11plus next year

[user145964508]

Hi All,

I'm prepping my DS who is in Year 5 with a view to taking the 11 plus exam next year. We still haven't narrowed down on which schools we will apply for, we will move as there aren't any grammar schools in our area so will likely go for schools that don't look at catchment. We've started working on the Bond books and I've been on the elevenplus forum but find that forum pretty difficult to navigate and not very user friendly.

I was wondering if anyone else is currently prepping their DC for the 11 plus or have recently been through the system and what advice/tips you have for this stage of the process, i.e just started Year 5. How much work to do get your DC to do after school etc on a daily/weekly basis and what sort of plan do you have in place for the next year.

Thanks

[GlassInEachHand]

Lots of information on //www.elevenplusexams.co.uk including for the specific area where you are applying.

[Blubell46]

When we started 11plus journey the elevenplus forum helped me out alot.

Click on forum/ 11 plus / at the bottom 'jimp to' drop down arrow and click the county you are interested in.

There should be lots of information about lots of selective schools which should be able to help you.

Good luck

[1maid]

Hello

Lots of practice using bond books and CPG books. Good to start early in year 5 I think. My son is due to take the exam next week. I’m very nervous (more so than him!) but he has worked hard so I am praying he gets through. Good luck. xx

[Africa2go]

I think you need to be realistic. Are you using a tutor? I don't know where you are but you need to find out what the format of the exam is (GL, CEM etc) and see where your DC struggles / needs practice. For most of the exams, the key is speed / technique so it's not just about being bright.

[TW2013]

You need to consider that schools which don't look at catchment often only offer to those with very high scores and it may only be a small number who are offered out of catchment places. So say if the intake was 150, there might be 20 places going to the highest scoring boys regardless of catchment and the remaining 130 places to local boys with lower scores.

This year parents are having to apply without knowing the outcome of the exam in many areas so do factor this into your consideration and explore back up options.

[noughtmare]

First I would check the current school. See what they have covered with regards to the key stage 2 curriculum.

My son's school was very poor - especially with spelling, writing, grammar and maths.

I would even pay for someone external to assess your child.

I would buy the bond parents guide to the 11 plus.

I would consider atom.


I would really think about whether your child listens to you. I have not tutured but my son prefers listening to other people!

I found atom to be great.

I would not underestimate the time and learning curve.

I found have a regular target was useful and this is where atom was good.

Sometimes the books just slipped and we ran out of time to finish 11 plus books.


Stay positive.

My aim was to try get my son to do an hour a day 5 days a week.

[lookhappy]

An hour a day during lockdown would be ok (responding to PP), particularly if no other work set by school (as implied in PPs message).

HOWEVER, back in normal times, when school is on (i.e. now, again), I found an hour a week was more than enough! - break it down into 10 minute tests if you wish.

Ramp up the time if they are going very slowly. But it's not always about time spent, but rather, what goes in, and what goes on, and whether they grasp things - or not! (Important lesson learnt by me!)

Also, no need for an assessment: I went for one of these, and the guy charged £70, and told me what I already knew... bottom line: if your child is deemed exceeding in all three areas (or at least two of the areas) in his school report, then go for the academic schools. Also, if your child actually enjoys say maths or reading, then again, go for it. But be aware that if they do not like academic work then, even if they pass, they may feel out of their depth at an academic secondary school (a horrible thing!). Plus, worth remembering that state comprehensives top sets are equivalent to most grammars, plus comps are looked very kindly upon by universities (and suspect this will be more of a trend in future years as society tries to become more equal).

Finally, don't get caught up in the anxiety hype. Websites, tutors, tutor-groups, other parents, they all try to install worry into us parents. With the exception of other parents, they want your money! A bright kid who is exposed to the syllabus will be OK - this is not rocket science, this is the 11+ - and your child CAN work alone, on a work sheet or book, during that hour a week.

Bond books are a good place to start, and then mix it up with other books and even some past papers (school websites tend to reproduce samples) as the year progresses.

[exupmahony]

Hi
this is some very good advice . I thought I just try again and look in the threads For me and my child whom my child will be doing the 11 plus soon

its like a needle in a haystack finding out what books etc they need .
thank you so much

[Chica10]

If the your child is in year 5 then the 11plus exam takes place this year for the September 2023 intake?

[exupmahony]

Hi thank you for your reply it says on the schools websites that it says 11 plus in January 2023 . And if I’m going to need to apply for a bursary then I need to do that at same time .

[exupmahony]

Independent Schools select their pupils using their own bespoke Year 7 School Entrance Exam (sometimes referred to as the 11+), which occurs in January of Year 6 and has some similarities to the 11+ grammar school exam.

Hi I’m applying for next September 2023 which for us the tests start in 2023 Jan for sept intake . As my child will be in year 6 this sept .
but I’m hoping I can find content for the 11 plus as it’s similar to the grammar 11 plus test but it’s really confusing in what I need to buy . My child had done a test paper the other day and had scored just 39 or 40 I can’t remember how many questions it was out of but didn’t manage to answer 15 of them I think it was
but no practise so I suppose it was ok . Also hadn’t done in school yet the ones that were not done .
im thinking of the bond packs now . But also got sats tests next year in May too
so I don’t want too much going on .

[Chica10]

@exupmahony

Independent Schools select their pupils using their own bespoke Year 7 School Entrance Exam (sometimes referred to as the 11+), which occurs in January of Year 6 and has some similarities to the 11+ grammar school exam.

Hi I’m applying for next September 2023 which for us the tests start in 2023 Jan for sept intake . As my child will be in year 6 this sept .
but I’m hoping I can find content for the 11 plus as it’s similar to the grammar 11 plus test but it’s really confusing in what I need to buy . My child had done a test paper the other day and had scored just 39 or 40 I can’t remember how many questions it was out of but didn’t manage to answer 15 of them I think it was
but no practise so I suppose it was ok . Also hadn’t done in school yet the ones that were not done .
im thinking of the bond packs now . But also got sats tests next year in May too
so I don’t want too much going on .

Apologies. I thought it was for grammar!