11+ in Essex last weekend - any of your DC take it?

[minxthemanx]

Just wondered what they thought - from what I've gathered the maths was very hard, with lots of new areas that haven't cropped up other years. Ditto the VR. Anyone able to feed back?

Yes, DD took it at Chelmsford. Her feed back was VR slightly easier than practice papers, English pretty average (she was relieved it wasn't a piece like bleak house), said it was a modern un-published piece. Maths she thought hard and slightly different to other years. DD thought maths had fewer questions (18) but each question had sub questions. For me, hearing she found maths the hardest was a god-send cos it's always her weakest subject and we worked hard to make up the points with comprehension and VR.
But who knows!

DD took it and found it more difficult than any of the practice tests that she had done. She didn't finish any of the papers.

Which schools are you hoping for? Chelsmford is our first choice (bit of a long shot due to high score needed in past years) Second choice is Colchester.

Only have the choice of Colchester as are in Suffolk.

So hard now to have to wait until March for result. DD finished all papers but I know many who I assumed would whizz through the maths paper left several questions unanswered. Such a hard exam. Even DDs tutor doesn't believe 10/11 year olds should have to cover some topics which he considers to be yr7&8 standard. I didn't realize how much it was getting to me (not DD) until Saturday afternoon. We had arranged a small tea (wine) party to celebrate with friends that it was over. I had to cancel cos I just felt physically and emotionally exhausted. More than made up for it on Sunday though.
Never again!!!

I feel quite chilled about it now in a kind of 'whatever will be will be' sort of way. Although I will admit to ordering the prospectus of a certain central Ipswich independent school in the meantime .

Thanks ladies, I've tutored two students this year for the 11 plus, and one of them felt that it was much, much harder than any of the practice papers we had done (stacks of them). Tho hopefully the comprehension was a little better than last year's Captain Corelli's Mandolin! I'm a bit that the Maths and VR had so many 'new' questions - v difficult to prepare students under those circumstances.

Isn't that why they are subtely changing the format though? DDs tutor had given all his students a talk on how to be prepared for the unexpected, to expect that this years paper might be slightly different.
Can only think this is to try and separate the kids who only do so well through tutoring and those with natural ability. Though must admit I think a child completely un-tutored for essex eleven plus stands very little chance of success (even if excelling at primary school).
I think it must be one of the toughest eleven plus exams of any region.

Yes, and I'm tutoring kids from state primaries, who have never heard of VR and have been taught a maths curriculum that is quite different from the more old-fashioned 11+ approach. This is where it gets tricky - pupils from Independent schools have a distinct advantage in that they have done far more VR, Comprehension and more traditional maths than their very able counterparts from the state sector. That's why bright kids from state schools have to have some tutoring to stand a chance.

'Tis a crap system. Don't know the answer. I now wish I had never put my very bright primary school daughter through it cos she is undoubtedly going to be beaten by kids who have all the advantages. What rages me more is that many kids sitting the test will go to private school if they 'fail' any way.
Not sure of the answer, but do not think (in Essex) the system works at all.
But I do accept that we knew the system when we entered 'the game' and must play by the (very unfair) rules. I also know that if I had to take the test I would be very lucky if I got in any where, so am VERY proud of my daughter who did the work, sat the test and came out unscathed (wish I could say the same for her Mum)

DS took the exam and said it was easier than he thought it would be. Maths is his subject. He is also good at VR. He was worried about the English but said it was a modern text. He finished all the papers and was confident.

I agree what will be will be, glad it is over.

DDs tutor told us some months ago that the lady who wrote the previous years English papers (Captain Correlli & Bleak House) had been unceremoniously given the boot cos the examiners had felt she was asking a bit too much of the kids. DD was just thrilled English comprehension wasn't in the 'oldy worldy language' of previous years. Sooo pleased I didn't make her read the complete work of Dickens (as I know two other parents did )

drivenmecrazy, it is a competition and people will do whatever is withinin their means and the rules to get their kids in. Even your DD has had an advantage by having a tutor.

Would you not consider a selective independent school for your DD if she doesn't get into the grammar school? Most of them offer scholarships and bursaries if finances are a problem.

Could someone tell mw why the exam was harder. What areas did they cover in the maths exam?

I'm a bit sad that the Maths and VR had so many 'new' questions

Can I ask what you meant by new questions for the VR? I was under the impression that there were 21 VR types used in the Essex CSSE paper? Did this year introduce others?

Sorry, it would not be appropriate for any of us to talk in that level of detai about the content of this year's 11+ paper in essexl, as not all children have sat the paper yet (due to illness or religious reasons as was on a saturday). Can discuss after 10th oct only. Sorry.

Sorry, it would not be appropriate for any of us to talk in that level of detai about the content of this year's 11+ paper in essexl, as not all children have sat the paper yet (due to illness or religious reasons as was on a saturday). Can discuss after 10th oct only. Sorry.

Wizzy-you have resurrected a thread that's nearly a year old!! I think we can safely talk about last year's content now ;)