11+ Support Thread 2026

Ahh bless your little one, I got mine a box of chocolates after they took the test and then a new lunch box that they really liked ❤️

Looking for other options in the meantime is also a really good idea as it reminds you how BIG the world is! So many options and things for our kids to do, so much time to keep achieving in a healthy and productive way 🤞🏼

Thank you, and you’re so right. I’ve told her I’m proud she even went to the test, and the outcome isn’t a big deal. We’ve been looking at other schools and that’s taken the drudge of waiting easier ☺️

Did anyone sit for Tiffin Boys? If so, how did it go? I've heard the English was surprisingly hard

Five days and counting… 😬

As a parent in your position, I will say the following -

Most of the feedback about the FSCE has been kids not finishing the test. It was a LOT of questions in an unfamiliar format in very less time than usual. Your kiddo isn’t the only one who didn’t finish the paper so please don’t worry - if anything, it shows they’re all on the same boat!

Secondly, you did your best and so did your little one. Whatever has been done in the test can’t be changed now so focus on giving your child some relief and relaxation after all the 11+ stress - appreciate her efforts and think if this is how stressed you feel, imagine the stress inside her mind! It’s hard for kids to articulate stress but they do feel it too, especially if they sense their parent is stressed.

Lastly, focus on realistic options. Be open minded. Getting into a grammar school isn’t the be all end all. A lot of success depends on their home environment and parental support, which you are clearly providing ❤️

Not everybody will pass the test and that is OK. I feel the same stress and anxiety as you, I really HOPE my child passes BUT I am reminding myself that it’s not the end of the world if they don’t and that my job is to make my child feel confident, supported and hopeful about their future - not pass my stress on to them ❤️

Good luck and take it easy on yourself! x

@LinearTransformations its been really difficult preparing them for thr exam when there is nothing to go off. Also the familiarisation booklet was different to what the actual exam was like. I do feel that the number of questions was excessive for them. That is also demotivating. Im trying my best to push it out of my head but I am feeling very anxious tbf.

@Steresses11mumthe few people I’ve spoken to who had dc sit FSCE papers have all said their dc didn’t finish the papers.
I know my dd missed quite a lot, I can’t work out how many questions she had left, but it seems like she missed quite a bit. I found it harder to help her prepare as there aren’t past papers. When DS sat the 11+, it was GL and I was able to help by using past papers and timing him, but I didn’t do any of that with DD.

they do take age into account, so her being on the younger side will work in her favour ☺️

it’s such a long wait for us, 19th October the result will be emailed. I’m finding it difficult to not think about it.

elevenplus forum

Where can i find this data?

Interestingly, I was just looking at the QE Boys results by birth month for 2025 and 2026. Among 3,000+ candidates, the highest standardised final score in both consecutive years was achieved by August-born children! I thought this might not be entirely unrelated to your concern and might give you a bit of reassurance.

Generally they take into account age in the scores, so a just 10 year old wouldn't need quite as high a score to pass as a nearly 11 year old

I am worried about my dd results. She did the fsce paper. Didnt have enough time to complete the comprehension and missed 5 questions, she also didn't manage to complete one of the sections in the Beacon paper. She is only 10yrs and 1 month. I am worried she may not have done enough to get a place. My anxiety is in overdrive. Any one got any words of encouragement or reassurance?

Same boat as you!

It has been a stressful process. Im not sure my dd finished anything and the comprehension she completely forgot it.

Hi 👋

I’ve followed this thread (thought I’d posted on this one but it’s the other one I’ve posted on 😂)

dd took the FSCE paper Saturday. I don’t have high hopes, she didn’t finish any of the sections. She didn’t want to take exam nearer the time, and part of me feels guilty for making her (told her it’ll be fun and just try)- of course if she gets in that’ll be great, but if not I’ll feel super guilty about it all.

anyone else’s dc take the FSCE papers?

Plus, my DD completely got her confidence back after breezing through both rounds of the Sutton tests. So I think she's ready for the main events now!

We didn’t get through round 1 at HBS either, which requires top 10%—our score was somewhere in the top third instead. I am not very familar with the school as it is so far away from us, so sitting it was very much a last-minute "why not get some exam practice in?" decision. To be honest, the test format is so different from what we’ve been prepping for SW grammar/independent schools. VR and NVR aren't the main focus for our target schools, and bizarrely there was no maths at all in the first round. On the bright side, it was a really good humbling experience for her. Otherwise, she was at real risk of getting complacent!

@Bushmillsbabe these are all independent schools we are applying for, and we are currently in an independent school too where we will stay if we dont get any of the other indies. The grammar was a long shot and not really the right fit but very local. Its one of the top schools and there were thousands of applicants. Im glad we tried.

Sorry she didn't make it through.

If the exams are later in the year, how do you get your school requests in by end of October deadline?

We didn’t get through London (Henrietta Barnett). Didn’t expect much as there must have been a thousand kids there but DD felt it had gone well and was great practice. Now focused on the selective independent schools later in the year.

I say comp, but it's actually a non selective Catholic secondary within a grammar area. It's decent, and at the end of the day she is the one going there and if thats what she wants that's ok with us. The work ethic and ambition that it took to get to this point will put her in a great position wherever she goes.

We wouldn't be having her going to the other non selective option though, which is very poor.

We have tried to put it aside, as a PP said, busy with lots of open evenings.

DD has now said she much prefers one of the local comps to the grammars, we took her to both an open evening and an open morning and she is very determined thats where she wants to go, even if she passes. We liked it equally to the grammar. On one hand it takes the pressure off, but on the other, why on earth did we go through a year of stress for the 11+ if she was going to pick a comp anyway 😂

16th October before Warwickshire comes out. Feels a long wait.