11plus exam - September 2020 what will happen?

Shajee this is a slightly old thread about the 11 plus exams that have already happened.

I suggest you start a new thread, possibly on the local forum, and make sure you put something in the thread title that lets people know what you're looking for, and where (eg "11 plus tuition/tutor in Altrincham/Hale").

I am looking for 11 plus tuition or tutor in Altrincham or hale(mancheater) for my daughter in year 5.
Really appreciate if tell me which is the best one?

TW2013 just read on the local news they are allowing a fourth choice this year so those that don't make the cut will get all their non-grammar choices. Shame they didn't include this info in the e-mail I received from the LEA today. Thanks for the advice though. We had a whole load of other issues with my oldest due to her SEN. She has an EHCP so school is named but that was a battle. I was hoping it would be more straightforward for DD2.

With the equal preference system (do check with the LEA) the order that you put down does not matter. If you put down dd1's school second but she is eligible for it then she will get a place there. The schools sometimes say 'if you want your daughter to come to this school you must put it first' but that is just because if you put local school first you will qualify for that above dd1 school, not because you won't get a place if you put it second. Honestly check with some of the application specialists @phr47bridge @admission on here but you should put down dd's preferred school order.

TW2013 DD1’s girl is very popular. She only got in because it was the best fit for her SEN needs. I doubt DD2 would get in as a second choice. Our local school isn’t bad at all but if we put that third she could miss that as well. Some of the year 7 offers from our catchment for September this year
have been appalling and a very big risk.

HelplessProcrastinator

It shouldn't matter just put the wildcard grammar first and your dd1's non grammar second, then if she doesn't pass she will get into dd1's school. The school don't see your preferences so won't know.

LadyPenelope68 not in our LEA they don't. Very selective grammars with intake from neighbouring LEAs. Our primary schools don't get involved with 11+, it is entirely down to the parents. My friend is 40 and was the only person in her year at one of the local grammars that she knew of that wasn't tutored.

@HelplessProcrastinator
No one gets in without tutoring.

I disagree. I’m a Year 6 teacher, I’ve seen plenty of pupils in the 13 years I’ve been in Y6 get into grammar without tutoring.

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.

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.

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.

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. 😉

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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?

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.