How important is the report for 11+ entrance?

[todyeornottodye]

We're thinking of sitting my ds for competitive local independent/grammar secondary schools. We've just received his report and I'm a bit concerned that it could work against him. How important are the reports?! Does anyone know? Are most children's reports largely positive these days? Or do they have quite a few points for improvement?

It basically reads, bright and able; participates well in class but struggles with focus in independent work and doesn't always produce the work/detail that he's capable of. Core subjects he achieved exceeds expectations but other subjects and all effort marks are in the middle box of three.

Eg. "He is an able mathematician... He must keep trying to ensure he is fully concentrating during lessons to ensure he is challenging himself."

My children all went to state grammar school. Their school reports were never any part of the process.

Most focus on academics first, then interview/reports. Is he in a state or independent now?

He's in state now. I have a feeling the private primary's write a more glowing report but I guess the schools may take that into consideration?

@todyeornottodye , the private secondary schools won't look at the reference until he has taken the exam and has either passed or is boardline. They also won't send out the reference form to the state primary until November / early Dec and they won't chase for an answer until mid Dec / early Jan 2022.
This gives your ds loads of time to improve his classroom behaviour and the report will be written by his year 6 teacher. Overall it's rare that a state primary school reference would make any difference to a private secondary offer if your ds has performed well in the exam and interview.

@Skatingpark97 thank you. Very helpful information. I hope it wouldn't be a screen out when they do come to reviewing references.

Next year maybe with a different teacher, we will get a different viewpoint.

We will be talking to him about the effort levels. However, it feels quite hard one to improve. On the one hand there is a slight disaffection with school, which could improve.

On the other hand, the focus/application is just something he struggles with. I sometimes wonder if he could have some form of adhd. He is not naughty/disruptive as such but I can well imagine that he doesn't always get down to his work/wrote as much as possible etc.

Do you think the comment reads as very negative or as something that could improve?

If you think he has a from of adhd then choose your secondary schools carefully - this is more important than the report. You don't say where you are in the U.K. but if it's SW London the pace of the top level secondaries is relentless, they don't wait for those without organisational skills/ focus. He may do better in a mid ranking school being at the top. Speak to the registrars re your concerns.

Yes we are south west London. There is no one talking about diagnosis, but they are giving a bit of extra support to start tasks eg. Calling him by name etc. I sometimes wonder about possible adhd as there are some traits, but nothing very extreme (able to take turns etc no problem).

Are the mid table schools any better at supporting or is it just that the pace would be slower?

It's the pace is more measured and "normal". My ds is at Hampton, I couldn't believe that amount he was taught in the first year at age 11.

Is he at a primary? You may find they will write a report when asked (so the Y6 teacher wil do it and there’s a chance it will be better) or you may find they won’t and the only option is sending his Y5 report. It’s worth knowing which, as one you can change and one you can’t.

My dd1 moved from a primary to a highly selective SW London independent, with no glowing report from her school (just Y5 report) and no CAT scores. I think the secondaries are very clear that primaries operate very differently to preps and that they’ll get a more warts and all view from them. I also suspect the schools are used to getting DC who are top of their primary class and so rush, don’t pay attention and still do well academically, and are confident in their ability to deal with that in Y7.

It sounds like he could benefit from an unpressured secondary experience. I have a very bright DD with dyslexia and dysgraphia and some Adhd features. We purposefully steered away from grammar and selective processes and her academic confidence is growing day by day at a school where she is unpressured.

Thank you. He is currently in a state primary. He is now year 4 bit I am thinking of the report as we are considering him sitting for the 10+.

I think we do need to think which school is right for him. The thing is that he is quite bright and academic and some part of the lack of focus on tasks/daydreaming is that he considers the work easy. When more challenged he does step up to it. That said he is a fairly sensitive boy it is just so hard to judge the schools and how they will be once in.

We have good state secondary's near us too and part of me feels, probably completely wrongly, that unless it's a top school it may not be worth paying vs state. I may be biased as I was at a good private school and did well despite probably have similar attention issues to my son.

Re 10 plus - my advice would be yes sit Hampton but use it just as practice, don't give any indication that it's for an actual place just say it's a good way to get practice for next year.
Re KGS, I have never met a ds who has got a 10plus place, I really don't know who gets them. There was a dd on Mumsnet a few years ago who got a place but didn't go there at 11. KGS is again good practice but realistically a very long shot. The school report has very little bearing at 10plus - even the prep schools don't like writing them as it's too early in the exam preparation process and they view the reports as pushy mums enrolling dc who aren't ready. I would be surprised if KGS even reads school reports as they have so many applicants for a handful of places.

Reports are not usually part of the selection process in state grammar schools. It's the 11+ that counts, nothing else.

Thank you. Good tips for the 10+. Yes I think a real long shot but good to get some practice in and maybe also an indication of whether it is worth sitting the next year or if we need to look at other schools.

When people suggest more nurturing schools, which are they thinking of?

Surely a bit of wandering focus is the normal condition of a Yr 4 boy?

How young is he in his year?

Mine (top Uni STEM students) were unfocused disorganised scatterbrains until about… oooh, maybe next year.

Private schools would definitely look for any red flags in the report (massively disruptive etc) but in most cases it won't be a major factor and will only be considered in boarderline cases. Most bright students lack a bit of focus and are a bit sloppy with details, especially in primary so this really shouldn't count against him much at all.

Sounds pretty much exactly like my DS! He got a 10+ place at Hampton from a state primary and his reports were very similar! His Y5 teacher wasn't really a fan of his (his Y6 one liked him more!) He ended up at another school and is in Y7. I just got his report and they still go on a bit about focussing....
I think he was a bit bored at Primary as well. His new school is very selective but is isn't too fast paced at all. Seems to enjoy the broader curriculum and more interesting lessons.

My dd is one who got a 10+ place at KGS, no tutoring from state primary. I told her it was just for practice so she felt no pressure (in fact it was, I thought it was a no brainer to give it a go). We didn't find any school we liked more so she went there and has been spectacularly happy with it! I would say always worth trying, but don't expect anything and say it's just so they get some experience of the process.

I don't think she even had a report from school

Thank you all for the reassuring posts. It's nice to know that all the other kids aren't always supper focused. For those who went from state to private, are your children enjoying secondary more or about the same?

She’s enjoying secondary much, much more. Disappointed term has ended 😁 The knowledge gap between her and the prep school kids felt quite wide in the first year in maths and science, but it has (as the school said it would, and aim to do) all evened out by Y8. She loves the lessons, the pace, the teaching, the clubs etc

DD was frequently bored at primary school and also frustrated with the slow pace. She loves her secondary and has grasped all the opportunities with both hands.

I don't think her secondary school spoke in any detail to her primary until after she had been offered a place, by the way.