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Secondary education

Why does the 11plus create so much trauma?

56 replies

sykes · 30/09/2008 23:48

I presume it's because there are less grammar schools? But when I passed it, years ago, you just did it. So, is that it? Less places? I do understand that but it seems worse than cramming for CEE.

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NotAnOtter · 30/09/2008 23:54

it is stressful

we live out-of-area so for those in our shoes gaining a place is even harder

no fun but great rewards for the lucky ones

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sykes · 01/10/2008 00:00

I can see that if you're out of area, how can ypu get a place/is it impossible? Tell me to f off if I'm being too nosey.

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NotAnOtter · 01/10/2008 00:03

no three of mine have gone so far

the school just takes the in area children as priority and only unfilled places sre offered to out of area children who pass

then they and i quote' get a rule out' and measure distance from school

we are 8 miles but sometimes children go fro farther afield

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Milliways · 01/10/2008 17:04

Our local Girls grammar has no catchment area, so takes the 100 girls with highest mark - wherever they live if they are prepared to commute/move!

As it is always right near the top of all national league tables, there are always loads of entrants.

The boys school (also highly sought after) has an "area" but it covers a VERY large area!

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NotCod · 01/10/2008 17:05

its because its really hard
i dotn htink id pass any more
id not wish this on anyone tbh

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QueenMary · 01/10/2008 17:08

Huge pressure from parents imho. Grammar schools generally do very well in exams/league tables.

"Oh Tarquin, we don't mind if you fail as long as you do your best. We will always be proud of you."

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lilolilmanchester · 01/10/2008 17:12

Sykes, I think the stress factor depends on the other options available to you. We live in a selective area. If you pass, you go to grammar school, if you fail, you go to high school. We have a couple of excellent high schools in our borough but we are not in their catchment area. The high school we are zoned for is not that great. So it's not just about grammar vs high, it's about the relative quality of each school. There are a couple of high schools I'd be very pleased for my DD to go to, just not the one we're zoned for.

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sykes · 01/10/2008 17:18

Yes, can see that. My nieces both failed to get in, both are very bright but the parents didn't do ANY extra coaching/revision/tutoring. Am sure they would have got in if they had which I find a bit sad but it is, obviously, none of my business and they are very happy at the high school. Just seems a missed opportunity.

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NotCod · 01/10/2008 17:46

qm!

yes there is huge pressure
its hard ot present it as osmehting desirable wihtout doign down the second choice tbh

very very hard

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NotCod · 01/10/2008 17:46

we are working our nuts off
lookign promising THis week

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lilolilmanchester · 01/10/2008 17:51

when's the exam NotCod?

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compo · 01/10/2008 17:54

in our area it's stressful cos the schools that aren't grammar schools are widely known as shit tbh

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NotCod · 01/10/2008 17:54

22 nov
he came third in a mass test recently so haev reduced the work at home to try and de stress.

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FioFio · 01/10/2008 17:56

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NotCod · 01/10/2008 17:57

all the king eddies ones!

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EachPeachPearMum · 01/10/2008 17:57

There are 20 applicants for every place here- you don't have to just be clever, you need to be more clever than all the other clever children

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Cocolepew · 01/10/2008 17:58

Meet with DDs teacher this week and she said Dd was a "B1 or B" (we're in NI)but she would cope with Grammer work no problem as she's top of the class. She's making silly mistakes on the papers. I always said if she didn't get an A I wouldn't send her to GS, then I found out there is 1 mark between an A and a B1 .

There is a lot of pressure over here as it is still commonplace to do it, you have to opt out if you don't want to do it. So the schools are under pressure to keep their pass results up.

It is being scrapped maybe next year or the next, but with nothing put into it's place, it's turning into a disaster.

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NotCod · 01/10/2008 17:58

there are 120 places here

300 plus applicants

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FioFio · 01/10/2008 17:58

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NotCod · 01/10/2008 17:58

coco

its grammar mate

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NotCod · 01/10/2008 17:59

20 miles is nowt these days = they commute miles

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FioFio · 01/10/2008 17:59

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lilolilmanchester · 01/10/2008 17:59

my birthday NotCod, I'll have a glass of wine for you and DS. Glad things are looking promising for you at the moment.

Ours is Saturday, so it'll soon be over... DD was running out of steam a bit (she does a little bit of work every night at the moment and fed up) but visiting the grammar school and seeing how different it was to the high school helped spur her on for the final push.

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compo · 01/10/2008 18:00

same as fio, come form e. midlands and no 11plus there either would love to move before kids hit secondary school but can't see it happening

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Cocolepew · 01/10/2008 18:00

I didn't pass.

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