To wonder why the elevenplus forum parents put their DC through it when

[safflower]

they are so stressed themselves?

Apparently it is results day. There are parents beside themselves whilst they wait for the 4pm email. Some have had children in tears this morning worrying if they have made it. If the parents are suffering, I cannot imagine what those poor children must be feeling.

Oldmumsy- yes, you and Dh passed.... how many years ago exActly?

I am in alistron's LA (sorry al, am twitter friend incognito atm) and we have super selectives, there are more than 15 children sitting the exam per place, they take fewer than 5% of the school population, and the FSM rates (using that as a crude measure of poverty) are

The FSM data is interesting, in our LA (Hello Han!) I wonder how many kids from the schools with + 50% FSM account for GS places?

Also, kids are competing with children from out of catchment. Which makes it even more selective.

The elevenplus forum was really useful for me when my kids were going through the process - in terms of procedure, material to work on at home (we couldn't afford tutors) and general support when DS1 didn't get in.

We passed nearly 40 years ago and my Mum and Dad passed over 60 years ago. It made a terrific difference to us. I am so old I actually remember a time when the ruling elite (aka politicians) had a substantial GS intake. Not so much these days to our detriment. So the demise of GS in my opinion has been a BAD THING.

But can you see though why in areas where it is still in place it's not actually moving forward social mobility?

Local Grammar school 0.7% FSM 2010.
High School (i.e. sec modern) within a mile of the GS 27.3% FSM in 2010.
Draw your own conclusions.

Both are now academies, so new data is missing.

So there child dont end up working at tesco i persume

They want a better
Ife for there children and as labour saw fit to bacially destory state education with everyone gets a prize and allowed the exam bords to inflate grades

Grammers and religous schools are the only way you can get a hood education with out paying

Everyone who has had experince of state and grammer will tell you what is expected of the children is much higher academically and behaviour wise

fishwife- I think they're after the opposite of a hood education!

Oldmumsy- yes, originallyy the GS did encourage a little social mobility, but the system has not been like that for a long time, at least 15 years id guess. Both my MIL (60 years ago) and my mother (50 years ago) were WC girls that gained GS places, and went on to university, and professions. It just isn't like that now, and as alistron says- many parents are really just trying to avoid paying 7 years of fees- you can see some of the poor children that have no chance, but tutored within an inch of their lives, going up to the exam, desperate not to disappoint their parents. I also know children that then continue to have 7 years of tutoring once in the GS to keep up with their classmates

Well around here the "best" school is a non-faith Comprehensive, as the Good School Guide puts it, it sees its rivals as the local independents.

busyboysmum congrats. Am guessing we are very near you, as same here.

I guess the forum serves a purpose. I found the first exam very stressful but tried not to pass it on to my DC. There was a bit of chat in the playground leading up to the exams, but tumbleweed since the results. Am keeping a very low profile as my DC did very well. I might need to use it myself just to let it out, as I might burst with pride.

ohforfoxsake will your ds be going to Sale then? That's where DS1 is headed. Haven't seen any mums yet as got the results Saturday so looking forward to seeing how everyone else did tomorrow. Sadly ds's best friend at his current school didn't pass so he's gutted about that but his best best friend since age 3 has passed so they are so happy about being reunited at secondary school.

Yes I think so - he has a choice as he did well in both (AB was the other) but SG is closer. He just wants to go where his friends are going.

Now it's all over I am terrified I will forget to put the form in!

It is the place to go for information about the 11+. Even the primaries around here recommend it (officially I mean, by the Head).

I see some really odd posts sometimes though. Like "My child got a really high score but I haven't shared it with him though he keeps asking because I don't want him discussing it in school". FFS it's his bloody score, he earned it on his own at that test he did.

Also the "Good luck, you can all do it! My daughter did just five papers every day for 7 months and got in. So don't give up hope anybody" type ones.

Everyone used to have to do the 11 plus. And most of the older generation are perfectly well-adjusted.

Lol. Not my experience.

I live in a grammar area and it is predominantly (at the girls school) 30% West African immigrant children and at he boys school, less maybe 15% but more Asians.

So who ever made the remark about it not being conducive to social mobility is barking up the wrong tree. Work ethic is fundamental for grammar school. It doesnt matter your social class.

I did not tutor my son; he got his grammar place on natural ability. But I see others who hot-housed their children who have struggled to keep up with the pace of work. The opportunities he has been given have been fantastic. He would not have had the experiences if he'd gone to a struggling comprehensive. He's confident, articulate, self assured and has his goals in life. But he also has our work ethic. That is the difference.

"I live in a grammar area and it is predominantly (at the girls school) 30% West African immigrant children and at he boys school, less maybe 15% but more Asians."

What does this have to do with social mobility or social class? You're talking about diversity, which is something completely different.

Are you implying these "immigrant children" couldn't possibly be privileged just because they come from a different country?

That's actually really patronising and offensive.

Just got back to this thread and pmsl at whoever said there will be a 'super super selective' next.

The fiorm does serve a purpose. It keeps a big chunk of mum-loons in one place away from the rest of us.

I wouldn't want my child in a super selective school. Here they have friends who are cleaners children and Sheikhs from the royal family and don't give a toss who is who as long as they are fun.

People claiming they have not tutored their kids make me laugh. I have not tutored mine too. Oh, hold on, they went to prep schools and had been drilled vr and nvr since year 3, my husband who got degree in maths had spent every weekend for the past two years going through math papers, but they were not tutored, just passed due to their natural ability.

I think you misunderstood what I said superpushymum. I said a child will need to go through past papers, but they don't need to be tutored. i.e. there is no need to spend ££££'s. My post was quite clear about the need to do some past papers.

My son didn't go to a prep school specialising in vr or nvr (it doesn't do any vr or nvr afaik, we chose it because it does forest school). DS2 had about 6 months of going through past papers with us and learning the new maths he needed.

If I was going to spend 2 years on tutoring I'd have to start pretty much now with ds3 now, no thanks. How can you know 2 or 3 years in advance if the grammar school is even the right place for a child? I have no idea whether it is going to a school that would suit ds3 or not. If he needed 2 years of past papers and practice I'd hazard a guess it was completely the wrong school.

My dd's grammars are extremely culturally diverse. People who aren't white European do hold professional jobs, send their kids to private schools, can afford intensive tuition yunno. Sheesh.

In my opinion any preparation counts as tutoring. What do you think happens at tutor's? There is no magic formula, they go through same papers that other parents do at home.