Anyone's DC recently sat a 7+ exam, what will you say if they 'fail'?

[slummymomma]

DS1 sat his 7+ this weekend. He's only going for one school as we really fell in love with it. He's at a state school so has seen the whole thing as a bit of an adventure and has enjoyed the process.

He does know, however, that it was a test and there is a possibility that he won't get in. I'm pretty sure we can be gentle with him if he doesn't get in and persuade him that staying where he is is just as good. TBH where he is is pretty good and if he doesn't pass then it clearly wasn't for him.

Wondering if anyone else is going through this process or has been through it. Some of the little boys (and their parents!) there yesterday seemed very worked up about the process so wondering how they'll cope if the news isn't want they wanted to hear.

[goingslowlyroundthebend]

We have just had exactly this happen. However we had been quite relaxed (to him) about it being ok and what will be will be ? possibly to our detriment as the little monkey messed around! He and we were very upset, it took us by surprise just how much.

If it doesn't work out for you, get lots of feedback as to why so that you can work out what you can say in as honest way as possible. (this was the advice from our Head and also from the school he sat for)

In our case, his work was good enough but he is young for his age and late august born so it was felt that we should hold him back a year.

He is happy with the end result and totally understands. We were terrified of him feeling that he 'failed' (bloody hideous system anyway) but he is very positive and excited about where he is now going. There are many plus points about where he is going and we have talked about them alot.

I am rambling, but I would say it has turned out well in the end and good luck.

[slummymomma]

Thanks goingslowly. With the number of applicants for places (in our case 3 or 4 for every place) someone has to 'fail' but somehow I have managed to not talk to anyone whose child has.

I understand that for the school we're applying for no June/July/August boys got in last year - but the 'success' rate is better for the 8+ entry. Hopefully that will help you next year. DS2 is August 29 so we'll have exactly the same issue in 3 years time.

I did hear last year that on the assessment day two boys got into a fight! They didn't get in. Gave DS explicit instructions that fighting was not acceptable behaivour

[Bink]

Depends on your son, I think.

Ds did a couple (at 6+ and again at 7+) and didn't get in - slightly awkward situation, where his academics were good enough but his 'teachability' (as demonstrated on the day) definitely not. (This is an ongoing issue with ds, who's a square peg - so not a question of him messing around just on the day - more that we wanted to see whether these schools were interested in brains that come with Issues. They weren't - presumably because there were already enough applicants with brains that didn't come with Issues.)

Anyway - ds is a live for the moment sort of person, and we just said, You know that exam you did? Well, sorry, there were too many good applicants and they couldn't take you as well. He forgot about it very quickly.

But if I had an anxious, self-blaming child, I would have managed it totally differently.

[vickyconfused]

Thanks for replying to my post before. What did he have to do? There is an information black out on all this ! Our state infants is just doing the national requirements. Timetables are apparently later in Year 2 etc etc and ds is doign very slowly with reading. All the best.

[slummymomma]

Vickyconfused - are you thinking of putting a DC in for 7+? At the very least they need to have covered the nat curric up to the end of Yr 2 - even though the exams tend to be in the winter of Yr 2.

So you'll need to make sure they've covered things like times tables (2,3,4,5,10 and 11. Also, their reading age needs to be high - reading independently things like Roald Dahl and possibly something like The Lion,the Witch and the wardrobe.

Let me know if you need further info.

[Bink]

Surprised you're meeting an info black-out - the school my son tried out for was very upfront about what curriculum needed to have been covered: had a leaflet you could pick up from the school office specifying it all.

The big requirement that is very often beyond state school coverage, and (unlike learning times tables etc.) tricky for a child to catch up on its own at home, is extended writing - producing a coherent story, within a set time, on just the prompt of a title. "My Day at the Zoo" "The Bicycle that Flew" etc.

If you're thinking of doing any preparation, that should get the practice.

[slummymomma]

Agree with Bink - you need to get the info from the school in question. You're likely to encounter non-verbal reasoning and/or verbal reasoning as well. You can prep for these with the Bond Assessment papers (get off Amazon).

My DS also had to a dictation - we had practised as he had never done it at school. Also had to do mental artithmetic questions - 15 questions from a tape.

But info from the school is key. Also worth trying to get a tutor from one of the 'feeder' pre-preps if you can. They will know exactly what is required and may be able to give you feedback about which school would be appropriate for your DC.

[vivkyconfused]

Hello Any news from anyone ? Hope all works out for the best for your dcs ...easy to say though I know I will be not feeling so brave this time next year! And are there any sites you can get examples of the non verbal thingy for this age. Loads for 11 plus but I can't understand them so dd will need to get in now as I no way will be able to help on 11 plus. Good luck to all

[slummymomma]

Still waiting - should hear by post on weds or thurs this week.

The most commonly used non verbal (and verbal) reasoning papers are the Bond series. You can get them in WH Smith or on Amazon. Start at the beginning and work your way up - I think 6-7 is the first one and we got on to the 7-8 towards the end.

HTH.

[PortAndLemon]

Nizf, 7+ normally (probably exclusively AFAIK) relates to private schools. Many of them have competitive entry at 7+ and/or 8+.

[LIZS]

7+ is for entry into Year 3 at independent schools. Some are more rigourous tests , others a formality to observe how the child copes in that environment and whether he/she is up to speed with existing pupils.

[DesperateHousewifeToo]

Slummy, we are waiting for news too. Letters are supposed to be posted today, so fingers crossed we will hear by tomorrow either way.

Ds sat 2 exams in november and we told him straight away that he got offered places.

He did not get a place in one he sat in Jan and we have not mentioned that to him. Just waiting on last one (wonder if any of them same as you?).

Will probably tell him ''in passing'' if he does not get offered a place.

Made a big thing at the time that it really does not matter and how proud we are of him for doing his best, etc.

I would not use the word 'fail' with him.

May be tougher for you as you only did one exam.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

[DesperateHousewifeToo]

Any news slummymomma?

We had our letter this morning

Am very relieved for me and so pleased for ds as he worked really hard.

[vickyconfused]

Sorry DHW to hijack thread (again!) but really pleased for you and ds.

Am guessing from another thread re. schools that you are way out the opposite side of London to us but please could you tell me what he had to do for these various tests.

I have the Bond Vr and Non Vr age 6-7 things from Whsmith but you said your ds worked really hard.

What did this entail in terms of preparation. The schools we are considering are very vague and don't specify whether there is a picture story or a titled composition or comprehension.

My dd does have a high reading age but is very slow at writing and at her state school they follow NC very strictly so are only just starting to write cat, bed , wig etc so I just don't see without input from us how she will have the first clue as to what to do let alone manage to do something to time

They say there is a standardised intelligence test but what that is for 6 yr olds I don't know

On the other hand I don't want to be confusing her with teaching stuff the wrong way. We have already had tears with DH trying to help her to add up carrying tens in columns like we were taught but from what I have seen nowadays it is all written horizontally

Tables are after Christmas in Year 2 so that will be too late

She is as yet oblivious to all this and just seems to think she will go to the big school we drive past twice a day.

Well done to you and good luck to anyone waiting for the snow delayed envelope.

[DesperateHousewifeToo]

We didn't do any extra tutoring. Made that decision early on. Just did extra maths work ourselves with ds when he had a 'blip' at the end of last term.

At most of the schools (in West London here) they have to do a essay, comprehension, numeracy and verbal reasoning- each 20min papers, I think.

Was told by one of his teachers last term that he should be working at key stage one, level 3 at national curriculum for maths (prob same for other subjects).

If you want to CAT me, I'm happy to scan/photocopy copies of past papers or any other info I have. Or to chat more specifically.

[slummymomma]

Got the letter today (12.30pm post). He got in! So so pleased.

Desperate - which school you? We're (as of Sept) KCJS!

As we went down the tutoring route I can't honestly say whether DS needed it or not. DH and I waited till DS was about 5.5 before making the decision about the school as before then we didn't feel we really knew him well enough. Writing came late to DS but his reading ability was always very strong. Happy to share more later but enjoying the moment for now - and looking forward to telling DS when he gets home!

[vickyconfused]

Really kind of you both but for now
Get out the fizzy.... Not sure what a CAT is but would welcome any help whatsoever at
[email protected]
Well done to your dcs

[DesperateHousewifeToo]

That's great news slummy, congratulations

I know how you feel. My hand was shaking for ages after opening the envelope, nearly had to have a stiff gin, lol.

We were waiting for Latymer. The exams were on the same day weren't they? One of ds' friends has an offer to kcs as well.

VC- will email and answer any questions. Will see if I can scan some stuff for you.

We are just cracking open the bubbly

[DesperateHousewifeToo]

VC- have emailed you!

[Malkaperlichka]

Congratulations both of you! We will get our letter next week. The home visit went well, although they nearly crucified me. The registrar and one of the trustees asked all sorts of very intimate questions, about the father, everything about my finances and business, about our family....At the end they said that I have a very clever daughter, which gives me a lot of hope that she has qualified for the scolarship. And they asked me for a commitment (academic and how much could I afford to contribute.
By the way, are you not concerned about the privacy of this forum? I googled the name of the school we are applying for, and my talk came up on the first page! I am horrified. I e-mailed mumsnet customer service if some details could be deleted, but got no reply.

[DesperateHousewifeToo]

Malkaperlichka, that sounds like a very positive visit. Keeping everything crossed for you.

With regard to the posts you are concerned about, why don't you search for any particular post you are concerned about and then click onto the red exclamation mark on the post and request that it is deleted.

I'm sure HQ will be happy to do so.

Alternatively, namechange regularly.

I don't really post anything that people who know me don't know about already (I hope) so am not too concerned. Famous last words though!

[Malkaperlichka]

Thank you

[DesperateHousewifeToo]

Any news yet Malkaperlichka?

Vickyconfused - I've still got that stuff out if you think you might want any of it?