sutton schools selective test today

[Lily99]

My DS sat the eligibility test today for the Sutton schools and didn't finish the English - should we prepare him now for bad news or did many children find this one tough?

[legallady]

I agree Gazza that the boys aren't all like that! DS was probably in a group of about 10 or so boys and girls who were in the level 6 groups for SATs but was never right at the top of that group. There are some exceptionally bright kids at these grammars but the majority of them are just normal bright(!)

I'm not sure it helps anyone but I'm pretty certain that DS got into Wally boys on the strength of his English. His maths is average at best but he can write well when he sets his mind to it and he came out of the exam fairly satisfied with his composition. Just trying to give hope to those of you whose DSs may not be natural mathematicians! There is hope for them too.

[gazzalw]

I think DS got into his super-selective on the strength of his maths and the NVR/VR components - he is not known for his literacy/English skills, although when push comes to shove, he can pull something remarkable (for him) out of the bag.....

DS has a boy in his class who came second in the UK in one of those national maths challenge contests! There are some amazingly bright children out there!

[Ladymuck]

From what I have seen so far, I think that moving to a 2 step process has made the English writing element of far greater importance than even in previous years, and I suspect that it will be the key differentiator between the boys this year. I'm watching a smallish cohort of boys who sat both Kent (VR but no English) and Sutton (English and no VR) with interest!

Ds has obviously thought a bit more about secondary schools in the last few weeks. He wants a co-ed school with a tuckshop and no compulsory French. At least I now know that he will be happy with the local comprehensive school.

[Classicsgirl]

Just to suggest that you shouldn't be too influenced by the military uniforms yesterday at wilsons. Our experience was a parent of a son who is far from top of the pack at all subjects is that their brilliant organisation helps them identify early and offer support to those that need support in some subjects while keeping the syllabus moving at a fast pace in a way that keeps them interested and at

[Classicsgirl]

Pressed done too early... Meant to say interested and stimulated. There is far better pastoral care than the excellent comp my other DC attend and they seem very good at helping each boy find his own strengths. The curriculum is also very well balanced so there seems more diversity in the sixth form - not all maths and sciences but a healthy number of humanities and the arts which wasn't the case at all GSs when we looked round. But that was a few years ago!

[EyesWideClosed]

By all accounts, still quite a few children due to sit. I don't think it's very fair to give away the content of an exam which has been kept under wraps for months. Please delete kravings message.

[Ladymuck]

Have reported the message to get it deleted, but MNHQ are all either down the pub or cooking their kids tea.

[Chillyraisin]

Hi,

It really is unfair. Many must have read it by now.Just thinking if we call the school and inform them.

[miss600]

Oh dear! That's a few DS's bumped off the end of the top 150! Course of their lives changed forever due to one careless social networking post.

Viva la validation-seekers!

[EyesWideClosed]

School should be informed. Although I think that it's standard good practice to give a different exam paper-even more so now.

[Dibbleofficer]

This is totally ridiculous . My lad has worked his socks off for these exams. Then one person totally blows content wide open to hundreds of parents who have feigned illness for their children to get an advantage(outrageous in itself) . Please could people have some moral fibre and consideration. The school will be notified by me.

[Ladymuck]

I don't think that the boys who sat were sworn to secrecy. The school might suspect that boys in a later sitting know something of what they will be facing and have taken appropriate measures.

[JustAnotherUserName]

Yes, remember that in Tiffins late test last year only 1 out of 127 made the grade!
Didn't see the message, but chill, there must be some standardisation going on to deal with "leakage".

[Chillyraisin]

I am notifying the school too. You are right dibble officer,our children have put in a lot of effort and It has been stressful journey for both parents and the child. Can't let anything jeopardise it. Even a mark can cost the child his place.

[SweetPenelope]

How do you know "hundreds feigned illness"? Some of the empty seats could be people not bothering to tell the school that they didn't want to sit the exam.

I do think that they need to change the exam though. It was a big clue.

[gazzalw]

But for all you know some of the boys taking the exams in the first place might actually be doing them with no intention of taking up places. They may be educational spy 'plants' who then going back and tell other families (friends/relatives) with children 'ill' on the day of the test, what's in the exam....

I am quite sure that the schools must use something to manipulate the scores of later sitting applicants to factor for exam paper question leakage....

I actually think the children get 'primed' to sit the tests when they do and actually delaying the exam, although in theory giving valuable extra revision/fine-honing practice, may actually work against a lot of them - adrenalin can work positively as well as negatively....

Oh dear....

[Chillyraisin]

I just spoke to the admissions office and gave them the full picture. They were very very surprised and didn't know anything about the forum. They made a note and assured me that they will be passing this info to the directors. Said they will change the English paper.
Don't we already have enough stress of the anticipation of the exam results!

[miss600]

Maybe you've given people ideas here!

[Dibbleofficer]

What ideas of cheating

[Ladymuck]

"They were very very surprised and didn't know anything about the forum."



This makes me view the school in a completely different light! Could I possibly send my son to a school which didn't know anything about Mumsnet? Are they really preparing their pupils for the big wide world out there?

Do you think they've ever come across the elevenplusexams forum? Now that is an eye-opener!

[Chillyraisin]

Made me think the same as you ladymuck. Now they are aware of possibility of leaks. Had to tell them what section and did mention that the msg has been deleted from the thread. They asked what was the English content discussed. I don't think they know about eleven plus forum
either.

[Dibbleofficer]

The are very naive, seems to be no re engineering of the paper for the late takers planned or standisation to give a level playing field for those who sat on the appointed day. grammar schools must get a grip of this epidemic of "sickness" on the day of the exam. Some are undoubtably genuinely Unwell, but do not underestimate the depths others will stoop to , I have heard genuine horror stories.

[gazzalw]

Well you wouldn't necessarily expect them to know about Mumsnet's wide-reaching tentacles....I'm sure they are aware of it as a force for good or possibly corruption as with the penis-beaker thread but they probably aren't aware that their exams are the subject of much scrutiny and nail-biting...

One of the Sutton Super-selective Registrars used to make a habit of keeping abreast of any threads about her particular school but she's moved on now....

[bananadrama]

I know of a boy who got a place at a grammar school after taking the test on an alternative date due to genuine illness. My DS was taking the grammar tests that year too & I thought it was very unfair as the late sitting of the test was 10 days after the initial test. This leaves far too much time for boys to gain information regarding what was in the test. It was also a very much more relaxed occasion at the late sitting due to a much smaller number of boys taking the test. Nothing like the crowds we see on the usual test days which is pretty stressful.