Frequently Asked Questions

When is open day?

Open day is on Thursday 5th July 2012 from 3.30p.m. – 8.00p.m (Last entry 7.45p.m)

What are the School's Admission Criteria for Year 7 – 2013?

Admissions Criteria

The School admits 120 boys on the basis of their ability. Boys will be regarded as of selective ability according to their performance in the entrance examination organised by the School. In the event that the number of eligible applications exceeds the number of places available, the following criteria will apply, in the order set out below:

a) Children who are looked after by a local authority*
b) In rank order of performance in the entrance examination
c) In the event two or more boys have the same rank order and where the admission would exceed the number of places available, places will be allocated in the order of the distance of their homes from the main entrance of Wallington County Grammar School measured in a straight line on a map.

* *Looked after children or previously looked after children. (A looked after child is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see definition in section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989). A previously looked after child is a child who was adopted, or subject to a residence order, or special guardianship order, immediately following having been looked after).'

How do we register for our son to sit the Entrance Examination for Year 7 – 2013?

You must complete and submit the online registration form. The closing date for you to register for your son to sit the entrance examination is Friday 31st August 2012.

Test arrangement letters and registration forms will be sent to parents after the 7th of September 2012, should you not have received these by the 11th of September 2012, thereafter; please contact the Examinations Department. Please do not call ahead of this date as we will not be able to provide you with information.

Given the number of candidates taking the Entrance Examination regrettably we cannot accommodate requests for specific slots.

What format will the test take for Year 7 - 2013?

The selection test will consist of an English paper, a Mathematics paper and a Verbal Reasoning paper. All the examination papers are prepared by the school.

The Mathematics, English Comprehension and Verbal Reasoning papers are all multiple choice.

The English paper
50 minutes duration representing 40% of the final mark.
This comprises a 30 minute comprehension exercise which is a multiple choice paper and a 20 minute "essay". Boys should not come prepared with a pre learned essay, as this will result in the essay being marked as invalid if it does not fit the title they are asked to write about in the Entrance Examination.

The Mathematics paper
45 minutes duration representing 40% of the final mark.
Questions are broadly in line with National Curriculum. This is a multiple choice paper. (Boys will be able to use their question booklet for working out answers.)

The Verbal Reasoning paper
40 minutes duration representing 20% of the final mark.
This is a multiple choice paper.

The entire test takes no longer than about 2 hours 15 minutes, although boys are usually here for about 2 ½ hours because we include a short break which includes and opportunity to use the toilet.

What is the pass mark?

The pass mark is always 326. The School uses a standardised system of scoring examination papers. Each paper is marked and then standardised to a score of 100 with a standard deviation of 15. The three papers, English, Mathematics and Verbal Reasoning are weighted, 40%, 40%, 20% respectively. The average score is 300. A score of 326 would usually mean a pupil scoring above average on each paper, although pupils do excel on one or two papers and bring their average score up.

The pass mark is not raised or lowered according to the number of applicants and the system of scoring pupils always remains the same each year.

When do we find out the outcome of the Entrance Examination?

The outcome; (whether your son is eligible or not eligible for a place at Wallington County Grammar School,) for the Entrance Examination taken on Monday 17th September will be sent on or after Friday, 19th October 2012.

The School does not give verbally or in writing any further information regarding scores for boys who sit our Entrance Examination at any point.

Please note that success in the entrance examination does not automatically mean a place will be offered.

What is the Common Application Form?

The Common Application Form is provided by your own Local Authority to apply to any school regardless of the Local Authority in which the school resides.
The closing date for the receipt of the Common Application Form is 31st October 2012. This Common Application Form must be sent to your own Local Authority listing your school preferences.

Should a child be successful in the entrance examination, parents must, include Wallington on the Common Application Form to be eligible for consideration. The School's DfES Number is 319 5407.

What happens if my son is ill on the day of the Entrance Examination?

Test Arrangements: Monday, 17th September 2012.

You must telephone the School on the morning of the Entrance Examination. Please do not email. You will then need to consult your family doctor as soon as possible to obtain a medical certificate confirming your son was not fit on the day of the Entrance Examination, Monday 17th September, in order for you son to be considered for an alternative date to sit the Entrance Examination. The certificate must be posted/or hand delivered to the School as soon as possible.

What about age weighting?

The verbal reasoning paper is age weighted as follows:-

Zero marks are added to the scores of children born
September - November.
One mark is added to the scores of children born
December - February.
Two marks are added to the scores of children born
March - May.
Three marks are added to the scores of children born
June - August.

What about where we place Wallington on the Common Application Form?

If your son is eligible for a place at WCGS then, of course, you can make an informed choice to place Wallington on the Common Application Form. Schools do not know where you have placed them on the application form and as such, you will not disadvantage an application for a lower preference school by naming another school higher.

Parents should place the school in true order of preference.

What is the Equal Preference Scheme?

The equal preference system means that applications for lower preference schools are not disadvantaged if a higher preference school cannot offer a place.

This allows parents to apply for the preferred option, knowing that if their child is unsuccessful in a test or have not met the criteria, they will not be overlooked by the lower preference schools.

When will we know if our son has a place at Wallington?

The offer of a school place will be made by your Local Authority on National Offers day which is the 1st March 2013.
The school will write to those offered a place the day after National Offers day with information about the induction process.

What happens if my son does not pass the test?

Should your child be unsuccessful in the entrance examination, parents should not list Wallington as one of their preferences on the Common Application Form. The child will not have met the admissions criteria and, therefore, not be eligible for a place.

Is entry very competitive?

The School has had a surge in popularity over the past few years and the number of applicants is high. Please note that passing the Entrance Examination does not mean that an offer of a place will be made for your son. Offers of places are made according to our admissions criteria.

For entry in September 2009 1,559 pupils were tested and 463 were successful.
For entry in September 2010 1,663 pupils were tested and 498 were successful.
For entry in September 2011 1,676 pupils were tested and 451 were successful.
For entry in September 2012 1,511 pupils were tested and 454 were successful.

Will my son be able to sit an Entrance Examination if he lives aboard?

Entrance Examination can only be taken at Wallington County Grammar School.

What about tutoring?

The Headteacher does not recommend that you have your son tutored. Our examination is predominantly work your son will be familiar with and work he is currently undertaking at primary school. Mathematics and English. Verbal Reasoning practice booklets are available in bookshops like WH Smiths. The VR paper will only count for 20% of the total mark.

What about 'Statemented' Children?

Statements: Children with formal statements of educational needs that name this school are admitted automatically ahead of other applicants; they must undertake the entrance examination and reach the pass mark to be eligible. Admission of children with statements counts towards the overall admission number and are not in addition to the published admission number. There is a separate process to be followed and parents' should speak to their Local Authority who administers the process.

Unsuccessful Applicants Following National Offers day and Appeals

Parents who have made an application for WCGS have the right of appeal and information will be sent to those not offered a place for Year 7 in March with the letter from your Home Local Authority.

Traditionally, very few appeals are upheld and those that are tend to have significant professional supporting evidence. It must be remembered that for the appeal process to be valid, an application to the school must have been made according to the arrangements:

Submitting an online registration on time
The candidate taking each of the components of the Entrance Examination
Placing WCGS on the Common Application Form (CAF)

For the last four years no appeals have been upheld.

This is also the case for mid term admissions.

What happens if my son is on the Waiting List for Year 7 following National Offers day?

Waiting lists are ranked according to the published admissions criteria.

If a boy is eligible for a place at the school but is not offered a place, he will be placed on the waiting list until 31st December 2013. (It is important to note that waiting list positions can go up as well as down.) The waiting list is ranked according to the published admission criteria. If a place at the School becomes available in Year 7 between 1st March and 31st December 2013 the next eligible boy on the waiting list will be offered the place without having to sit a further Entrance Examination. After 31st December 2013 boys will have to re-sit the Entrance Examination. Therefore, parents wishing their son to take the Entrance Examination after 31st December 2013 must write to their home local authority by 31st December 2013 stating their wish and providing their son's name, date of birth, and the name of their current school. An Entrance Examination will only take place if a vacancy arises. Parents whose son is not on the Entrance Examination waiting list but wish them to be so, must apply for mid-term admission through their home local authority.

F A Q for other Year Groups.

Boys are admitted to the School in Year 7, Year 9 and boys and girls in the Lower Sixth Form.
Realistically speaking vacancies are very rare in Year 10 and Year 11 and the School does not take additional students into these year groups.

13+ - Year 9 September 2013

Pupils at Wallington County Grammar School start their GCSE courses in Year 9 and smaller teaching groups are then created. This reorganisation allows for up to an additional ten places. The entrance examination for entry into Year 9 will usually take place in the Spring Term prior to the September of entry and consists of a Mathematics paper an English Paper and a Verbal Reasoning Paper. All the examination papers are prepared by the School. In the event of any oversubscription, places will be offered according to the School Admission Criteria.

The parents/carers of a boy who is not offered a place at the school has a statutory right of appeal.

FAQ on Admission to the Sixth Form - 2013

The School admits both young men and women based on their performance in GCSE, iGCSE examinations or the Examination Board equivalent. For example, Edexcel's Certificate . We regret we do not except BTEC qualifications as a GCSE equivalent.

The minimum entry requirements are (for GCSE read GCSE/iGCSE/Examination Board equivalent):

To achieve eight GCSEs with a minimum of a grade C with at least four at grade A or above.
At least a Grade A at GCSE in the subjects to be studied at AS Level, unless there are special entry requirements for a subject. Where there are special entry requirements for a subject these entry requirements must be met to study the subject;
Subjects chosen at AS/A Level must form a coherent two year course.

A minimum of twenty boys or girls, depending upon the uptake of places by internal candidates, may be admitted to the Sixth Form from outside the School.

Students who meet the minimum entry requirement are selected according to the following criteria:
Looked After Children*;
Those progressing from Year 11 at WCGS;
Those progressing from Year 11 at other schools in rank order* of performance at GCSE/iGCSE/Examination Board equivalent;
In the event two or more applicants have the same rank order and where the admission would exceed the number of places available, places will be allocated in the order of the distance of their homes from the main entrance of Wallington County Grammar School measured in a straight line on a map

It is important for external applicants to note that places are offered in rank order* and that meeting the minimum entry requirement does not automatically mean that a place will be offered. The Admission Criteria include a minimum standard of entry but in practice, given the level of competition, most applicants achieve higher.

* The rank order will be determined by the total point score of the best eight GCSE's.
(A*=58, A=52, B=46, C=40, D=34, E=28, F=22, G=16, U=0)

Once provisional AS choices have been made, changes to proposed AS subjects may only be made in agreement with the Head of Sixth Form or a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Students will not be permitted to change more than two of their provisional AS choices once GCSE results have been published.

Continued enrolment in the Sixth Form at Wallington County Grammar School is conditional upon achieving a minimum of grade C at AS Level in the subjects studied at A2 Level, which together form a coherent programme of study.

Special Entry Requirements for Specific Subjects
(for GCSE read GCSE/iGCSE/Examination Board equivalent):

Business Studies: either an A or above in GCSE Business Studies, or if Business Studies has not been studied at GCSE, at least an A in Mathematics and a B in English Language or English Literature at GCSE.

Classics: an A or above in GCSE Classics or History or English Literature.

Economics: either a B or above in GCSE Economics, or if Economics has not been studied at GCSE, at least an A in Mathematics and a B in English Language or English Literature at GCSE.

Further Mathematics: an A* in GCSE Mathematics.

Government and Politics: an A or above in GCSE History or Classics.

History: either an A or above in GCSE History or an A or above in GCSE English Literature.

Music: either Grade 5 or above in an instrument and Grade 5 or above in Music Theory, or the ability to show progression towards achieving these qualifications.

Philosophy: an A or above in GCSE Religious Studies, or History or Classics if Religious Studies has not been studied.

Physical Education: either an A or above in GCSE Physical Education and a B or above in GCSE Biology, or an A or above in GCSE Biology if GCSE Physical Education has not been studied.

Sciences: An A or above at GCSE in the relevant single science or A* grades in Dual Award Science.

Sixth Form Application Arrangements

External applicants to the Sixth Form are advised to complete the Sixth Form Application Form and return it to the School by February half term. Confirmation of predicted grades must be submitted and this can take the form of 'mock' GCSE examination results or a document confirming predicted grades from a member of staff. No other information is required. External applicants expected to meet the grade for entry will be invited to a meeting in March/April when further information and advice will be provided regarding subject choices.

On publication of GCSE results in August, places will be offered in accordance with the Admission Criteria.

Students of Sixth Form age may make their own application for a place.

Applicants must confirm results following publication of GCSE grades if they intend to proceed with their application, when they will receive either a firm offer or be placed on a waiting list.

Unsuccessful applicants have the right of appeal.

The School complies with all relevant legislation, including Sex Discrimination Act, Race Relations Acts, Human Rights Act, Disability Discrimination Acts, Equality Act and these arrangements have been consulted on and then determined in accordance with the statutory requirements and the mandatory provisions of the School Admissions Code.

Do you still have questions unanswered?
The Admissions Officer will be happy to talk to you. Please telephone on 020 8647 2235.