11+

[LittleMissGossip]

Recently (so approx 3 months prior to tests) ds has decided he’d like to give the 11+ exam a go. I thought it was great, but didn’t think we needed to spend £££ on tutors or the online courses. We’ve only just started to look at exam papers, purchased a few cgp books to work through (more so so he knows exam layout).
DS knows whatever happens, it’s not the end of the world, but recently I read what other parents have been doing in preparation for exams 😳
Most start in year 4, and those that start in year 5 only give children one day off (and even then they’ll prob have quick vocabulary session).
I have probably gone about this all wrong, but my thinking was, yes with a little work, if child is good enough they’ll pass, and working the poor things so they don’t have any sort of break seemed harsh.

So have I been AIBU, taking the slightly relaxed route?

If DS passes it’ll be great, but we have other schools on our list that are also very good so it won’t mean he’s lost out…but I’m beginning to feel a little nervous for him now- knowing some children spent every waking moment studying (at least that’s what it sounds like to me 😩)

DS also decided 3 months before the test despite me offering to start preparing in year 4. He didn’t have any tutoring but we did spend an hour every day preparing and practising the tests as the format is quite different to anything he’ll have done before. He’s just finished year 7 at his Grammar School and far exceeded all of our expectation, possible because he was clearly able to manage the level of work due to not being tutored.

We did relaxed style

Past papers in the summer year 5

We did do a few sessions to get maths marked with a graduate as not all were

Then atom for a month payment but if your test isn’t ISEB you might not need it

It worked out well and he got in, I had same thought if he’s right for the school it’ll work

A very competitive school also - just reading back on checking that out. It can be done but we had a great alternative so not too stressed if it didn’t happen.

@Lemonmelonsun what do you mean gets over the line? You’d mean make sure he passes?

We had just moved into an 11+ area 3months before my eldest took the exam. He did about half a dozen questions each day and then 2practice exams at home. A smart kid really doesn't need much. If they are too dumb to figure out NVR questions for themselves, then grammar school is not for them.most of them do however need a bit of practice to pick up the pace

@Lemonmelonsun

Just to clarify, no child is sent to 'isolation' for their ranking. Likewise, the 'detentions' are extra support, and to confirm, the kids are not in little cells, with a bucket for the loo... My DS has been very happy, it's been the right school for him. In my opinion however a child that has been tutored to death so that they can scrape past an entrance exam might not have such a positive experience.

Dd passed the 11+ in 2019 and started grammar school last sept.

DS has just finished yr4 and will start tuition once a week in sept yr5 plus is going to a couple of booster days over the summer.

Why? Both dc are clever. Dd lacks confidence and DS is a lazy bugger! Doing well in mocks and being supported by tutors did Dd the works of good. DS will have to study so it'll help him.

Over 2019 summer, Dd did 30mins of work every day. We were in france and she did her work first thing and then had a pain au chocolate!

Dd has thrived at grammar school despite the covid shitshow. She is doing very well in a single sex school.

Don't panic op. Little and often is key and good motivation.

A very encouraging post, MrsArchchancellorRidcully.

I found grammar school a great leveller, as did my husband and children. We were all considered to be quite clever but at the grammar school, so was everyone else and a few far more so! Therefore we were 'ordinary' in that respect. No bad thing. Lots of my contemporaries left after 'O' levels and did some training, either in employment or at a college.

Whilst I never particularly enjoyed school - and it would have been the same at any school - it did give me a good grounding and some confidence. Naturally my kids did better than me but that is often the case and they went to school in a different era (more pupil friendly).

@FanFckingTastic,sounds hideous.

• over the line...

Yes as in passed the 121 mark!

It can be pretty hairy if they really decide to go and their friends all go but they missed out by two marks, and I'd say a causally prepared child would deserve to go after missing out by such a small margin.

Esp when their fellow 11 + may have had years of extra lessons and tests and mounds of homework! And they.. May also just scrape over!!

My DS1 did the CGP books once or twice a week from Jan of yr 5 - Sept when he took the test. Passed with flying colours and attends a super selective in Birmingham.

DS2 did the CGP books for about an hour a night for the 10 days leading up to the test (although I registered him he wasn't sure he wanted to do it). Took the test and came out with an admirable score but not a pass. We and he were okay with this, I think if he'd done more practise (ie the same level as his brother) he would have passed..he wasn't far off. However he will be happy at the comprehensive school he has chosen to attend in September.

When I was talking to the head of year 7 at a meet morning when DS1 was in year 7 she told me that it was rather obvious to all staff which children had been tutored to get in and which children were there on natural ability.

I firmly disagree with extensive tutoring, it upends the balance in favour of families with more money and grammar schools were intended to be 'for all'. I am a grammar school student myself, as was my mum, my dad, my brother, my aunts etc etc. Our abilities run in the family.

Have you applied? I know here registration closed in June.

@BadgerWatch the registration closing date is beginning of September, so that was either a good thing or bad in our case 😂

Thank you to everyone else for sharing your experiences. I think I was the one who was feeling overwhelmed after reading posts on Facebook groups, and guilty for not having done more with him even though he wasn't (at that stage) wanting to take 11+.

Also hoping him being a summer baby will help

@LittleMissGossip that's good there was an awful thread a few years ago where a boy did all the practice and the dad had missed the cutoff for registration.

Stay away from anything resembling an 11+ group or forum. They are crazy places and terrifying parents.

They are so extreme, the children either have several tutors and insane study timetables, or their kids have passed the exam without ever having held a pencil in their life.

The speed at which the questions need to be done combined with the format means even the brightest children need to be familiar with the layout.

As long as you keep it pressure free at home children will generally benefit from the content.

I'm just glad Altrincham boys is now part of the Trafford exam so only one to sit for ds2.

Northern ireland it a whole crazy business that's lots of parents get sucked into, tutors from p5 (year 4), loads practise papers, kids thinking world has come.to an end if they don't get grammar school.

Now - to the question of all questions for all of us... Has your DS passed the exam?

@Lieveke77 I only just saw the notification for this post (a year late ).

For those who take would like to take our approach, I can happily say it worked for us, and DS has been happily attending the grammar- all good so far!