11 plus support thread

What happens to older siblings already in their schools that are geographically incompatible? The mind boggles!

Lots of those children are sitting tests all over the place though - either as practise for the one they really want or are closer to, or to hedge their bets, or because they're ready to relocate and are open to several - so the numbers aren't as bad as they first appear. I have seen lists of postcodes of the applicants for these school and it is enlightening to say the least!

@user153876909

That ratio doesn't sound too ridiculous for QE, 14:1 chance? When I did 11+ many many moons ago it was generally accepted that it was 10:1.

I live in High Barnet, the streets yesterday and this morning were full of parents just standing around on their phones near the school/ high st. Why don't they go and sit in a cafe?! Isn't the exam long enough to allow time for that?

Hi, can I join in? My son is in year 5 and I’d like him to sit exam to the grammar school next year, there’s only one in the county , we’re North based.

@WithCatLikeTread oh no, everything crossed for you that it all works out, the whole covid bit just makes the already stressful situation a whole lot worse. Hang in there.

Ps as an aside I love your user name, I actually walked down the aisle to that song 🤣

I keep saying what will be, will be too! And singing the song 🙄

Meanwhile, eldest DS had a faint positive on an LFT.
Went for a pcr this morning, waiting now….

Will have to keep him and DD apart, but what if it’s too late and she’s already got it? Stress.

Slightly on edge that son will get COVID before Saturday! It’s rife in his and his brother’s school. I know he could do it later but want it over with!

Yes good luck everyone, here's hoping for happy relaxed kids, and what will be, will be. (Horrid phrase, but DH keeps using it to calm me down, it doesn't work, and now I've caught the habit 🤣) All over soon. We've agreed with my daughter that we're not even going to tell her when the marks come out, that way, for her, it's all over on Saturday and she can just forget about it. Also she has a friend doing it too and this way they can't discuss marks, DD would feel terrible for her friend if they got lower scores, and terrible for herself if she was the one who got lower, so this way we remove all that as she'll be able to honestly say she doesn't know!

Well quite! Good luck @BumbledBee hope it all goes well.

*her to come out happy...

Hi, anyone from Solihull, West Midlands, who has their son give the 11 plus from Warwickshire catchment last year I.e. Sep 2021 entry? Did they get into KES Stratford and if so, would you be willing to share their score? My son gave his exam for next year's entry, and am looking at KES Stratford as first choice but since there are priority circles involved, I'd like to know if there is a realistic chance that he will get a place or is Alcster the only option?

First exam on Tuesday - another one who can’t wait til it’s over. Really think it comes down to the day just hope dd brings her A game because sometimes she veers wildly off course for no apparent reason 😧😬🤣 bring on the other side.

This time next week it’ll be over, can’t wait!

Went through some maths today with Dd (she chose to, I didn’t make her), and if I’m honest, she was terrible 🙄😂

If she’s like that on the day, there’s no hope at all of passing.
Luckily our Plan B school is also in walking distance and is a good school with a grammar stream for passers & near-misses.

After today, I’m wondering if she’ll make into the near miss though!

Hey ho, what will be will be…. 🍷

Crickey I'll be bloody glad when this is behind us. We have our first on Friday.

Yep Yep 1 over. CEM style. We went their with lot of time in hand. Though not very far from the venue. DD really enjoyed the experience. We gave her a snack for the break time but that was not allowed in. Just given a biscuit inside. Two would have been better :-)

Well, test weekend 1 of 2 is now done for us. (CEM style, CSSE is next weekend.) DH took DD thankfully as apparently parking was utter carnage, hundreds of parents just abandoning their cars in the roads for miles around. I'd have been in a blind panic which would not have helped! She came out feeling ok, not completed every single question and clearly exhausted but happy, and now looking forward to next weekend. She quite enjoyed the experience overall and thoroughly enjoyed herself people watching in the break and wondering if she might be seeing any of the girls again as classmates!

strythiolu

There's a lot riding on this so it's difficult not to become a little obsessive. If DD passes she will be going to the best school in our city and it's even within walking distance. If she doesn't, we have a selection of comprehensives which are all rated as needing improvement. It's great that you did so well despite not passing, but where realistically does my DD have the best chance of success?

She is also on the autism pathway and socially I think a girls' grammar will suit her better than a mixed comprehensive.

I actually went to the same school and nobody failed their GCSEs or was expelled! It's the best environment for a bright child imo so yeah, I'm taking it seriously.

Bloody hated the 11+ process when I was in year 6. I probably found it more stressful than A-levels. And now I think about how there must have been people who did way better than me in those exams, had been to all the prep schools since they were 3, and then failed their GCSEs or got expelled or something. I didn't get into a single one of them, but 7 years after that I got into Imperial.

So reading about over-obsessive parents bringing in every tutor and exam paper and psychiatrist under the sun like it's the goddamn Avengers, it just makes me laugh, if in a sad way. I'm quite glad that my mum didn't know anyone else whose children were doing 11+.

DS's test is at 8:30am too and we'll need to leave in plenty of time, as the town where the school is is likely to be very busy. There is a girls' school in the same town that also has its test on the same day.

We will just do a few more practice papers to try and improve on speed, but that's about all we can do now. I will be relieved when it's over! Good luck to everyone taking the test.

Time wise, DD is fine with the English paper but usually struggles to finish the Maths, needing around an extra 10 minutes at home. Interestingly before the mock, her tutor said that they would be unlikely to finish the maths in time so I guess it is designed that way.