right time to start prepartation for 11 plus

[awjab]

hi all
I am new to mumsnet. hello everyone, I have got two questions one is my dd is going to be in year 4 this September, was wondering is it right time to start working on 11 plus. second question is when do children take 11 plus, at the end of year 5 or start of year 6. I am kind of panicking that I am already late for 11 plus. thanks

Buy the test papers from WHSmith - that is all you need.
Start with the little green books for verbal and non verbal reasoning - they are age related so you can start working through them now.
Do you really mean 11plus, or do you mean common entrance for private schools, or entrance exams for selective state schools/grammar schools?

They are all different, so you need to know what exams you need to practice.

Also, you need to be visiting your proposed schools now, because the exams are taken at the beginning of year 6. Do some research, go to a couple of open evenings/days, then go round them all in earnest in year 5.
Leaving it till year 6 is too late if you want to start exam practice.

Go to 11 plus website, google it there is a fab forum there with far better and more specific advice than you will get here.

There will be comprehensive advice on reading material, maths levels and so on.
( lots of debate on bond papers etc too, and how useful or not they are...)
Good Luck!

It depends on your area, but in most places the exams take place the September of Y6. State schools now have to give parents the results of entrance exams before they apply for schools (deadline end of October).

As for when is the right time to start, that depends on your child. My eldest did 18 months of preparation, my second only did 9 months.

Go to the eleven plus forum and look up the section for your area. Then do some research on your specific area and which tests are involved.

Here you go:

www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/11plus/index.php

SW Herts 11 plus is the very beginning of yr 6 (September, just after Summer holidays).

When to start the prep. is dependent on your DC. If you DC delivers best when the pressure is on then starting at the beginning of yr5 (just after the Summer holidays) or 6-9 months prior to the exam, might work best. If, your DC needs a slow ramp up, in terms of the level and quantity of work, yr4 might be a better time to start.

As to what material you need to use, this will be dependent on the area you are in e.g. SW Herts 11 plus is very different in format and content to Buckinghamshire (CEM). Some schools have their own specialist exam criteria e.g. Bushey Meads has a technology exam which is not used by any other SW Herts consortium school.

I do find the 11 plus website the best for understanding what/when for the 11 plus prep.

www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/11plus/viewforum.php?f=64

If you are doing the tuition/prep. yourself then you don't need to worry too much about being late to the game. However, if you want to use a tutor, some can be booked up a year in advance. I have booked a tutor for my DC that is booked up two years in advance. I will stress that this is dependent on area though.

I will also say that the amount of prep. needed will also be dependent on the level of competition for school places in your particular area. SW Herts is very over subscribed (distance cut offs as low as 244 meters).

thanks lovely people. I live in Redbridge and someone told me that here children take 11 plus at the end of year 5, is that right?

MumTryingHerBest: we're in SW Herts too. Applying for sibling places this time. Good luck on September 13th! x

Here is the page for this year where you can find the application guidance which is likely to apply in future:
www2.redbridge.gov.uk/cms/children_and_schools/school_support_information/applications_and_admissions/secondary_school_applications.aspx

www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/schools/regions/essex-redbridge-11-plus

Looks like it is the very beginning of Yr 6 (September), just after the Summer holidays. Worth checking in case I have misunderstood.

Interesting they are moving to CEM as of 2015, the same as Buckinghamshire (which changed last year). There is not a lot of material available for tuition on CEM so in light of the new change, a late start to the game is not likely to be an issue.

I would suggest you post specific questions here:

www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/11plus/viewforum.php?f=15

Sorry not great on years..... You register in june for exam in september for entry the following year. Open days for the schhols are in june. That's year 6 isnt it?

ThreeLannistersOneTargaryen Thx but my DS is in yr4 so a bit of a way to go.

If you're going for a sibling place make sure you also go for music and/or academic as a back up. I know three families that did not get sibling this year. Non of them bothered with the 11 plus and they are now kicking themselves.

Thanks, MumTryingHerBest: DD is going to try for music as a back-up. She got full marks in the aural in her flute exam, so worth a try. Were the unsuccessful siblings same sex or cross-siblings at the grammar schools?

*tricot39 "Sorry not great on years..... You register in june for exam in september for entry the following year."

Correct.

Open days for the schhols are in june. That's year 6 isnt it?

No, open days are annual and anyone can go, regardless of what year their DCs are in. I went to some of the schools last year. I will go to some this year and I will go to some next year.

When you do the visits is up to you but if you leave them all to the last minute you may find that the open evenings clash with other commitments so you don't get round them all.

ThreeLannistersOneTargaryen all outer catchment. 1 same sex (a fair distance away though), two cross siblings.

Just seen that the girls' school took all cross sibling applicants and the boys' school took cross sibling applicants up to 6.1km. We are less than 3.5km away, so fingers crossed.

ThreeLannistersOneTargaryen should add the three families were trying for WGBS. As DC1 is DS I'm more familiar with WGBS than WGGS.

MumTryingHerBest: it's a lovely school. Pastoral care is exceptionally good. Three years on, we are very happy with our choice.

We have 3 girls and a little boy. 1 girl at WGGS (Y7) and another will join her come September. There hasn't been a problem with sisters of sisters yet, but this year there were 95 ( out of 190) brothers of brothers for WGBS.
Last year there around 55. I'm hoping the number doesn't go up by another 40 in 2015!