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Original poster

Thread for all those with children cramming for the 11+ in the Christmas holidays!

30 replies

foofi · 20/12/2007 08:20

Just thought we could offer each other support. DD has done a fair amount of preparation over the last term but I can't get her to do anything at home! Am thinking she needs a bit of a break, but hoping I can get her to knuckle down after Christmas!

OP posts:
Original poster
foofi · 20/12/2007 12:11

Bump - I can't be the only one, surely.

OP posts:
roisin · 20/12/2007 20:22

DS1 is doing an entrance exam at the end of January, but we're not planning on doing much this hols tbh. He gets very good scores when we do practice tests, and atm is very relaxed about the whole thing; and I don't want him to get stressed about it.

It's only money after all! I'm very confident ds1 will get into the school, but if he has a good day and does well in the tests he might get a scholarship, which will save us £££. But that's my problem not his, and I don't want him worrying about that.

Shout · 20/12/2007 20:44

My DS 9yrs has just taken and entrance exam for a school in the UK for next sept, through his current school as we are over seas( they liaised with each other so I am not party to the questions). My son has been accepted just. He got some difficult questions right and basic ones wrong so it might be worth a least testing the basics so you don't lose valuable marks. Some schools also give you a past paper so its worth doing a mock test so they understand how long its going to be asses how much they can recall form memory.

I agree its hard not to put too much pressure and tell them you love them what ever the result.However passing this could make their future dreams easier to achieve.

I also have to confess I did offer a reward to Alton towers in the summer if he got in.

Original poster
foofi · 20/12/2007 20:48

Roisin I'm hoping dd might get a scholarship too, otherwise we would probably send her elsewhere. She's not exactly trying very hard atm though. Did manage to get her to do some maths yesterday, but she wasn't interested in finding out where she'd gone wrong. Whilst I don't want her to be stressed out about it, I know all her her friends are doing papers every day and that's got to put them ahead of the game surely?

OP posts:
pinetreedog · 20/12/2007 20:58

cramming at that age. It all sounds very grim

Original poster
foofi · 20/12/2007 21:05

The problem is, if everyone else is doing lots of preparation that raises the bar and you have to do the same.

OP posts:
MaureenMLovesmincepies · 20/12/2007 21:24

Surely a lot of the 11+ is about intellegence though and you can't revise or teach that.

Original poster
foofi · 21/12/2007 10:04

Not really - they're all multiple choice questions and it's quite easy to teach 'technique' for answering all types of question.

OP posts:
mimsum · 21/12/2007 22:38

ds did 10+ entry last year for a v selective school - over xmas we got him to look at a couple of past papers but couldn't really get him to concentrate at all - we resigned ourselves to treating it as a dress rehearsal for 11+ and at least he'd have a better idea of what to expect next time round, but he surprised us all by pulling it out of the bag for the test and getting a scholarship!!!

at the open day the school urged people not to cram them for the exams as they were designed to test potential not what they already knew

AMerryScot · 21/12/2007 22:43

DD1 has her entrance exam at the end of Jan. She will definitely get in, but we are hoping for an academic scholarship. Technically, there is no need to do any preparation, although I think a couple of practice VR/NVR tests won't go amiss.

I don't think there is much bar raising, tbh. I have taught girls in prep school, and it was pretty hard to get them to be energised for their entrance exams. I think the main thing is that they perform on the day.

Quattrocento · 21/12/2007 22:52

Excuse my ignorance but isn't the 11+ to do with state grammar schools?

AMerryScot · 21/12/2007 22:54

Independent girls' schools have their entrance exams the January preceeding entry. They are often referred to as 11+.

Original poster
foofi · 21/12/2007 23:32

Congratulations on the scholarship Mimsmum. We are hoping that might be a possibility here, but the actual percentages offered for scholarships are really dimiishing now so it's still quite a bit of money to find!

OP posts:
plumandolive · 22/12/2007 08:14

I don't think I'd want my children to go to a school where it was expected they had to cram work in during a holiday- they have enough pressure anyway.
If the school can't see potential from interview and test paper- I wouldn't send my kids there.

heronsfly · 22/12/2007 08:39

My dd2 is sitting this after christmas just after they go back to school,we are going to forget about it for christmas week but she will be doing some practise papers the week after just for confidence.

plumandolive · 22/12/2007 08:46

I really feel for your poor kids having this hanging over them.

miljee · 22/12/2007 08:51

My friend is paying 10.5K a year for a yr 3 DS's education at a supposedly selective boys prep. 1 term in and she's got 3 weeks of extra maths to do over the Christmas holidays. I'd be asking for my money back!

heronsfly · 22/12/2007 09:11

Yes Quattrocento,we live in kent,and our 11 plus exam is for entry to state grammar schools.

SpikeandDru · 22/12/2007 09:31

In response to the OP I'd say - give her a break over the Christmas period - nobody can do it day in and out without getting fed up. Let her have a relaxed Christmas and start afresh afterwards.

plumandolive · 22/12/2007 17:17

miljee- I couldn't agree more- who's this for- the kids or the parents?

OrmIrian · 22/12/2007 17:22

God that sounds dismal! Poor DD

If I remember correctly I did the 11+ when I went up to the Senior school of the junior school I was already in and I didn't practice at all. No one did.

Yes give her a break. And yourself.

KbearingGiftsWeTraverseAfar · 22/12/2007 17:33

Cramming for the 11+ in the Christmas holidays - how dire for your children.

Sorry but I think it's called "holidays" for a reason. If they need to cram to get into schools they're not good enough and you should accept it or they will struggle the whole time they're there. IMHO!

Blandmum · 22/12/2007 17:36

I'm a teacher and I'm expecting some of my students to put in some revision over the Christmas holidays.

But these are A level students who have one of their AS exams a week after returning back to school.

I wouldn't cram a child for the 11+. TBH if they are not 'that way inclined' it may well be the wrong school for them. Get them used to the style of the papers and then leave them be.

Lilymaid · 22/12/2007 17:47

DS is revising for first part of final year exams at university that start January 7th.

SueW · 22/12/2007 18:06

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This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

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