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entrance exams grammer schools

35 replies

whathappened · 21/01/2010 21:43

Hi, sorry if this is in wrong place.I am a lurker and this is my first post.just after some advise really,does anyone know what sats grades your child should be getting to have a realistic chance of getting into grammer.dd is in year 5 and is probably the only one not being tutored although is getting grade 4, which is sort of middle for her class.My dd comes home from school often telling me other kids tell her she must be tutored to have a chance.I am new to all this and not sure where to turn for advise,
thank you

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hbfac · 22/01/2010 19:09

Lots of luck.

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Hullygully · 22/01/2010 18:53

Good luck.

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whathappened · 22/01/2010 17:54

Thank you for all the lovely posts back.you have really helped me.Please dont worry about me being offended by the comments about my spelling,Swedey,you are right.i did not do that well at school and just want to give my child a better chance than i had.Thank you again to all your kinds words.

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sugartits · 22/01/2010 16:19

I don't know Nonsuch, but my dd passed the exam for a top ten grammar school with, as I said earlier a few weeks of looking at papers with me at home. DD is bright, but not the top of her class by any means so I wouldn't be put off.

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janinlondon · 22/01/2010 13:59

Nonsuch is oversubscribed 5 to 1 and is one of the most hotly contested schools in the country. I am sure some girls do get in without official tutoring or prep school experience, but I would have to guess they are in a very small minority.

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domesticextremist · 22/01/2010 11:41

Nonsuch is a very pressurised environment OP and tbh I doubt whether a dd could get in without some tutoring unless she was already at a prep school that tutored for the 11+ like Seaton House.

It will make a difference if you live close-by but not that much.

have you had a look at some of the other schools? Are you catholic -any chance of St Phils?

Btw am not saying she shouldnt try - of course she should if you both want to.

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Hullygully · 22/01/2010 11:35

Would second that the most important thing to do first is discuss with her teacher and the head what school might suit her.

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smee · 22/01/2010 11:21

Petty or patronising or maybe a bit of both. Ignore them OP, they're tedious.

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HerbalHolly · 22/01/2010 11:21

I would strongly advise looking at some recent past papers. When I sat mine (many moons ago) I was familiar with the style of the questions and it was fine. There were other kids who were equally able who hadn't seen any past papers and they failed because the style of the paper was quite odd.

Some parents of friends of mine put their child through tutoring because most of the other children sitting the exam in that area were having tutoring so (in their opinion) the standards were raised. They felt that to not send their child to extra classes was to put them at a disadvantage.

So maybe find out what others are doing...

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Swedey · 22/01/2010 11:15

I hope those of you criticising the OP's grammar understand the irony of the nature of the post. Here is a woman asking for help to get her child into a grammar school so she might be in with a chance of being properly educated.

It is so petty.

Op - call the school and ask for sample past papers. So that your Dd can familiarise herself with the types of questions.

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smee · 22/01/2010 11:15

UQD that almost sounded like an apology...

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UnquietDad · 22/01/2010 11:10

I'm not one for jumping down people's throats and I suppose I didn't realise it was a first post. But Ampere encapsulates my point.

As for my role on here - Swedes, I wouldn't dare usurp you.

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ampere · 22/01/2010 11:07

Now, to be absolutely fair, re the grammar of grammar , one must remember that the irritation builds up after years of reading:

"I know that my DC is so clever they must go to an independant or grammer school".

It riles me too though I wouldn't dare put it here because the MN retort always contains the word 'Fuck'.

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Swedey · 22/01/2010 11:07

UQD the OP is making her maiden post. I know you are the forum bore but sadly not everyone else knows that. Why don't you spend more time advising people on what parenting book they might like to buy?

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UnquietDad · 22/01/2010 11:03

Oh, look, I have corrected this politely often enough, along with "independant" (sic). Sick to death of it now.

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Swedey · 22/01/2010 10:56

UQD how mean spirited and rude. Yuk.

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GrimmaTheNome · 22/01/2010 10:50

She knows, UQD, she knows. Sod off to pedants' corner will you?

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thegrammerpolicesic · 22/01/2010 10:46

Snigger. Now calm down UQD.

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UnquietDad · 22/01/2010 10:41

Grammar Grammar Grammar Grammar GRAMMAR

It is fucking GRAMMAR

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smee · 22/01/2010 10:38

Why not talk to her current school and see what they think? Sounds competitive, so there's no point in putting pressure on her if they think it's unlikely she'll pass. If they think she could pass, they might have some answers in terms of what to work on at home. And if she's borderline or won't get in then get excited for her/ with her about the comprehensive so she doesn't feel a failure before she's even got there. Girls can be so cruel and competitive.

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whathappened · 22/01/2010 07:34

thank you all so much,your replies have really helped.I shall start her on some papers and see how she goes.dd struggled very badly first few years but has now picked up.i have been spending about 15mins each night covering the maths she has been doing at school.my main thought is really getting her into higher stream if she goes to comprehensive but she is getting pressure from schoolmates that it is grammar or you are a failure,i have to say i am noticing such a change in some of the mums as there seems to be panic in the air.I know i am bias but my dd has a lovely personality.very bubbly and i just want her to stay happy.some of the girls seem to be turning into robots and talk about tutoring all the time and who has the most lessons a week!thanks again ladies

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almay292 · 22/01/2010 01:47

I agree with many of the recommendations made by other posters. Helping the child prepare for the examination through revision, past papers etc is hugely important. Going into the exam room feeling adequately prepared is also a good way of keeping the nerves at bay ? for the parent as well as the child. (Has nobody had the exam dream? In mine, I?ve been away from school for months and now I?m sitting there waiting for the papers to be handed out?)
But I don?t agree that that the 11 plus is particularly 'tough'. Let me clarify: sitting the 11 plus will not be the emotional /psychological undoing of any reasonably bright child, especially if they?re lucky enough to have parents willing to provide informed support and constant reassurance.

Having made the informed) decision to enter a child for this exam, there's no point in parents heaping unnecessary stress on the kid. Better to focus any frantic nervous energy on building the child?s confidence (after all, if you didn?t think they were capable of passing the exam you wouldn?t put them through the ordeal would you?)by identifying and providing the support they need get them through the process unscathed - and into the school of their choice. Now, entrance exams are another matter....

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Quattrocento · 22/01/2010 01:17

DD did an entrance exam at a grammar school with only 2 exams one for verbal reasoning and one for non-verbal reasoning, both multiple choice NFER exams.

In this situation NO tutoring is necessary. As mentioned previously, tutoring is only necessary where children are being examined on material they won't have covered in their primary schools.

But you must practise the exam papers and go through exam technique with her. Find out which types of question she understands and the ones she has problems with and help her work out how to answer them. All the questions are generic - ie they follow certain patterns. DD did a total of 9 practice papers.

In response to the question about SATS levels, it really does depend on how hard it is to get into the school, and I don't have any information on the school you are trying for. It is usually easier to get a place if you live in catchment.

Good luck

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hbfac · 22/01/2010 01:10

Missed Claig's post.

That will make things more straightforward.

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hbfac · 22/01/2010 00:56

Hello there.

Nonsuch is a mixture of highly competitive and fairly competitive. A number of places are reserved for in-catchment girls, and historically the pass-mark for those places has been lower that the pass-mark for the out-of-catchment places.

Have you thought about Wallington too? People tend to try for both.

Definitely have a look at the elevenplusexams website - they have a Sutton grammars section ( I think it's "Surrey"). There will be advice about which papers are set by Nonsuch (and Wallington).

Warning: I think there is a maths paper. The problem with maths is that a lot of state primaries do not cover all the necessary maths, and in sufficient depth, to deal with 11+ maths papers. In theory, yes, in practice no. you may be lucky, your dd's school may be great but ... .

I found books covering maths for 11+ helpful - and any areas I though my ds hadn't covered, I tried to deal with.

As others have said, check if there is a VR or NVR (or both) paper. Do get hold of some practice papers. It's too much to expect a child to do well in such an unfamiliar style of exam without any familiarity.

Good luck.

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