13 + grammar school is it hard?

[TheRubyRedshoes]

Do we need a tutor? Thank you

I don't know about the actual standards, but I have always understood the main difficulty at 13+ is that you can be brilliant on the tests, but still not get a place if no-one has left the school. The probability of that will relate to how many other good schools are in the area, and how mobile the population is. If there is one grammar school, and no independents in easy reach, then it will be full from year 7 and stay full. So before investing in a tutor ask very carefully whether your target school(s) regularly have places for children to actually join.

If you decide to go for 13+ you definitely need to get a tutor . This goes for everyone considering 11+ too.

@mdh2020 That is absolutely not true.

I agree with @Pythonesque that the hardest part is actually the very few places available at 13+. My friends son sat it for one school, along with over 200 other boys - there were two places available in the end. Even if your child is super bright, the odds of getting a place are really not high.

There are places.

So are 13+ tutors a thing? I had a Google and unlike the 11+ I can't see anything specific for 13 + hence why I asked.. I think know its curriculum based but I know what they expect the dc to know, unfortunately may not be covered by their school!

On wondering if buying the 13+ cpg books will be enough for a bright child?

Someone on the eleven plus exams forum might know.

@mdh2020 my DC has just passed the 11+ without a tutor.
The issue for 13+ in our area is that there are hardly any spaces. For example for the 11+ there are 160 spaces, for 13+ last year there was 1!

The problem as other posters have said, is that 13+ isn’t an entry point for state grammars: places are available only if children have left the school. At 11+ it’s straightforward: children need to be in the top 10-25% of their cohort. At 13+ a child may need to be in the top 0.5%

Just for clarity there are spaces I know this for a fact.

@TheRubyRedshoes I think what we are all saying is that whilst the test itself might not be any harder than the 11+ equivalent and you should prepare in the same way, the numbers applying for those places, even if there are some available, are so high that the odds of actually getting a place are ridiculously low.

Have you looked at the admissions criteria for this entry point? Is it done purely on highest score or is preference given to siblings, distance etc. in the same way as entry at 11+? All of which can again further reduce your chances. The only child I know who has been successful at 13+ Grammar entry was one with a sibling already at the school (in Bucks).

Zodle thank you.
It's don't know why this post went down this route of space there is plenty of space it's the exam I was querying.. I will try the 11 + forum boards, I had already looked there actually but as here, info seems scant.

@TheRubyRedshoes It wasn’t meant to derail your post, it’s just you probably won’t find that much info online as it’s such a scarce entry point. The 13+ tutors you are likely to find are probably going to be more prepping for the independent schools.

Do you know which provider the school uses for testing? Is it GL or CEM or schools own or another? You can buy CGP books for 13+ online. Also, is your child currently in private or state education and / or used to testing and exams? Does the exam follow the same format as the 11+? I know one grammar by us uses an online adaptive test for 13+ but it’s a paper and pencil for 11+.

It’s just a rather open ended question to ask if you need to tutor as there are so many factors to consider.

Zodle thank you!

There is a grammar school in Kent which has official main entry points at both 11+ and 13+, unusual as this may sound! A friend of DS is applying there for 13+. He’s had a tutor since about Year 4 I think, because he was originally going to go for the 11+ entry point. The tutor markets themselves as an 11+ tutor but I assume they must do 13+ as well.