What are the real chances of getting into a Essex Grammar School?

Essex does not have a full provision of Grammar Schools. In Kent for instance the top 25% of primary school pupils will find a place , in Essex the figure is much lower.

As a result of the lack of available places, getting into a Essex Grammar school is something of a lottery. There will be plenty of children who are capable of getting into the highest zone of marks who don’t manage it on the day for a variety of reasons. One of the core reasons some children will get through and others won’t is simply how they deal with the pressure on the day.

Overall the Colchester and the Chelmsford schools are amongst the most competitive in the country. In any year you may find 2000 pupils competing for a place. Westcliff and Southend are not as competitive due to location.

If you are trying for a Chelmsford or Colchester school then it is essential that children receive an unpressurised preparation. There will be literally hundreds of children who sit the exam who are capable of passing, the differentiating factor is always how well some children cope with the pressures of the day, some are just not capable of producing their best on the day and often this is because they feel under too much pressure ( pressure reduces mental maths ability and vocabulary recall by around 10-30%)

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