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Secondary education

11plus exam - September 2020 what will happen?

33 replies

1maid · 31/03/2020 11:18

Dear All

My sons in year 5 and is due to sit his 11 plus in September this year like all his fellow year 5 peers

I know it really isn’t important compared to the pandemic we are facing but I guess the exam is still in the “diary” for September :(

Does anyone know what they have planned for the exam? Is it going to be held in September? I hope it isn’t considering the children will miss 4 months school teaching and they have cancelled gcse and a levels...

I’m thinking they might

  1. ask teachers to recommend students for grammar school places based on past exam tests and class performance

  2. push back the exam ?

    Does anyone know what might happen?

    Many thanks xxx
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TuscanGreen · 31/03/2020 12:29

If it is genuinely meant to be a test of intelligence, missing teaching should not matter? I completely realise that with a lot of 11plus exams exam technique is important.

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RedAndGreenPlaid · 31/03/2020 12:34

I think it really depends which area you're in. If it's an authority where everyone does 11+, then look to the LA for guidance.
If it's just the odd selective school your applying for, then I imagine they would be the ones to consult.
The 11+ forum is a good place to look, because you can look at the board for your specific area and schools, which will be of far more use to you than MN which covers the whole of the UK and beyond.

Good luck- I do feel for you, as this time is stressful enough when schools are open normally, let alone as things are at present.

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1maid · 31/03/2020 16:06

Thank you both

It would be good to get clarification sooner rather than letter of it all possible...

FYI - we are based in Kent which has an awful lot of grammar schools x

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bigchris · 31/03/2020 16:08

Hi op, habe you looked on the kent.gov.uk website for any information?

I also agree with the 11plus forum as a recommendation, there are lots of Kent specific threads on there

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theclangersbigplan · 04/04/2020 14:16

If 1) was feasible, I think they should it that way anyway!

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1maid · 04/04/2020 18:59

Hello

Checked KCC website and there is nothing there... I think they are somehow managing to sort out the school appeals for this September...

With GCSE and A levels we now know that teachers will be asked to predict grades so they might go with the same for 11 plus .. teacher recommendation.. maybe. ... I just don’t know...

Xxxx

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GreenWheat · 04/04/2020 19:52

The trouble is many Year 5 children won't have done any exams or many formal tests so this can't really be used as evidence for their suitability.

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1maid · 04/04/2020 21:49

I think my son as had a few class assessments this year.. which I imagine could be used to make a teacher assessment...

Would love to hear from a primary school teacher for their views on this thread Smile xx

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Plastictattoo · 04/04/2020 21:56

Usually secondary school applications have to be in for end of October. So 11+ exams will need to be done in September as usual so they can be marked and places offered prior to the secondary applications going in. This is my understanding of it as a primary teacher.

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1maid · 04/04/2020 22:23

Thank you Plastictatoo

Do you think the 11 plus exam will still go ahead in September? I’m conscious the children have lost out on at least 4 months of teaching which makes me quite concerned...

Xx

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GreenWheat · 05/04/2020 06:51

If they use teacher recommendation they will clearly still have more recommended pupils than they have places. How would they then decide who gets places and who doesn't?

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Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 05/04/2020 06:59

The results of the Kent Test are always scaled.

Go to the (admittedly scary) Kent Test forum, buy the correct practice papers, and work through them.

When my four dc were in Year 5, I used to reckon they’d get a better Kent Test mark if they were home schooled, as we could have simply focussed on the test!

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Zodlebud · 05/04/2020 08:03

The 11+ is supposed to be a test of natural intelligence and sat without tuition or training although the reality is that these days it sadly isn’t. As a result I can’t see the closure of schools being used as a reason for not sitting it. It’s very different to GCSEs and A-levels which test acquired learning.

All the children are in the same boat with regards to missing school. I would imagine it will be sat as normal, many children won’t score as highly as might have been expected without all this, but the pass mark will be adjusted accordingly.

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TeenPlusTwenties · 05/04/2020 08:14

Disadvantaged children will be even more disadvantaged than usual. So whereas for children in comp areas a disrupted y6 will make little ongoing difference to their lives, for children in Kent it will impact their schooling for the next 5 years.

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GreenWheat · 05/04/2020 13:16

This virus situation has highlighted a lot of weaknesses in a lot of systems, and I think counties with a high number of grammar schools is one of those. Kent is a county that works for "winners" ie the 25% or so who get grammar places, but less so for those who don't. A system where bright kids are properly catered for in non selective schools is, in my opinion, much better all round. We have this where we live, and none of our year 5s have this worry about needing to get into a grammar or else end up in a far inferior school.

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KoalasandRabbit · 05/04/2020 19:16

I would imagine if schools are open in September exams will go ahead, if they are closed maybe they will delay them. If neither is possible maybe then teacher assessment but difficult in very selective grammars where maybe only one child from a school getting through on average, could work in Kent.

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SuzanneFenelon · 16/05/2020 15:53

Exam papers plus papers.

I was wondering if anyone has this set of papers (Tiffin girls School)? I can exchange for Sutton Grammar Boys and also independent schools papers.

Thanks in advance

11plus exam - September 2020 what will happen?
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sanjanak · 12/08/2020 09:57

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Sarjest · 12/08/2020 22:49

Many, but not all, of the exams have been moved so that parents will have to list schools on the preference form without knowing results. www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/11plus/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=60881&sid=a31217672c87bdb1070ed358d4e2311c
Have you registered, OP? The school should contact you, if so. The government has also advised that the exams are delayed to allow children to ‘catch up’ in a few weeks. 🙄. I suspect schools who haven’t changed the date might be waiting to see the fallout of retakes at GCSE and A level.

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Fumzzy · 13/08/2020 12:36

Yes, Kent 11 plus exam has been moved to October for those schooling outside Kent. I suppose everyone that registered would have received emails. Thanks.

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Sarjest · 13/08/2020 16:06

I very much doubt that it the onus will be placed on primary school teachers to predict 11+ outcomes. It hasn't worked well for other exams. Perhaps children will get to choose their results from mocks and forecasts. 😉

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tonyr · 22/08/2020 17:53

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LadyPenelope68 · 25/08/2020 09:30

As a Primary Teacher I doubt they would even consider doing 1) as the 11+ is nothing to do with most primary schools, it’s a private decision made by parents, we have no input. Schools won’t have the time to do that, it’s not within their remit.

I also agree with some of the previous comments, the 11+ is a test of natural ability, so missing a few months if school won’t matter as all those sitting the test will be in the same position. Those who are “tutored to the hilt to pass the test” may struggle, but if that’s the case they’d struggle anyway so grammar school probably isn’t the place for them.

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TW2013 · 25/08/2020 23:15

11+ is a test of natural ability

Not really in Kent. English and especially Maths are based on the curriculum up to and including year 6. Children from state schools are usually disadvantaged as they will only have covered the yr5 curriculum when they sit the test. Private schools will have covered the relevant parts of the yr6 curriculum as they trade on getting children into grammar schools if they do not offer a through provision.

Reasoning can be encouraged and exam technique taught. All three areas (English/Maths/Reasoning) must be passed so I imagine not having consistent lessons for months for some children will have an impact.

Even state schools will often advise on whether to sit the test, although the decision lies with the parents.

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HelplessProcrastinator · 26/08/2020 10:11

I've just had a e-mail today from the LEA saying the 11+ has been moved to November so we won't know the result in time for school applications. DD hasn't been tutored since March and we have been working throughout so we haven't pushed her enough. Her maths is not where it needs to be but her English has come on really well in lockdown. The exam isn't based on natural ability because it covers parts of the curriculum not covered up to year 5.

I want DD to go to the best non-grammar in the city that DD1 is already at, she's got a great chance due to being a sibling. DD2 is determined she wants the grammar but with no school, no tutoring, no mock exam I don't think she will make the cut. No one gets in without tutoring.

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