If my son got this in his KS1 SATS, is Tiffin a possibility?

[TiffinandSATS]

Obviously he is only 7, things can change, we could move, etc etc. But very very broadly speaking, are these the sorts of scores that indicate a possibility that he may be bright enough for Tiffin?

Maths 55/60, scaled score 110
English 37/40, scales score 113

Thoughts or indeed your Tiffin boys KS1 SATS scores very welcome!

TIA

[MrsPatmore]

Sorry, don't know anything about Sats scores but am an 11+ veteran! The key thing is preparation for the Tiffin format which will be different to Sats prep. Speed and accuracy are key and almost all of the children are tutored - sadly, some from age 7! Head over to the elevenplusexams forum - there is a 'talk' thread on preparation for Tiffin etc.

[RedSkyLastNight]

Yes, there is a possibility he may be bright enough for Tiffin.
I say that without looking at the SATs results, because I doubt there is very much correlation between those and passing Tiffin's exams.

And as these style SATs were first sat in 2016, no children that have sat them will be secondary age yet, so it really is the case that there is no point in you comparing KS1 SATs with those obtained by boys already at Tiffin ( I suspect they will mostly have got the old NC Level 3!)

[TiffinandSATS]

Thank you so much. I suppose I am looking for a bit of a steer as to whether to even think about Tiffin. DH and I both went to fairly shit comps so anything like this is new to us. We certainly wouldn’t start any form of tutoring until year 5 but i suppose I like to to be ready/prepared.

[celebrityskin]

Waiting for out SATs results here for exactly this reason too! Have started our 7yo on the Bond 11+ prep books which have age categories and start at 5-6!

[TiffinandSATS]

I’m not sure I’m ready to start the Bond books but I admire your dedication! The teachers in DSs school are absolutely wonderful but they play it so cool and don’t give you concrete info on this stuff.

[whataboutbob]

Unless he's at a prep school most primary school teachers won't know or be that interested in selective school applications.
Here's what I did when I realized DS2 had potential. I am by no means the most tigerish mum. I started in the middle of year 4. I researched the exam on the 11 plus forum. I started English with him using bond . I read the papers with him. I read Agatha Christie with him etc to expose him to different styles. I also found a very kind friend who coached him in maths along with her daughter. Nearer to the time we did practice tests which Manchester grammar school's.
The 11 plus tests have content which they won't covered on year 5. You can't be laid back about his. Tiffin attracts a near religious dedication on the part of many aspiring parents, as you will have seen if you've read the 11 plus forum. I'd advise also trying for the Surrey grammar schools. Keep your options as wide as possible. Good luck.

[whataboutbob]

Apologies for the typos, I'm texting from my little phone.

[MadameGazelleIsMyHomegirl]

DS did very very well in KS1 sats- top of the class. Now in y5 and prepping for y6 sats we are looking at the upper level of average. A lot can change in the intervening years

[christinarossetti19]

The absolutely key deciders will be whether he is interested in doing the work to do well in the tests for a highly competitive school, and whether he actually wants to go there or not.

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Also remember that when he is born in the academic year will have a greater influence on how far ahead he seems now (at KS1 level) than potentially at KS2. I recall two DC in DS's class (both early September born) who were way ahead of the field until they'd done their KS2 then they started to lose their lead, as the younger borns caught up.

Agree that much is to do with motivation which may or may not wane as time goes by.

[avocadochocolate]

There are good comprehensives, OP. DD1 failed 2 11+ exams (different counties) and also an entry test for a particular school.

She went to a normal comprehensive and did 10 GCSEs with one of best set of results in country. She has stayed in same school for 6th form despite being offered a place in a top grammar. She is doing really well and is aiming at 4 A*.

[TiffinandSATS]

Thanks everyone. Obviously so much could change and I am totally open minded....just wondered whether it was something to think about going forward or whether those results meant he was out. At some point you have to commit to trying and I’m not sure when that is.

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

TiffinandSATS probably sooner rather than later. It is common for DC to start tuition/preparation for the 11+ in Yr 3 (I kid you not). Certainly if you were to start in the upcoming academic year, you would probably keep your DS more engaged with the 'prize' to aim for. Four years of preparation is the long haul though.

Good luck.

[Teddybear45]

A lot of the boys I start tutoring for 11 plus at 7 or 8 are already working well into a KS2 standard, and I imagine Tiffin would be similar. So i wouldn’t even look at KS1, I would give your DS KS2 level problems / questions / tests and see how he copes.

[FlumePlume]

My dd got a place at Tiffin Girls (same stage 1 exam, I think), and we didn’t prep until Y5. Did about an hour a week, with some extra in the summer holidays beforehand (we were also prepping for independent school exams, so had to cover more ground than if we’d just been doing Tiffin). She’s at a state primary, so no guidance from the school, beyond ‘working above age-related expectations’. So I don’t think years of prep is necessarily the way to go.

[pluckyfeathers]

I’ve been told ability of ks2 by end of year 2 then prep prep prep? Our new prep doesn’t even do SATs though. I am working with dd on ks2 stuff now. She’s 6.

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

DS didn't start doing work for the 11+ until Year 5 (and passed) BUT I know of many families whose DC have started much earlier in their school careers to ensure they get the places.

[LizzieMacQueen]

Good scores OP. Were they from scratch or was there a little bit of coaching? (i.e was it all down to natural ability?).

[TiffinandSATS]

No coaching at all at home. Not sure what prep they did at school, they said they were keeping it low key.

[Thecazelets]

I'm another Tiffin parent who didn't do anything extra at all until Y5 and then about 1.5 hours a week broken into short chunks. State primary and preparing for indies as well, with absolutely no guidance or encouragement from school. I think you might run the risk of switching him off if you start too early. But you know your own child the best.

[TeddTess]

the old days of just NVR and VR at Tiffin, which did require years and years of practice to compete with those also doing years and years of practice are over.

[Kokeshi123]

the old days of just NVR and VR at Tiffin, which did require years and years of practice to compete with those also doing years and years of practice are over.

Sorry... this means....?

[TeddTess]

until a couple of years ago, the only test for Tiffin was an NVR paper and a VR paper, marked by computer.
These could be learned and practised, many kids starting at age 5 so unless you also did a million papers, no matter how clever you were, it was difficult to get in the top % needed for a place.

The tests now have moved away from this. To English & Maths.

[Niquitic]

In terms of preparation, reading some different/more classic styles of children's literature and discussing it would be good to help him develop inference - a key yet difficult skill to acquire.

[TwelveLeggedWalk]

Those of you who use the Bond books - for a September born going into Year 3/KS2 next September (apparently high ability in mixed large state school class) would you start off on the 6-7 or 8-9 age bracket books? I will have to order them from Amazon so can't get a look at them before I order them.