11+ being scrapped

[musu]

At one school in Essex here

Interesting development which follows on from Bucks CC overhauling their 11+ and trying to make it tutor proof (although everyone I know in Bucks is still employing tutors).

Thinking of DS and one of his prep school mates, the tought of them being in the same maths set is laughable.

Yet, they'd have been bunged in togehter in top set at comp!

OK. So the top 10% need to be educated seperately. So you remove them, leaving 90%. The new top set consists of 20%- presumably with a massive range of abilities. Why is it OK for them to have that range in their set but not the 10% who have been helicoptered out? All that is happening is the the problem, if there is one, is being moved down th ability range.

And no, bright kids should not be used as TAs. But in my experience, you are far more likely to be bullied for being thick than being bright.

In my extensive experience the reverse is true.

What is so magical about being educated in the same building as my DCs?

If a SM child is in line for a slate of GCSE A and A then how is the presence* of my son going to push the SM child to do even better than that?

If a SM child is in line for a slate of Bs, Cs or lower then how is the absence of my golden child preventing that child from achieving As?

'pickled I don't think a peer group of two offers much in the way of a collegiate sharing experience!'

but it's (15 x 2) word, all 'competing' with each other

Seeker in my expereince the differentiation in ability is far more stark at the polar ends of the spectrum than in the middle.

A top set with the top 20 % band in it, will all, generally, be working towards the same goal. No one will be ready to get an A in year 9. But all will be capable of getting an A or an A in year 11. The GCSE syllabus will be pegged about right.

pickled I don't think a group like that is provding an enriching collegiate atmosphere.

"Going by the description of my neighbours who send their kids there, the HT at the local non selective is very anti competition. Prize Giving Day was watered down because he didn't think that it was right that the same high achievers kept getting up to accept the awards. As for sports, the school football team kids are swapped in and out of the A, B and C teams, regardless of ability. Why? So no child feels a failure for always being in the C team."

MTS- I suspect your neighbours might be visitors from a satirical sit com from the 1970s.

"I suspect your neighbours might be visitors from a satirical sit com from the 1970s"

I'm not old enough to understand the cultural reference.

It was a polite way of saying they are either non existent or telling stories.

I suspect that not many in the top 10% would be ready to get an A* in year 9 either.

I know comps and primary schools that are exceedingly 'all must win prizes'. Not every non selective school is like that but plenty are.

seeker I think you'll find it's more common than you suppose, particularly amongst DC who have been exposed to the curriculum either through CE or by being at SS from 11.

Indeed, many SSs put their entire cohort through GCSEs in year 10!

Indeed. :(

At our primary in an area that has been labelled by ofsted as disadvantaged and deprived my year 3 is thriving. His teachers do have a huge job in differentiating in class. Some [local middle classes] run screaming from the school; won't even go on the tours. Yet, my arguably bright child is receiving a non precious education mixing with children from all abilities and backgrounds. It does him no harm [and quite possibly] a lot of good to do partner work/group work with children who may not be as able as him. He works as part of a team he says and everyone is good at different things. He has problems with fine motor skills so struggles with neatness/ writing/ scissors- others support him. He in turn has learnt to offer support to other children with the things he is good at.
I think it is short sighted to always believe it is best to work always with children of similar academic ability as your self. A very narrow outlook on life may result...

pickledsiblings post 12.17 pm
Your pairing up idea is way off.
The bright ones have thereby lost 2 minutes. Obviously if that happens often, which it would need to, they are being severely educationally hampered.
And the not so bright ones, do not magically understand so quick as that, and would need loads more ongoing help.

Not sure if it has been discussed by others on here, didnt understand all the big words tbh!

No one is saying it works for all bright DC. No one if forcing anyone to attend a selective school!

Sorry that was to faded

"It was a polite way of saying they are either non existent or telling stories."

Of course seeker. Only extreme academic hothousing schools exist. There are definitely no extreme at the other end eh?

No word not many at all put their entire cohort through in Y10. It's very unusual.

Not sure I want to ask this question!
What is supposed to be the % difference between results in selective counties and non selective counties?

I stand corrected yellow.

I thought it was the norm in state SSs.

I think that a students with a range of abilities can work well together as long as there is a culture of wanting to work and rewarding effort and progress.

You mean academic results or rounded personality results Ilikethebreeze?!

"Of course seeker. Only extreme academic hothousing schools exist. There are definitely no extreme at the other end eh?"

Of course they do. But the caricature of a left wing, all shall have prizes type school is straight out of the pages of Viz. The sort of school people harumph about the children of friends of friends going to.

Word- two things strike me. One- I don't understand why taking exams early is an indicator of success in a school. And two- didn't you once say that you thought working at A* GCSE level in year 8 wasn't in any way put of the ordinary? Is it possible that you have a slightly, for want of a better word- overoptimistic view?