7+ exams - three hours in one morning with one short break??

[eeneemeeneemineemo]

I've been looking at a local prep school out of curiosity and saw on their website that the 7+ exams are basically three hours solid with just one 15 minute break after the first two hours. It is a very, very academic school but I cannot believe they expect kids, many of whom are only 6 at the time, to do this. The three hours are all written exams not group work or anything that could remotely be fun.

Am I missing something? My ds is actually really good at sitting still and concentrating but I still wouldn't want to put him through that.

I think that it is probably a 15 minute break between papers. The extremely academic preps in London have an exam like this and it is 3 written papers of 40 minute each and a 15 minute break between papers.

It sounds, from the outside, like cruel and unusual punishment, but actually very doable for many 6-7 year olds, just takes a couple practice tries for the child to get used to the set-up. DS1's pre-prep has all the boys, even the ones not sitting 7+ exams, do mock exams and everyone handles them just fine. The worst thing about the exam process is not the exam, but some negative forms of parental pressure on the child which causes the greatest distress.

The schedule is on their website and it definitely only includes a single break. It's something like:

9.45 to 10.45 paper 1
10.45 to 11.45 paper 2
11.45 to midday - break for drink and biscuit
midday to 1pm paper 3

Maybe the brighter ones finish in 20 minutes and can pick their noses for the remaining 40?

ps I hope it's a big biscuit...

That does seem long at 7.

DD's was a full day at 11, but there were breaks galore.

rabbit. Ds would be starving by then...

I was only dithering around and was never 100% interested in the school but this has put me right off. Am I underestimating ds in thinking this would be quite a thing to put him through?

ds has 13+ in a few weeks and they are more spaced out than that ! Agree that may be the maximum time allowed though and reality may be a 10 minute instruction/example time followed by a typically 30 minute test with 15 minutes buffer, letting out those who have finished early.

It seems deliberately designed to enable the children who have been rigorously prepared for such an ordeal to get through, leaving behind brighter children with greater potential whose parents don't think that sort of assessment is entirely appropriate for a 7-year old. If you don't have a scholarly, compliant, rule-obiding 7-year old, then it doesn't sound like the sort of place to send him, to me!!! If you do, on the other hand, then he'll probably love it...

ps do they really only have 15 minutes to have a drink, biscuit and toilet break?! Surely the exams don't really run one into the other?????!!!!!!

I think IF I am going to consider it I will have to call and politely ask them about all that and breaks. Seems bonkers to me.

He actually is quite swotty, rule-abiding etc. but would only be 6.5 at the time and it seems a bit much even for him! Plus what does it say about the school?

Thats why I went for 4+ assessments

"It seems deliberately designed to enable the children who have been rigorously prepared for such an ordeal to get through, leaving behind brighter children with greater potential whose parents don't think that sort of assessment is entirely appropriate for a 7-year old."

, so only the less bright children with less potential get in?

The problem these schools face is how does one assess students at this age - particularly in light of the huge demand for spaces (here in London, the competition is about 10 applicants per spot for the top academic preps). Usually is it exam to weed out then interview/activity morning. Is this the case for this particular school?

In terms of your own son being ready, there are mock exams (I have some papers if you'd like a copy). Sit him down and see what he can do. If it is too much, then skip the 7+, there are other entry points.

I would give the school a call as I cannot imagine that their exam would be so different than the exam for Westminster or Colet Court. They list one hour, but it is more likely less as I would imagine time needs to be allocated to collecting exams, distributing exams, and explaining what to do.

Do you know any current parents at the school? If so, could you ask them about the exam day. Can you get a copy of previous papers or do they have a sample of questions asked?

Oh Rabbitstew! Loose the chip already!!!
They do need to know which children can sustain concentration otherwise they won't be ready or happy at such a school. My son wasn't ready at 7+ but sailed through at 8+. His pre-prep knew it and so did he. We treated it as a practice with no pressure. The boys' preps aren't stupid. They know how to deal with little boys and won't count a boy out if they get fidgety or need to be set back on task.

In these situations, peer pressure helps. If everyone else is working quietly, your boy probably will too.

Yes, admit I was a bit naughty... Not a chip so much as a personal opinion that I wouldn't want my child being in such a selective environment at such an early age, because it does limit the range of personality types your child is likely to be exposed to, which may be fine in terms of personal academic achievement, but I think lacks a little bit in terms of general life experience. Not opposed to a bit of rigorous selection later on in life, though, so I guess we all have our own arbitrary ideas on age-appropriateness!

Forgiven!!!!
Funny thing about life experiences. My 14 yr old DS and 12yr old DD don't remember anything about being in a mixed ability class. They remembers who their friends were (and in most cases, still are). DD's friend who went through a state primary that we rejected in favour of private acutely remembers being bored rigid and left to learn on her own and being bullied for being clever.

Academically selective preps have a huge range of personalities. Outgoing and confident, shy and unsure, children of wealth and children whose parents really struggle with the fees. They only have two things in common actually. They are all interested and curious to learn and their parents work very hard.

I think I still have a bias towards waiting until 11 for my children... I have very strong and mostly very fond memories of my mixed ability primary school, albeit I admit I would not have been so happy if I had been the only "clever" one - there was one exceptionally bright boy in my class (whom I detested, but at least he was a good sparring partner!). I also remember what an exciting novelty homework was when I finally got some at age 11.