making. Reports of adverse circumstances must be made by 31st October in the year in which the test is sat. Submissions after this date will not be considered.

Where a report of adverse circumstances is accepted, special consideration will be given by applying an allowance of additional marks to each test paper affected. To accept a report of adverse circumstances, the South West Herts Consortium must be satisfied that there has been a material detrimental effect on candidate’s test performance as a result of an adverse circumstance occurring at the test venue, during the test.

The size of the allowance depends on the timing, nature and extent of the adverse circumstance. The maximum allowance will be 5% of the total raw marks available in the test concerned.

The outcome of a report of adverse circumstances will be notified in writing via email by 21st November in the year of the test. Where applicable, the South West Herts Consortium will inform parents/carers of their child’s updated Standardised Age Score (SAS) for use in making decisions about their Secondary Transfer preferences.

Where relevant, this will enable parents/carers to modify their Secondary Transfer applications via the Hertfordshire County Council website in advance of the late applications deadline which is at the start of December annually.

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DATA PROTECTION NOTICE: The information provided for the purposes of registration for the South West Herts Schools Consortium tests is treated as confidential. It is processed by the Consortium for the purposes of the South West Herts Schools Consortium testing process only and will be kept for a period of 12 months from registration, after which it will be deleted and will not be held centrally by the Consortium. Data held by the Consortium Schools individually will be subject to that school’s Data Protection Policy and Privacy Notices, issued by that School, available on its website and updated from time to time, and in line with current Data Protection laws.