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Original poster

Is it too early to start a 2016 girls 11+ W/SW London thread?

836 replies

orangina · 07/07/2015 11:39

What do we think? DD is sitting 11+ for various consortium schools in January 2016 and I am slightly desperate for a thread to compare notes, pat each others shoulders etc..... I lurked on last years thread, but it didn't start until much later....

Just booking up open day places and filling in my registration forms now.....

OP posts:
TennisMom · 04/01/2016 23:29

In the past, the average numbers were like this and probably not much different this year:

Around 550 sat the computer exam; 450 (82%) then sat the written papers; and they interview about 200 (44%) for the 110 places (55%).

AnotherNewt · 04/01/2016 19:00

You really can't do much about it now, other than cross your fingers and hope for the best. All parents of candidates are a bit on edge right now (and need to be forgiven all monomania).

Shirleycantbe · 04/01/2016 18:51

Had Ibstock interview and computer test today. Good to finally get it underway...good luck everyone. It's all be over soon thank goodness!

argyle1234 · 04/01/2016 11:44

Mummyintiazz iam sure all the girls are having nerves.hopefully it should be a fun experience. Wish us all luck

argyle1234 · 04/01/2016 11:42

Hi all is anyone going to the spgs test tommorow. Just wondering how it is scheduled in the day and how many girls are invited to the test after clearing the computer test

mummyinatizz · 04/01/2016 10:15

Thankfully we've managed to avoid illness over the hols, but many later nights than we should have done. Tried to get her off early last night, but she was still tossing and turning at 11. All the anxieties coming out, 'they'll all be cleverer than me'. Feel rotten for putting her through it, but the end really is in sight isn't it. This time tomorrow one paper will be complete! Hopefully she'll gain some confidence from it and use that in the next papers.

Best of luck to all!

argyle1234 · 04/01/2016 00:41

Hi all wad just wondering if anyone knows how many applicants are sitting the 5th Jan exam for spgs and how many will be actually selected post interview

Giraffe44 · 03/01/2016 11:42

Mine more unwell than yesterday. And I'm trying desperately not to panic out loud! Oh goodness.

Original poster
orangina · 03/01/2016 10:32

Shirley, we are all about the confidence here as well. We had a good week last week, and she did some really good work and felt great about it (and so did I!!), but this morning has got off to a bad start, and she goes straight into a sort of victim mentality, as if somehow this is what she expected all along. Drives me mad tbh, as I haven't got much patience for the "poor me, I told you I was rubbish" thing, but is heart breaking all the same.

I am trying to get her to say a little mantra to herself if she feels panicky, and if there is a vicious little voice inside her telling her she can't do it, or she is no good, or whatever, she is to firmly tell it to get lost and then repeat her mantra to herself. Also, might be worth practising closing eyes and taking a deep breath or two, then open and start again. Must be worth the few seconds of time it takes to re-centre….

Good luck to everyone, we are nearly there!

OP posts:
hopeful123 · 02/01/2016 22:36

Giraffe, she should be better soon- it does not usually last a week. Just easy rest
I am worried because we have all been quite ill except DD- waiting for her to come ill,
She has been sharing a room with her ill sister as family visiting
First exam is Tuesday...
We have stopped working (birthdays/ family visits)

Shirleycantbe · 02/01/2016 12:24

Oh no Giraffe! I think with a week to go you should be ok but definitely worth letting the school know. I hope she feels better soon.

We've got first exam on Tuesday. DD is really struggling, trying to do some maths with her this morning and she seems to have forgotten lots of things we'd spent time learning. She's very tearful and panicky. Nightmare. Not sure how to best calm her down and up her confidence. It's freaking me out too!

Original poster
orangina · 02/01/2016 09:26

Oh Giraffe, so sorry to hear about your dd. My dd was ill at the end of term and missed the best part of a week of school, plus there was NO exam prep for about a week. In a mad sort of way, I think she really benefitted from the rest and when she started again she was on top form. Don't send her to school next week, even if she is fine, and do a little bit of work with her when she is ready. Probably also worth writing a letter to the schools in question explaining the situation. Fingers crossed it is just 24 hour thing…. Flowers

OP posts:
Giraffe44 · 02/01/2016 07:49

HELP my DD is ill. High temp and endless vomiting. Consortium exam less than a week away I'm panicking at thought of her nit being better and all washed out and not at all ready! What can I do?!!!

Original poster
orangina · 01/01/2016 22:40

So glad this thread has come to life again, was thinking of trying to resurrect it! Consortium group 2 exams will be DONE in a week's time, aurgh! It's been a bit of a roller coaster ride this holidays, some really good days, and some… well, less good. Getting closer to finishing the maths papers in time, but still not actually managing it, but trying not to worry too much about it.

Does everyone have their interview dates through from the schools who interview every candidate? We are still waiting for the FHS SW1 interview date to come through, has anyone got theirs confirmed already? Should I be fussing?!

Shirley, am going to look up that book immediately! Can't wait until this is all over. Apart from anything else (and all the obvious reasons), I fear I have become TOTALLY DULL, as I can think of little else at the moment….

(Dd also still doing a lot of SILLY maths mistakes….. last week's Consortium sample maths paper was ok, BUT she got the FIRST TWO questions wrong…… very silly arithmetical errors…. any advice as to how one might tackle that? Or just cross fingers and hope?!)

OP posts:
Shirleycantbe · 30/12/2015 20:14

All feeling a bit stressful and last minute panicky here.

But today I started reading John O Farrell's book - May Contain Nuts - absolutely hilarious and is helping restore calm and good humour.

I highly recommend it for any anxious parents!

hopeful123 · 30/12/2015 17:11

School has prepared them- they gave her 7 practice papers over the hols
we haven't even finished them.
no timing.
english as sloppy as ever
i had hoped that DD was careful when doing homework for the school but it does not appear so

pearlmummy · 30/12/2015 13:02

Am curious.....for the indie school parents out there, having reached this stage of the game, do you think the school prepared the kids well or has it been a big push from you?

mummyinatizz · 29/12/2015 17:18

And ditto here too! Am hoping that the exam room/exam conditions will focus the mind.

First exam a week today - yikes!

2serious · 29/12/2015 16:01

Same here ( for 10+ in our case) with maths - either too slow (so won't finish on time but not too many mistakes) or on time with quite a few mistakes 😕

Giraffe44 · 29/12/2015 15:19

Hi that is exactly what we are experiencing! Not finishing maths papers in particular.. How others getting on?

pearlmummy · 29/12/2015 11:04

How are we all feeling????? Been surprisingly quiet on this thread. Not long to go - I can't wait for this to be over. We are still ploughing on but often not finishing sample papers - eek! Still prone to lots of silly maths mistakes although has reasonable understanding overall. Is this typical?? I just can't tell.

AnotherNewt · 08/12/2015 07:08

I do sometimes wonder about those big "interview all" days. I expect that those schools which do this want to have some idea who the girl is, so they can assess any new joiners to the school if they are in the tie- break range.

Though I suppose one good effect of it is that you're not chasing round several schools for interviews between exam and offers.

Shirleycantbe · 04/12/2015 13:56

It was all a bit manic wasn't it?! My DD said she found it hard to open up and be chatty. I definitely don't think she was on her best form. But I'm hoping it's less of a strict selection exercise than interviews that take place AFTER exams are.

mummyinatizz · 04/12/2015 11:35

how did you and DD get on shirleycantbe? Not sure my DD said enough for them to get an insight, but guess they know what they are looking for.

2serious · 03/12/2015 12:31

Thank you, Countess, that's great advice! I am playing it down and she seems on board with the idea. The chances don't look great so not keeping hopes up at this stage but if anything will give good practice for next year, as you say.