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Original poster

11+ this September. How is everyone?

109 replies

SunflowerDuck · 24/08/2022 14:25

My child sits 11+ in September. Just wondering how others in the same position are getting on?

We had plans to do a mock paper for each subject each week but er haven't done that. They've done some bits here and ther andare plodding through some papers this week.

I have the 10min tests we will keep it ticking over with and they are going to do an external mock test.

I am starting to get so anxious for them. They are naturally bright but we could have done more prep than we have...

Only a few weeks to go! I'm thinking of planning something fun for after the test. And maybe not do much the few days before.

Anyone else?

OP posts:
Coops1988 · 25/08/2022 13:30

DD is booked in for the test and I already feel so anxious but trying not to let her know it. No idea how I'm going to get through to October for the results.

We started a while back to keep it casual with a couple of questions a day then moved up to doing more.

She's doing a practice run next week to get a feel of the exam. She's more than capable of answering most of the questions (there are 1 or two questions types She's weaker on), but if anything gets her it will be panicking. We've gone over stuff like just guessing to have an answer in if you've hot a minute left!

We know people who have done crazy amounts of prep because they want a highly competitive school but we were never prepared to put that much pressure. We've told DD from the start that we'd do basic prep at home, no tutor, because if she needs hours of tutoring etc to get in she's only going to struggle and be unhappy at the school. We've told her (of course) we just want her to do her best and we'll just see what the result is, but I am freaking out a bit that we live in a very nice area that seems to be just outside the catchment for two out of three non-grammars that aren't rated inadequate on our side of the city. We should be OK for one of them if it comes to it otherwise we'd have to bus her out of the city to avoid the atrocious academy that nearly everyone is trying to avoid.

It's too late now and probably counterproductive to try and cram in loads more practice anyway. She's worked her way through 3 books and 3 sets of flashcards so now we hope!

Original poster
SunflowerDuck · 25/08/2022 13:57

That's just it isn't it - too late to cram but want to keep it ticking over and getting the right spot. Similarly my DC knows all the verbal reasoning types and is secure on the maths that wasn't taught in yr 5 but she has moments her mind goes blank so need to just skip and keep going or take a deep breath and read it again. I'm hoping the formal mock will help deal with nerves/writing for 3 hours!

I'm so anxious. It will make life so much easier for us if she gets in but dont want her to think she's failed if she doesn't get in!

OP posts:
Coops1988 · 25/08/2022 14:33

There are kids in her class under immense pressure. Hours of prep a day, punishment for not doing well enough in practice. I couldn't do it. Its not worth it to me to do that to my 10yo. In some ways I'm glad we went out of area for primary as nearly every kid in our nearest primary is being tutored/taking the test but in DDs primary its more like 25% of the year group so less of the pressure between friends and less of a "thing" for school the day after results. Just me dodging the other parents if needs be! 😆 This is not intended to be kind but at least one of the kids taking it I know of I think will fail, so if DD does she won't be alone. This child has been in support lessons got English and Maths since Y3 and she did next to no work the entire lockdown which put her even more behind. It's her Mum who wants the grammar, not her.

Coops1988 · 25/08/2022 14:35

Not meant to be UNKIND that should say. She's a lovely girl, v creative, just not academically focused or notably able.

Topsy44 · 25/08/2022 16:05

I am anxious about it too. We only started with a tutor in April and like others I really have tried not to put any pressure on my DD but equally thinking we may not have done enough in the holidays!

DD has done a couple of mocks, where she has done ok but does struggle with the maths so I think that will be her stumbling block and the time pressure. Trying to do about 20 mins a day now but had a few weeks where we didn’t do anything as I thought she needed a complete break from it.

I keep saying to her that it doesn’t matter either way what happens and I think her main motivation is most of her friends are doing it so she doesn’t want to end up going to a school where she doesn’t know anyone.

2 weeks to go now so I do think if she doesn’t know it now then she’s not going to pick it up before the exam so trying not to do too much. She will probably see her tutor for a couple more times before the exam. He says she has the ability but struggles with the time. I think really she is probably borderline but secretly hoping she will push through on the day for her sake!!

Original poster
SunflowerDuck · 25/08/2022 19:22

20mins a day sounds fab! Well done. I think its just hit me how soon it is.

We aren't really sure what our second choice school is which doesn't help.

OP posts:
Coops1988 · 25/08/2022 20:16

Ultimately thousands of kids don't even have grammars as an option and are fine. It's just a PITA when you live in an area with grammars to navigate the system. And sometimes eat we think of as "Plan B" turns out to be best, or we get "Plan A" and ut tur s out rubbish. I certainly had that with university! Whatever happens if our kiddos work hard at any school they can get where they want to be.

RayneDance · 25/08/2022 20:31

Coops if your so against,why bother navigating the system? Just go for the alternative?

Original poster
SunflowerDuck · 25/08/2022 21:52

I do get the point. I wish we didn't live in a grammar area sometimes. Where I used to live you could just choose your secondary school.

Living in a grammar area you either opt in and choose to try 11+ or opt out and go for a comp but you do have to make a choice.

We have a few schools but none jumps out at us so will have to seriously look at them in September for plan B.

OP posts:
Coops1988 · 25/08/2022 23:11

Because the alternative where we live is high chance of getting inadequate schools or make m child ride a bus 2+ hours a day, which she doesn't want? We can't afford to move. DD wants to try for the grammar she likes and I'm not going to block her because of my feelings when I know several people who resent their parents for not allowing them to take the 11+.

Pipsquiggle · 28/08/2022 15:07

We've found keeping the momentum going over summer very difficult. Don't get me started on non-verbal reasoning😩

Coops1988 · 28/08/2022 16:47

We're hit and miss on NV reasoning here, just got to hope the stuff she's better at is what comes up 😬

Pinkpeony2 · 28/08/2022 16:56

Ive got twins I’m trying to get through this bloody test.
Taints the whole summer. We all can’t wait until it’s over. Never again!
Just realised there are a couple of bits we haven’t covered so going over them.

Coops1988 · 28/08/2022 18:53

Sympathy! It feels hard enough with 1. NV reasoning she either gets it right off and blitzes through in half the time allowed or takes 5 mins to work out what's going on and runs out of time 🤔 TBF though, some of the practice ones we've done I've been confused by. I will be glad when it's done though as I'm an anxious person but suppressing it to not pass it on.

Original poster
SunflowerDuck · 29/08/2022 09:19

Gosh doing 2 at once must be stressy. Is it likely one might pass and not the other?

We dont have non v reasoning here - we have verbal reasoning which she usually does well on thankfully. But her maths and Englush can be so variable. 65% one say and 90% another... and not too sure what is tripping her.

She has had enough of practicing. I know she has covered it all but dont want to drop it yet...

OP posts:
justinhawkinsnavalfluff · 29/08/2022 09:28

We've done OK on the prep just need to do more practice tests. Main problem is my daughter gets migranes whenever she has to perform - dance performances etc. Really worried its going to happen with the exam. ☹️

BordoisAgain · 29/08/2022 09:36

DS is booked in but our view is that either he can do the work or he can't - so no practicing beyond doing a test paper just so he knows what the exam conditions will be. No point in him getting into grammar and then struggling to keep up.

Coops1988 · 29/08/2022 12:23

We're aiming in the middle: Familiarity and tactics to answer the questions, to feel well prepared, but no drilling or excessive pressure if we can help it. Doing a practice test so it's not a complete unknown this week. Most of them have never sat an exam that lasts a couple of hours with such strict instructions/timings before.

One kid in DDs class has been doing HOURS upon hours of work to try to get the VERY selective grammar near us. They don't just take the top students you have to hit a certain benchmark in each part of the test! His parents have literally shown him no other schools so he "doesn't get distracted from the goal". I do hope he actually wants to go there and doesn't feel too awful if he doesn't get it. He seems like he could well make the cut, but with only 150 places and people vying for spots from miles and miles away its a tough battle.

Pinkpeony2 · 29/08/2022 13:41

SunflowerDuck · 29/08/2022 09:19

Gosh doing 2 at once must be stressy. Is it likely one might pass and not the other?

We dont have non v reasoning here - we have verbal reasoning which she usually does well on thankfully. But her maths and Englush can be so variable. 65% one say and 90% another... and not too sure what is tripping her.

She has had enough of practicing. I know she has covered it all but dont want to drop it yet...

It’s very stressful. Extremely so. Trying to keep calm but that’s very hard.
Yes it’s very likely that one will pass and one won’t. My 2 are identical and are joined at the hip all the time.
Wont be able to send them to separate schools as it would be very detrimental so as you can imagine there is no good senario if one doesn’t pass and one does.

Original poster
SunflowerDuck · 30/08/2022 10:47

Gosh that does sound stressful and likely to cause frustration between them 😔.

We're doing a couple of 10min tests today after being away for a week. They are refusing to do anything longer so have to be grateful its something...

OP posts:
Original poster
SunflowerDuck · 30/08/2022 10:47

I often wish we were in a non 11+ area to avoid all this!

OP posts:
Pipsquiggle · 30/08/2022 11:01

If I was education minister I would get rid of grammars and the 11+. There are only a few areas that do them now.

Only going through this rigmarole because we live near one

Coops1988 · 02/09/2022 13:39

Ironically I would too.
DD is doing it because she wants to try for our nearest school and I'm not going to block her. Know too many people who resent parents over either being blocked or forced to do it.
I hate the system and the division it creates, especially now its not even the system where everyone took it without so much of the prep etc, paid tutoring etc.

11plusmisery · 02/09/2022 16:31

My username says it all really! DD is sitting the Kent Test next week and I think we all just want it to be over now. Privately I've lost the will to even care about the outcome (although I know that will change on results day). Her practice paper results are worse now than at the beginning of the summer so I think it's time to shut down the revision.

I think we'll just try and chill now and hope for the best. What's everyone else doing in the last few days or weeks?

Topsy44 · 06/09/2022 17:14

We’ve hardly done anything at all over the last week, just a couple of 15 minute practice questions on the verbal reasoning. I am so desperate for the exam to be over now! I really think the timing will be an issue in the end, don’t want to be defeatist about it but I think you need to be realistic too! I keep telling DD that the outcome really doesn’t matter and to see it more of as an experience which is true and I actually don’t mind if she doesn’t go to a grammar school but I just don’t want her to feel rubbish for the rest of her life if she doesn’t pass.

DD’s tutor is coming round tomorrow afternoon for one last session with her and her friend. I’m not really sure what he’s going to teach them and actually whether it’s just going to add to the nerves but putting my trust in him that he knows what he’s doing!!!

How’s everyone else getting on?!