11+ Help Please!

[H0neysuckle]

Disaster looms...anyone have tips for getting DD to study for 11+ instead of playing with rabbit, guinea pig, lego........etc. Most of the schools we've visited seem to have lulled us into a false sense of security saying she "should" be fine, but am now panicking. Sitting Surbiton, Harrodian, More House, Putney Park. Would be very grateful for any exam tips or what to expect regarding any of the above. Thank you.

Best advice might be to try www.elevenplusexams.co.uk which is what people usually recommend.

Thank you will take a look now. We used to have a tutor but lost our slot when she started Horse Rangers which after 5 years (I kid you not) on the waiting list, seemed like an opportunity we could not let pass....

Find out which books are recommended for your area and then bribery all the way. Dh without my knowledge told dd 7 weeks before the exam that if she practised for 30 mins a day he'd get her a blackberry. It worked, she passed.

do you really need to "study" ? dd is doing the odd Bonds paper and practice paper

Im keen on the Bond books - they do a brilliant overview of what you need to know in each of the 11+ sections - English, Maths, Verbal, Nonverbal as well as a Parents stress free guide. How old is your DD? Mine 9 and would also far rather be doing lego!!! Personally feel you do need to study unless your child is unusually brilliant (mine isnt)..... I've found Mathletics (webbased bite-sized maths) great as very well designed and they enjoy getting gold bars, certificates etc. And if you have time suggest just introducing things gently - we started off with verbal maths twice a week on way to school, and Mathletics for 10 mins a day..... and are now on that plus a Bond maths paper instead of Mathletics couple of times a week, doing a Quiz book together (ie V or NV curled up on sofa with me writing and chatting, her doing the answers, so its fun) and - this one more difficult - couple of English things a week.

Doing Bond books and practice papers is studying!

We've used Bond books for English and verbal reasoning.

Does your dd actually want to do this?

It has to come from her, really - does she like the schools you have chosen, and prefer them sufficiently to the other non-11+ schools?

That said, 9 is quite young - if she's going to be working at it for 2 years that's a long time if she doesn't enjoy it.

Is she competitive - to beat her score, your score etc? It should be fun though - if she really hates it and isn't otivated by the end result it sounds like a miserable situation for everyone.

I would warn you that even starting midway through Year 5 was too soon with the benefit of hindsight. It is a relentless process and it seems to take over family life so I would really think long and hard before starting so early. The danger is that she juts gets totally fed up with it all and really goes off studying.

We started in March 2011 for September/November 2011 exams with DS and that was early enough - he peaked in September really which showed in him passing the two 11+ exams he took then. Not sure what will happen with the November ones!

DS wants to go to a grammar school but with the prep he was really quite reluctant to do extra work and it did turn into a bit of a battle. Fortunately without really pulling his finger out he obviously did what was required.

Mine started with a year to go - i was warned by other friends that any earlier and they just switched off so far so good but it depends on your child. they do have to really want it for themselves so perhaps if she is distracted its because she isnt quite ready and you should give her another 6 months before asking her again.

Sounds like your DD has a very healthy attitude and is making the most of her childhood! Our nearest grammar school is 20 miles away, so not something I would have considered, but my neighbour's daughter goes there. She passed having only done one practice paper "to see what they were like" - a bit like it was in the old days!

It's very tiresome! I feel guilty all the time because I can't help feeling DS ought to be playing, reading, running, etc rather than spending all morning Sunday sitting down holding a pen. It doesn't help that he is obedient and never complains because deep down i know his heart is with that unfinished Lego design upstairs in his bedroom and I know he won't be ten years old ever again... What to do? We can't afford private school, so either he gets a scholarship or bursary at an independent/place at a grammar, or he attends the local comp which is not right for him in almost everyway, except that is local. Honeysuckle, there is no easy way for us parents: if they don't practice you feel anxious (and stressed), if they practice you feel guilty (and stressed). I so want it to be over!