Would you make your DC revise on Christmas Eve ?

[lilolilmanchester]

Genuine question ... Friend's dd was not allowed at Christmas Eve party (which was also celebration of close friend's significant birthday ) because she had to revise for GCSE mocks in a couple of weeks time. I realise the exams are important, but was made to feel like a bad parent for asking why she couldn't have Christmas Eve off... Wouldn't have made my dd miss Christmas Eve/ big party ..... But maybe I've got it wrong?

Att100 I think the word 'competitive' in the context of Westminster pre-test means selective. More boys will apply that they have places for. They will select those they feel will thrive most. Being academic is a given but they will presumably also be looking for boys who enjoy education, who are resilient, and who are likely to contribute to school life.

My understanding is that they and SPS have been working hard to ensure the pre-test is un-coachable. They also look at previous school reports and they interview. All work and no play on the hope of an extra percentage point in the test, is all important when trying for a grammar school like Tiffin, but could well prove counterproductive with Westminster. Balance is the key.

The near 50% Oxbridge rate also needs to be taken in context. There are some stunningly clever children at Westminster who would be clear Oxbridge potential whatever school they were at. (But who will have enjoyed the level and pace achieved, say, by the top maths set.) The other 50% will go on to good Russell Group Universities. But they would have done this anyway. The education at Westminster is great but to a large extent the results come through the very competitive selection. Not getting through the pre test may make little difference to the University your child goes to. Too much cramming might if it impacts on their resilience.

Balance is the key. Dd goes straight into mocks after the holidays. Revision hasn't been perfect, and grades may well reflect this. Hopefully then she knows that over Easter she needs to

Sorry. Posted whilst still editing. Ignore last para. Or if anyone has tips on helping a child stick to their pre agreed revision timetable, do say. Its either suspect panic next week or misery the week after!

i don't have a child going for Westminster or Tiffin ...but yes I know the different methods of selection between them, ...I was just throwing in there why some 10/11 year olds may be busy revising even over the Xmas school holidays...because of critical pre-tests for one or more indy exams in Jan especially if they have a one shot chance...i know good results often reflect from super-selection in the first place (enhanced by later culling and import of even more superselection at sixth form) and made that comment elsewhere myself....agree balance is important and hate the idea of cramming as part of any child's education but some periods may be critical (in some parents' eyes) to next stage in their lives. Again two hours a day on average in the holidays which is what someone said their year 7 child is doing doesn't seem like cramming or child cruelty IMO if for that child if it helps determine the next school if it's one that someone is setting their heart on.

Oddly if the new pretest is uncoachable, it may be the case with both Westminster and SPS that less is more, and that an engaged, resilient child may do better at interview than one who has better marks but who presents as over anxious or over coached. Both these schools appear to talk extensively to Prep schools and so try to build quite a broad picture of each candidate.

I think Tiffin is different, as every every mark counts so a child really needs to get every mark they can. (We sort of drifted into 11+ without really understanding what it was all about, and as a result organised no coaching or indeed any practice. In the end DS was offered got both SPS and Westminster, but not Tiffin. I wonder whether his naivety and lack of preparation actually proved a plus-point at interview? ) I suspect other indie exams are mid-way between. Preparation is important but at a level where it makes the exam process less rather than more stressful.

We have come across a few kids who have been put under what I would consider excessive pressure. In the longer term, not good for the child and often counter-productive results-wise.

Interesting,....yes I suspect there are a few that get into superselectives like Tiffin that would not get into superselective indies like SPS or Westminster either because they might not shine at interview but will have done well in pure paper tests which are rather blunt instruments as they leave no room to show passion or creativity in a subject or excellence in extra curriculars like music or sport ....and yes Tiffin will purely be on competitive marks in its narrow 11+ test so even one percentage point could make a difference ....and suspect some have been prepping just for that test as their be all and end all for a couple of years.

Well done to your DS for getting into two such excellent schools though. We would have loved for DS to go for either one of those as our first option but they were just too far to travel to daily, we didn't want to move (plus the expense of moving), DS didn't want to board (eg Westminster) and so he ended up at an excellent grammar close by (again based on a narrow test but no tutoring as such but practise for practice with off the shelf books for about 4 months (a week of which I would call intensive practice) on top of all his many extra curriculars) and so far the grammar has suited him very well and hopefully he will end up with the same sort of results as at one of those two top indies.

mumslife...yes I know some children who are just very self- driven like that ...best way to be...rather than anything forced.

i know of one teenager who told his parents to their surprise that he didn't want to join them or his brother on an annual two week holiday because he wanted to stay home and revise really hard for his mocks instead and come top of the class...needless to say he did. ...but perhaps not so great for the work life balance side.