11+ 2014 What are people doing over the hols?

[SeagullsAndSand]

Just realised we only have 3 weeks until they go back.

Trying to keep things calm although dc is starting to talk about the exam itself.

Have kept things pretty low key(odd VR paper)wondering if we should up it a gear.

Kent test has English, Maths, verbal, non verbal and spatial reasoning.

As mentioned above, many of these aren't covered at state schools.

some Sutton grammars exams changed lately
it was maths and vr for my dd 5 years ago
maths, vr and english for ds 3 years ago

Taffeta Same as we did last year...Nothing!

Great hope it works well for you.

Those of us with kids at schools that don't push,let them coast and don't cover half the curriculum need to do a bit more than nothing.

And really an hour or even two hours isn't a lot in a 12 hour day during a 6 week holiday.Jeez if a kid can't cope with a bit of work during the holidays it doesn't say much for their work ethic.

I hate this competitive do as little as poss with your kids.The ones who push it are normally those like Boris Johnson who have the luxury of being able to do so due to their kids being at rather good schools.

We are very lucky. DS is at an average school but they are excellent at stretching and challenging pupils that need it. He has been taught with the Y6 children for numeracy and literacy all year.

I think everyone needs to do what's right for their child. I hope it all goes well for your children who are taking the tests.

Seagulls "Boris Johnson"??? You have clearly lost it.

My sons attend(ed) a London primary in a deprived area with high FSM and EAL. It is effective in meeting children where they are and then stretching them without pressure.

We are not "competitive do nothing with your children types". How dare you? You know nothing about me. We developed a love of reading in our children and a keenness to find out stuff; in museums, galleries, libraries, parks and playgrounds. We talk to them, we laugh with them and we learn with them. They do their homework and we support the school. We also challenge school when necessary.

What we don't do is sit our 9/10 year olds down for 2 hours a day to slog through practice papers in the holidays.

If that's what you're doing GO FOR YOUR LIFE! I was asked what I did with my children and if you don't like my answer, tough.

Oh and I don't want my child to have a "work ethic" at this age. I want them to delight in learning. Work ethic? FFS!

Yup work ethic,kind of crucial I've found.Some kids can delight in learning and have a good work ethic.

Oh and lucky you.London schools are the best in the country with more money spent on each child than anywhere else.Other counties have far smaller budgets with kids having to compete against privately educated children who are taught VR and 11+ curriculum day in and day out.

Oh and you know nothing about me or anybody else but felt free to hoik up your judgy pants- just sayin.

Thankyou Seagull

All this my kid does one minute a day revision crap.
Yes dd my dd is driven , that's the way she has always been
I have two other dcs and they are not as driven.
As far as I am concerned one to three hours during the Summer holidays is a drop in the ocean.
I worked very hard at school and did very well.
My dd wants the same. Simple

Yep London schools are great. We are lucky.

But are you seriously suggesting that London children don't3 have to compete for places against privately educated children?

In addition London families often find themselves in the situation of, having put 6 schools down on CAF, not being offered any.

So you can take your poor old county tale of woe and shove it where the sun don't shine.

Do what you want with your children - I'm not judging - I'm merely commenting. Do 5 hours, 10... We don't have to agree - you're just a name on the internet.

Pants hoiked right up...nice and snug! Cheers!

Wow. How rude, RaisinBoys.

When you say you aren't judging, you would do well to look back at the content of your posts.

No thanks,it's actually incredibly unfair.

And no we don't have to agree.You do diddly squat with your kid if it makes you happy(my pants are hoiked up nice and snug at your choice) however don't run down other posters decisions or infer they're screwing their kids up(when you don't even know them or their circumstances).

Some of us don't want to enter our children into something without preparing them properly and feel doing so is letting them down.< shrugs>Some of us seem to be able to keep our judging to ourselves but hey let's all just be plain nasty and share it around like you.

Oh and your well known tirades don't scare me,sorry.

Do enlighten me Taffeta where is the judgement in my posts?

It's sad that 11+ threads on here always get derailed by frothing types, or oneupmanship, or most commonly the whole ethical debate of grammar schools.

Thanks for starting the thread Seagulls, it would be nice to have a supportive and advice based thread on this subject.

What is judgemental?

RaisinBoys Fri 15-Aug-14 19:13:58
90 mins a day? Every day??? Blimey

And also "hope they all achieve what they you desire".

Did you not read your 10.24 post?

"my well known tirades"...new one on me! Who is judging whom I wonder?

I haven't run down anyone's decisions. I have disagreed with some as you have with me. Is that not allowed?

I expressed surprise at the length of time some children were studying during the holidays because I am surprised.

We don't have to agree. It's a sodding forum not a mutual appreciation society.

I neither said nor inferred that posters were "screwing up their kids". YOU are only person who has made that reference.

You are the only person who has insulted anyone. Likening me to BoJo!!!! I'm wounded.

You do a great line in nasty yourself!

"Driven over a cliff maybe"

"No wonder we have the unhappiest teens in Europe"

How is "hope they all achieve what they you desire" not running down someone else's decision?

This is very insulting.

What from doing an hour or two regularly during the summer holiday.

Bit of a big jump to make methinks.

Anyhoo I'm off to bed,work to sort out for tomorrow oh and best ring that shrink too I guess.

Yawn! That is surprise Taffeta coupled with weary resignations.

"Frothy types"...do you mean me? Ouch!

There are zillions of 11+ threads on MN. Nice supportive ones where everyone thinks the same and no one disagrees with anyone else. Tripping over them we are.

RaisinBoys - are your kids in Grammar schools?

We do have the unhappiest teens in Europe and when questioned one of the reasons they give is exam pressure from schools and parents starting from pre teen days. It's not my opinion.

"Driven off a cliff" was as was stated my DH's comment - one which he stands by.

We are never going to agree. You can dissect and pick apart my posts, selecting phrases and quoting them out of context, to your hearts desire.

Thought you'd be too busy marking test papers though...

Um care to link please.

You do realise 10 year olds aren't teens don't you.And kids going to pretty relaxed schools,doing a few hours of extra study during the hols with parents ensuring they understand that their best is good enough and the school alternatives fine do not depressive teens make.

I'm guessing the kids who go to schools that prepare them properly and thus don't need to do any extra aren't counted though.No thought not.

antimatter

yr9 grammar; about to be y7 to Comp; about to be y6 - who knows!

Why?