Child working at "expected" ; anyone's DC working at expected pass the 11plus?

This is the concern we had. DW went to grammar, sounds like a similar experience as you. DD2 decided she wanted to sit and got through, subject to national offer day. We still worry if she will thrive in the competitive environment, or if she would have been better off in a stare school where she might have been top sets.

He is doing well but doesn't start secondary until this coming September.

We read as in I sit with him and we each read a page aloud. It helps to model how to read a sentence. Others have also said even listen to an audio book can help. Have you tried audio books with her?

Just a point to chuck in about SEN. Do apply for reasonable adjustments, they do grant it, I'm a different area but after applying and providing our evidence we were granted (by an external panel ) everything we asked for. Shortly before the test we were then phoned by the grammar to arrange everything for the day and they bent over backwards to ensure my DC was comfortable and had everything needed. I absolutely can't fault them. I won't know until March if he has a place but one thing I am entirely comfortable with is that the adjustments gave him an equal chance on the day so if he doesn't get in, then it isn't meant to be and no hard feelings. He actually enjoyed the experience! Have a look on the SEN topics on 11+ board.

He can look at grammar again for 6th form but since he’s so happy where he is I doubt he will.

DD2 was in this position, comfortably got the grades to switch to GS for sixth form(where a good friend of hers had just been appointed head girl) but in the event she decided to stay and take A levels at the secondary modern where she had been for the previous 5 years. The GS couldn't compute it at all!

Our head very much discussed whether she thought our son should appeal or not. They had a scoring system for all children based on their suitability for grammar school and spent the whole day speaking to parents after the result. Nothing done before obviously as they’re not allowed to teach for the 11+. Private schools can - no they don’t all pass by any means but there’s an advantage for sure.

Agree, best not to get caught up in the whole thing. I wish I hadn’t! Very stressful year. The local secondary where DS is is fantastic and he’s thriving. He can look at grammar again for 6th form but since he’s so happy where he is I doubt he will.

Results vary massively by school and by year.

Also worth considering that other than year 6 there are no national standards for expecting or greater depth, some schools are harsher markers than others. My DS was expecting all the way through primary even into year 6 but got GD in all his SATs. Like you I instinctively knew he was brighter than his results suggested. No grammars here but I would have entered him if I could, especially as learning is never wasted. He goes to a top 10 comprehensive and predicted very high GCSE grades, some kids just need a little more time. Good luck

There are some slightly odd perceptions on here. Plenty of preps have Dc who won’t be passing the Bucks 11 plus. They are not set up as crammers. Other schools are. Neither do all schools get 25% through. Some pretty decent schools get very varied results year on year. The southern part of the county has more passing than the north. Heads don’t discuss grammar possibilities with parents. They just administer the test.

It’s important not to get obsessive about the 11 plus. In Bucks, you can pull out of it. Most secondary schools are fine for the dc that go to them. They can transfer at 6th form. It’s not the end of any world not to go to a grammar. In the ops case, get a tutor now. Exams are in September on two days!!

@TheRubyRedshoes GSs won't be put off by a spiky profile because they will pride themselves on being able to get your DD2 to the top of the spike! Also, the rest of the information you have given us about her – sudden rapid improvement, able to pick things up quickly – make her sound like the sort of DC most GSs would enjoy teaching. Except for the super-bright, the 11+ is always a bit of a lottery but I think you should definitely encourage her to try.

When DS started at GS (a good few years ago now!), the first thing the school did was give all the parents a presentation, with stats and graphs, showing how the 11+ score had very little correlation with GCSE results 5 years later. Because some DCs had already peaked while others were just getting started, and educational achievement is rarely linear, all children have peaks and troughs.

Be very careful that you match school to child in this situation very realistically.

I went to a super-selective grammar and I am hyperlexic with no SpLds so have a pretty good idea on how it works. My DD has pretty severe dyslexia (picked up by school in Y2 and formally diagnosed as soon as the EP said she was old enough to test properly).

She would almost certainly have failed SATS appallingly badly. She scores high enough in NVR and VR tests to be in top sets at secondary and have stellar predictions for GCSE. I then have to hop around reminding the staff that she has a SpLd and that we might need to ensure predictions/targets are realistic no matter how high her CAT scores are.

We decided to pull her out of sitting for academically selective schools as the chances were that she would have been unhappy and struggled with the pace and been consistently bottom of the class, which is not good for any child. I

@modgepodge @TheRubyRedshoes thanks for the feedback. We just got to the next round for Godolphin, so I am pleased :) I was so worried, as I had no idea if she would make it to next round. Now, the stress of interviews...

@TheRubyRedshoes - where abouts are you? Does she need to just pass, or does she need to be in the top X % of children who take the exam? It does make a difference

”Expected” means “average”. Most people are average, that’s literally what it means. If she’s average, that isn’t bad.

Not in a school grading sense it doesn't. It represents a wide range of children.

Private schools can report whatever they like and have whatever expectations they like as they may not follow the national curriculum (but most do). I work in a prep and we report compared to national age related expectations. The difference is, the majority of pupils are working ahead of age related. So a child who is working at national average levels in my class is near the bottom of the class. The ‘average’ child in my class is working ahead of expected levels.

What form does the 11+ take on your area.Here it is Verbal and non verbal reasoning which h of course completely different to school curriculum.It often throws up surprises....

In answer to your question, yes my child was expected at some subjects (incl maths) at the end of yr 4 but by end yr 6 was greater depth in most.

Yr 5 was a write off report wise as covid got in the way.

He passed a competitive 11+ exam and is doing very well in yr 8 now. He is and was a big reader though. Way above his age in reading. I think that was a massive help. Having said that his good friend wasn't a big reader and also passed. He was also tutored and wanted to go to grammar.

I suppose it depends if she will be crushed if she does not pass or just shrug it off.

@TheRubyRedshoes This is why the grammar system stinks. It’s a test on one single day. It doesn’t take into account SEN issues that have no impact on intelligence. Those families with money can endlessly tutor children who perhaps otherwise wouldn’t have got in and take up places from very intelligent children who fail just because they aren’t familiar with the question types. It doesn’t take into account children developing at different paces.

A child with a spiky profile who is only just coming into their own at this age could well be very suited to grammar - it’s just the entrance test timing isn’t matched with where they are.

”Expected” means “average”. Most people are average, that’s literally what it means. If she’s average, that isn’t bad.

If you think she is well above averagely clever and would thrive in a grammar, then get her a tutor or buy the Schofield & Simms books and teacher yourself.

If you think she has an average intellect then please don’t put her in a grammar, even if she passes the 11+ she will fall apart under the pressure and fast pace. My friend went to a grammar where she was always near the bottom of class and it destroyed her confidence, she didn’t even go to uni.

Remember the whole purpose of the 11+ test is to identify the children who will be able to cope with grammar school.

My biggest concern for your daughter is the potential dyslexia/ eye issue. Most children with these problems have been diagnosed well before age 11. I’m not sure what stage you’re at with diagnosis but I’d focus on diagnosing her and finding a nuturing supportive secondary.

My son passed after being at expected for Year 5. However he had a year of 11 plus tutoring and we read 4-5 days a night. By the time the 11 plus came around he was at exceeding for maths and a high age for reading and had come on a lot with his English so was just short of exceeding.

His tutor said he would fail on his English and that was his highest mark.

Don't forget depending on where to are, they do verbal reasoning and/or non verbal and that is what threw a lot of untutored children.

This 100%

Just curious, is the level for exceeding, expected etc the same for state and private? My dc are at exceeding and greater depths, but at a state primary. I am wondering if this means they are working at expected level when compared to private? I am nervously waiting 11+ now for my first dc and starting to prepare my second one now. We are so removed from all this 11+ prep, as no one in the school does it.