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Original poster

How to know if child is smart enough for 11 plus

57 replies

Gettingthereslowly2020 · 19/03/2021 12:28

DD is in Year 4 (state school) now. She's always been quite bright and she always says the work at school is too easy for her.

School don't give much feedback on how she is doing academically. At the last parent's evening pre-Covid, they showed me a chart that said she is working at the expected standard. At the last parent's evening during Covid, it was done over the phone and the teacher said she sometimes gives her some Year 5 work and she keeps up with them.

I've noticed her spelling isn't great and she doesn't do any work outside of school. I have to force her to do some reading but she does really enjoy learning at school. She seems to be in the top group in class from what she's said.

How can I find out if she is smart enough for grammar school? School do assessments but they never share the results with parents. Can I request that they share her results with me?

I don't really know where to start with all of this so any advice would be much appreciated.

OP posts:
vegetablecrumble · 19/03/2021 13:16

Remember it's not just about whether you can keep up at grammar school, but also whether you enjoy it. I'm not saying all grammar school kids have to be stereotypical 'geeks', but I do think that the kids who get the best out of it are intellectually curious and academically motivated. You say you have to 'force her to read' - to be honest from everything you write, that would raise the biggest flag for me - not whether she's capable of getting in, but whether she would actually enjoy the intellectual challenge.

Original poster
Gettingthereslowly2020 · 19/03/2021 12:49

Thank you to everyone who has responded, you have all given me some great advice.

I've been looking at the Trafford Consortium grammar schools but I think they're quite competitive.

I'll ask school to send me a copy of her assessment scores and where she is in comparison nationally. Hopefully that will give me more of an idea about how she is doing.

I've heard that the 11 plus topics aren't taught at school until after the test has taken place so when I get the Bond/11 plus workbooks, should I select the age she is now or get the year above?

OP posts:
Helenluvsrob · 19/03/2021 12:37

Bond books are fun but ge equivalent. Again depends on your entry criteria but doing the age 11 bond books at 11 wouldn’t get you into grammar locally ( and they don’t issue past papers either , some places might )

Helenluvsrob · 19/03/2021 12:35

You need to find about the grammar schools locally. How do they select ?
Locally here they are super selective- filling from the top exam scores down , till they are full. The goal post is set very high to get a place. Top 10% when my kids went and , certainly out of a year of 90 6 or 7 went when eldest did.
Working at expected standard with occasional work from the year above wouldn’t really fit with a potential grammar applicant for local schools. abut other areas are different.

Also think about your kids psychology. Do they work best and feel best about themselves if they are “top of the class “. If so thrn go to the comp and be the big fish they need to be to grow. Absolutely avoid the grammar where they will have to work hugely hard to keep up , but always be at the bottom of the group- and be feeling rubbish about it as well.

LittleTiger007 · 19/03/2021 12:33

Ask for an appointment from school to ask for assessment results. They won’t tell you how she compares to other children in the class but you can ask how she compares nationally. As stated above, get a book on how to pass the 11 plus and see how she does. Ask the school if they think she’s a candidate for the 11 plus.

XelaM · 19/03/2021 12:32

You honestly don't have to be mother to a genius to sit the 11+ exam. It's free anyway, so why not try to do some home prep with her and see how she gets on?

XelaM · 19/03/2021 12:31

Just get a Bond book from WH Smith or Amazon for her age with 11+ prep and see how she finds it

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