7+ 11+ 13+ what would you choose for your DC?

[Icantskate]

If you could have your DC sit just one of these, which set of assessments would you choose and why?

We did both 7+ and 11+/13+ this year. All very tough. I regret I didn’t do 4+ instead.

For day school, 7+. Assessments are generally easier to prep and plan for, and also easier to breeze over if it goes poorly (not so at 11 or 13!).

For boarding, 13+/common entrance.

Watching with interest

Thank you for your replies.

I agree that 4+ would be ideal, if it could work. Alas, it won’t work for us for various reasons.
7+ seems a bit soon but overall perhaps that’s the least disruptive assessment for the overall learning experience.

I’m wondering how much of learning time is spent preparing for the exams; 20%? 80%?
If a kid goes to a school that preps for 11+ and 13+, would that basically mean that the last four years are largely focused on getting through the exams? I’m worried about the loss of opportunity to learn other things in that time.

DS’s north london prep school normally starts to prepare them only from the beginning of year 6. Last year due to the lockdown they started papers from the last term of year 5.

Now as most exam finished they are back to “normal” lessons so basically only one term intensity focus on 11+/13+.

13+. Just one test (ISEBs) to do!

@TypsTrycks

13+. Just one test (ISEBs) to do!

Oh if only!

ISEB is 4 papers and schools will shortlist based on scores.

Next round for each school is a further written English and Maths paper and an interview.

Following that, if your child receives an offer they need to pass the Common Entrance exam.

Only done 11+ and 13+ but I think they’re all super stressful!!!

@mbell I still think it’s better than sitting the 11+ at each individual school/grammar area and doing separate interviews! The competition is so fierce! The 4 papers are still English Maths VR and NVR which you do at 11+ too

Maybe am clouded in judgement bcos none of our 13+ schools needed a second exam. Just ISEB - interview - offer.

All the super selective 13+ schools need the 2nd exam, plus an interview. Some schools even need an extra interview at year 8.

11+.

7+ is too early to know where would best suit them

13+ unless you’re boarding most will join at 11+

Just my opinion and I’m not london based

Outside maintained schools you can't really avoid assessment season every 4-5 years.

The only one you can really skip to avoid pressure is 7+/8+ based on parental choice at 4 to use a prep school that starts at 4 (rather than a pre prep). Or to be outside of selective schooling until the common entrance.

Your child will still be doing the common entrance even if attached to a prep aligned to a senior school.

It is more a question of educational alignment (or proximity bias) for the most competitive exam stage (common entrance) as without it this assessment is less certain/harder to prepare for.

As you've missed 4+ key is to talk with DC and understand where they're at and if 7+/8+ is possible (you need to prepare for these 2/3 years in advance really) or preparation over a longer period for common entrance.

TLDR; I've not covered 11+ as we focus on day schools and you can't avoid the common entrance.

I guess it depends on your individual DC.

For us one of them was too immature to sit the 7+ we knew that for sure.

Two of them set 10+, instead of 11+. It had seemed easier somehow to get in at that stage (that could just be on my mind).

For boarding, they did not do any intense study for 13+, but that is written in the same year as 11+, so I wondered if the papers differed vastly, or they were asked what is already on the curriculum.

Not all the top schools do a second test. They do ISEB, interview and conditional acceptance. Then it's the entrance exam/CE in summer yr8 (which most of the DC who are accepted will pass) and is mostly for setting purposes.

Not all kids can go through 7+. It’s true the papers seem simple and as long as you learnt all syllabus (no matter how long it takes individually) you can do it. Most kids are not ready at this age for a 4-5 hour long formal exam and the winter born kids are hugely favoured by many schools compare to the summer borns.

I'd go for 13+

the earlier you try to assess a child, the less accurate the assessment will be. If you try to assess a 4 yr old, you'll find out which kids are confident and sassy, but miss the ones that are shy or having a bad day (even if those kids are bright). dyslexia, ADHD and autism are also often not apparent until after age 4. So there is much more chance of getting parents stressed for no reason and ending up with kids in a setting that doesn't suit them.

A 12/13 year old has more maturity and can prepare for an exam and sit a test that bears at least some relationship to their actual ability.