1 SKIPTON SELECTION PARENTS’ EVENING Ermysted’s Grammar School June 2013 Admission to Schools September 2014

2 Welcome

3 Introduction Key staff are : Chris McMackin Lead for Admissions The Education Office, Tel Vickie Hemming-Allen Admissions Team Manager, The Education Office, Tel John McNamara, Admissions and Appeals Officer, The Education Office, Tel William Burchill, Admissions and Appeals Officer, The Education Office, Tel Jill Wilson, Admissions and Appeals Officer, The Education Office, Tel

4 Programme Introduction Administration of the Selection Scheme Applying for testing for in area and out of area pupils Equalities Act Test Procedures Selection Reviews Applying for a Secondary School place Admission Appeals Boarding Education Statistics Overview of important dates Admission team contact details

5 Administration of the Selection Scheme The Local Authority (LA) assesses all boys within selective areas, (unless you as parents choose not to have your child tested) On parental request, boys from outside the selective areas of the County, can be tested as to their suitability for grammar school education in Ripon and Skipton. The Local Authority use 2 types of tests – Verbal Reasoning (VR), and Non-verbal Reasoning (NVR). They are produced for North Yorkshire Local Authority by GL assessment.

6 Schools in the Selective Areas In Ripon Outward Grange School Ripon and Ripon Grammar School In Skipton * Skipton Girls’ High School, Ermysted’s Grammar School (for Boys), Aireville School and Upper Wharfedale School The children whose principal permanent residence is within these school’s catchment areas are referred to as In Area. * Skipton Girls High School operate their own selective scheme for girls wishing to enter their school.

7 You are considered to be an ‘in area’ pupil : If you live in either of the two selective areas and your child attends a primary school within the selective area. These children are automatically entered for testing if they attend an in area primary school. Parents wishing to withdraw their child from the selection process would need to write to the Education Office in Harrogate or contact us by at: If you live in either of the two selective areas and your child does not attend a maintained primary school in that selective area. However your child will not be automatically entered for selection testing. If you wish to register your child for testing you need to inform the admissions team by applying on line at or by writing to the Education Office in Harrogate. * Parents of girls should apply direct to Skipton Girls High school Applying for testing In Area Pupils

8 Out of Area Pupils If your normal residential address is outside the selective areas your child is considered to be an ‘out of area’ child. If you wish to register your child for testing you need to inform the admissions team by applying on line at or by writing to the Education Office in Harrogate. Admissions Office staff they have maps of the selective area for information. Application forms are available for you to complete tonight, or take it away with you to post back to the Education Office.

9 Details needed for out of area children Your child’s: Full name Date of birth Home address and telephone number The name and address of his school. The closing date to apply for testing is Friday 16 August (The tests for out-of area pupils take place on the same day as for in-area children). Parents of children who live in area but who attend a primary school outside of the selective area or an independent school also need to register their child for testing.

10 Equalities Act Local Authority's (LA’s) have a duty not to discriminate against pupils and prospective pupils with a disability in their access to education. The North Yorkshire Selection Scheme meets the terms of the Equalities Act. (details are available on our website) If you feel that your son has additional needs in terms of taking the selection tests, for example medical, hearing or sight problems, or if your child has a statement of special educational needs, then in the first instance please discuss this with your child’s head teacher and then our staff based in the Education Office. *It is essential that any additional assistance is requested through the EA procedure prior to the selective tests taking place.

11 Test Dates The Familiarisation Test 6 September 2013 The First Actual Test 10 September 2013 The Second Actual Test 13 September 2013

12 Testing Venues All boys attending an in area primary school who have not been withdrawn from the testing process will be tested at their primary school. Out of area boys and in area boys attending a primary school outside the selective area or an independent school will be tested at a central testing venue.

13 Central Test locations for 2013 In Ripon: Ripon Leisure Centre for all pupils In Skipton: The Memorial Hall Ermysted’s Grammar School for boys

14 GL Assessment (G.L.A) The tests are designed to identify a boy’s “Academic Potential”. They are multiple choice tests produced by G.L.A., specifically for use by North Yorkshire Local Authority. The test papers are marked and standardised by G.L.A. Tests are not related to National Curriculum or Key Stage Standard Tests of Attainment (SATs).

15 Selection Tests What kind of questions are in the test? Examples can be found on our web site - our selection scheme uses multiple-choice questions. Answers to these questions are also available on our web site.

16 VERBAL & NON VERBAL REASONING TESTS  The Verbal Reasoning (VR) test consists of one continuous 50 minute paper of 80 questions.  The Non Verbal Reasoning (NVR) test consists of four separate sections of 20 questions per section with 10 minutes for each section.

17 VERBAL & NON VERBAL REASONING TESTS CONTINUED: Your son’s BEST verbal reasoning and BEST non-verbal marks from both tests will be added together to give a final mark. The Local Authority sets the “Cut Off Mark”. All tests are administered by invigilators who are trained and recruited by North Yorkshire.

18 Preparation for the tests We believe that boys should be allowed to take the tests under conditions which are as normal as possible, and not face the pressure of extra coaching but cannot, of course, prevent it. Some schools do carry out a range of tests for assessment purposes whilst others don’t. We do not expect any of our schools to carry out more than one VR or NVR test for each child each year. Off the shelf tests The standardised marks for these tests are not comparable with the marks achieved in the tests specifically designed for North Yorkshire. The first test (Familiarisation Test) is not marked. It enables children to become familiar with the types of questions, the test procedures and the environment.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IF YOUR CHILD IS ILL OR IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS ON THE DAY OF THE TEST : If your child is ill on the day of the tests, has suffered a serious injury, or you feel that it would not be appropriate for them to take the tests due to circumstances such as a family bereavement, the illness of family members or other serious issues which could affect your child’s performance in the selection tests, please contact the admissions team immediately and confirm the reason for their absence in writing. 19

20 WHAT YOU SHOULD DO IF YOUR CHILD IS ILL OR IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS ON THE DAY OF THE TEST : In the first instance you should contact the Education Office. This is particularly important for the Familiarisation Test as your child will not be able to take the two actual tests without taking the familiarisation test first. We will then arrange for your child to take the tests at a later date. If your child is absent from the tests without previous notification to the Education Office he or she will be removed from the list of pupils to be tested.

Suitability for a grammar school education The definition of who is suitable for Ermysted's Grammar School education is very precise. The results of the North Yorkshire selection tests are used to find the highest scoring 28 per cent (or as close as possible) of all year 6 boys who live in the Skipton area. This percentage figure then sets the standard which children must reach to be considered as suitable for selective grammar school education. The cut off mark for Ripon and Skipton areas are usually different and will vary from year to year. In the last 6 years the cut off marks for these two areas have been: 21

22 The cut-off mark Year of entry Ripon cut-off Skipton cut-off *2013 cut off mark in Skipton refers to boys only

23 Establishing the cut-off mark For us to consider boys who live outside the selective area to be deemed suitable for a grammar school education, they must reach the cut-off mark which is set by the performance of the pupils who live in the selective area

24 Applying for a secondary school place Test Results All parents will be sent their son’s test results on Wednesday 16 October 2013 by first class post, which is before the deadline date for completion of your secondary school common application form in North Yorkshire.

25 Non Statutory Selection Reviews – For Ermysteds Grammar School These are arranged to provide you with an opportunity to present your case to an independent appeal panel if your son has not reached the cut off mark set by the LA to allow your child to attend a North Yorkshire selective school. They will be held in January to February The focus of these reviews is your son’s test performance and any reasons you feel why he did not achieve the established cut off mark in the selection tests. Those successful at a selection review are deemed suitable for a grammar school education and are considered for a school place along with those who reached the cut off mark in the selection tests.

26 Applying on line for a secondary school place For North Yorkshire parents The on-line system for secondary applications for the academic year is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from mid July 2013 until the closing date for applications on Thursday 31 October Should I send a paper copy as well as applying on-line? No. As long as you provide your address, the system will send you an to tell you that your application has been received. If you do not get this , you should contact the Education Office for advice. This is proof that you have made your application. For parents living outside North Yorkshire You should complete a common application form or apply on line to your local home admission authority. Your authority will co-ordinate with us so that an offer of a school place can be made appropriately.

27 Please remember if you live outside North Yorkshire you should contact your home LA to check their admission timetable and closing date for applications, complete a Common Application Form or apply on line to your home authority naming the selective school if that is one of the schools you wish to preference. We will co-ordinate our admission arrangements with your LA.

28 For all applications to Selective Schools If you live in North Yorkshire and you do not name any North Yorkshire school, we will give your child a place at the local school if places are available. We offer places first to children who have expressed a preference for a school. (If the local school is oversubscribed, we will normally give your son a place at the nearest school with places available which might be some distance from your home).

29 Oversubscription Being deemed suitable does not guarantee your son a place at a selective grammar school. We consider all children who are either deemed suitable via the selection tests or via a successful selection review for places. If the number of boys deemed suitable for a Selective School exceeds the number of places available, priority will be given in line with North Yorkshire’s or the particular school’s oversubscription criteria, which are published on the website or are available from the school.

30 Oversubscription General criteria for offering places to oversubscribed community and voluntary-controlled schools, the oversubscription criteria for Ermysted’s Grammar School, a voluntary aided school and Skipton Girls High School, an Academy School can be found on our Web site at It is highly probable, but it cannot be guaranteed, that in area pupils deemed suitable for a grammar school education will be allocated places at the relevant grammar school. Wherever possible all out of area pupils who are deemed suitable will be allocated places unless the number of children deemed suitable exceeds the number of places available at the relevant school. (The Published Admission Number or PAN for the appropriate school). Attendance at a primary school in a selective area does not mean that your child is in-area. The determining factor is your principal place of residence.

31 Boarding Education Information I would like to apply for a boarding place at Ripon Grammar School; how can I do that? Details of boarding School provision can be found on the Web site and from the Education Office in Harrogate. We provide up to 14 boarding places in Year 7 at Ripon Grammar School each year as part of the school’s published admission number of 117.

32 Statutory Admission Appeals These are arranged to provide you with an opportunity to put your case to an independent appeal panel for boys who have been deemed suitable for grammar school education where the school is oversubscribed. They will be held next year (2014) in April for both the Skipton and Ripon area. The primary focus of these statutory appeals is not a pupil’s performance in selective tests but the inability of the LA to provide a place at the preferred selective school because no places are available due to the preferred school being oversubscribed.

33 Statutory Admission Appeals Currently Headteachers from either community or independent schools can only attend appeals in exceptional circumstances and with the LA’s agreement. Parents who have been unsuccessful at a selection review are able to submit a statutory admission appeal.

34 Skipton Statistics* - Boys In Area Statistics Out Area Statistics Total no. of in-area pupils in cohort Total no. of out-area requests received Number of boys Number of out of area requests for boys Total no. found suitable Total no. found suitable No. of Selection Reviews No. of Selection Reviews Upheld Upheld3113 Not upheld Not upheld Withdrawn Still to be heard No. of Admission Appeals Upheld Not upheld Withdrawn Still to be heard Total no. of places offered** Total no. of places offered** * Information correct as at 20 June 2013 ** The breakdown of total places offered between in and out of area boys/girls reflects any change in circumstances (e.g. change of address or preference) which occurs during the admissions process.

35 Ripon/Skipton Selection Timetable 2014/15 Admission Year Key Dates Friday 16 August 2013 Friday 6 September 2013 Tuesday 10 September 2013 Friday 13 September 2013 Wednesday 16 October 2013 Thursday 31 October 2013 Friday 8 November 2013 w/c 6 January mid February 2014* Saturday 1 March 2014 Monday 31 March 2014 April 2014 May 2014* Closing date for all in-area pupils to withdraw from testing. Closing date for all out-of-area applications for testing. Familiarisation test for all pupils. First actual test for all pupils. Second actual test for all pupils. Results of selection tests to be posted to all parents. Closing date for receipt of common application (preference) forms at the education office. Closing date for receiving selection review (Appeal) papers from parents. Non-statutory selection reviews held. School place allocations posted to all parents Closing date for receiving admission appeals. Statutory admission appeals held for Skipton selective schools. Statutory admission appeals held for Ripon Grammar School. *Please note review and appeal dates may change.

36 SELECTION SCHEME For September 2014 entry to ERMYSTEDS GRAMMAR SCHOOL Admissions Team The Education Office Jesmond House Harrogate HG1 4XU Staff will be available at the above address for general enquiries. Telephone