11 plus websites

[S999]

Hi there
I'm already stressing...and it's a year away...
DD will be applying for central London private schools and I wondered if I might ask you amazingly experienced and knowledgeable mums what in your opinion is the best website for a comprehensive list of what needs to be covered in the maths syllabus for 11 plus please?
I have looked at various websites but they all seem to give long lists that differ quite a bit.
Is there a one stop website with a proper, reliable list please?
We are applying from abroad so that's why I'm asking you and not her school!
Thanks very much in advance

How about
www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/11plus/

People there are really helpful if you ask a question

For the private schools you need to start with the school and see what you can glean from their website or just contact them direct. It's hard to generalise as the level expected at each school is vastly different. Covering all the topics in the KS2 syllabus should serve you well.

Thank you so so much, we have a shortlist of schools all in central London. Was just freaked out by the reports of increased competition for places. I knew it was bad enough, didn't think it could get worse!

I think most schools set their own papers so there isn't a single list of what have to be covered, but theoretically the schools will examine on the Maths syllabus covered in primary school. Most will add more difficult questions designed to identify those who are capable of thinking more independently or tackling problems they haven't encountered before - potential scholarship candidates.

The website that cretaceous linked to has a lively and busy forum, with lots of very knowledgeable people around. You'll get better advice if you can specify which schools you are interested in.

Many schools have past papers on their websites; it's well worth having a look even at schools you're not targeting just to get an idea of the standard and ot have plenty of practise material.

Good luck to your DD!

We are in a similar situation and I'm paying a tutor to distance tutor my dd. this involves a lot of input from me but I do feel confident we are doing what is necessary! Is that an option for you ?

having just gone through it with DD what i would do again is more logic puzzle type of work.

to be fair the maths papers can only cover to L6 in the national curriculum, even that is a big stretch for state school kids in Jan of yr6. so to identify the strongest candidates (not just those in prep schools who've done more advanced maths) i've noticed a move towards what i can only describe as logic puzzle thinking!

i think this year more people are applying for more schools. it is not that there are that many more kids going private, surely?
3 schools used to be the norm.
very few kids now only sit for 3.
considering they can only physically go to one school i am sure there will be more movement on the waiting lists, or over offering?

The 11 plus forum is helpful (but scary), although more focussed on grammar school. There is an independent schools part of the forum, but less traffic.
If you go to eg the website for CLSG you will find the past papers for the group 2 consortium for about the last 5years. You will see that the style is similar each year. If you go to the website of one of the schools in the other north London consortium (eg South Hampstead), they should have a similar number of past papers. St Pauls also publishes material (not sure if it is actual past papers or just a sample - DD did not sit there). I am sure other schools do too.

I have found the process very stressful this year. Worried DD will end up with nowhere based on the vast numbers sitting (we have also had one rejection without interview which has upped stress levels although to be fair she has a couple of interviews lined up and still waiting to hear from 2).

I think it is right that the number of applications per child increases each year due to people worrying about the number of applications the previous year (10 applications per place is common and some of the schools have preps which get priority places). When I am in my rational moments I know that it is not as absolute as that as a lot of those girls are also sitting elsewhere and may get several offers, of which they can only take one.

I will be glad when it is over.

fwiw i found the 11+ forum useless as it was mostly grammar school focused, not independents.

also the search function is terrible.

much better info on here.

It depends which area you are in. The 11+ exams in the Sutton area have all moved away from Vr and NVr type questions and have returned to Maths and English questions at around level 5 and some 6. They did this to try to stop children being coached for the tests - not sure if that was successful!

Thank you all so much, I am having heart palpitations...DD was at an excellent prep school in London and would probably have had a senior school place so am even more depressed about it! Anyway, it is what it is, as much as I hate that saying!
Thanks for all the advice, mutley77, I would love to hear about this distance tutoring please!

I just contacted a friend back where we are from, asked who she was using , and emailed the tutor to make an arrangement directly. Can you do that?

Hi Mutley99, I don't have anyone I know sitting these exams or at least the ones I could contact are certainly not admitting to using a tutor! Are you in a position to let me know who you are using especially if you are happy, that would be an amazing recommendation.
Completely understand if you can't.
Thank you so much.