Is it too early to start a 2016 girls 11+ W/SW London thread?

[orangina]

What do we think? DD is sitting 11+ for various consortium schools in January 2016 and I am slightly desperate for a thread to compare notes, pat each others shoulders etc..... I lurked on last years thread, but it didn't start until much later....

Just booking up open day places and filling in my registration forms now.....

Hi Orangina,

In respect of Consortium papers, I think I was told that 70-80 per cent is what we should be aiming for in the period immediately before the exam (I am taking this to mean the Christmas holidays....).

However, how do we obtain a final percentage score for the maths paper undertaken when, unlike the English paper, we don't have the mark scheme? (Annoyingly, the Consortium maths papers don't state the marks attributed to each question). How are you marking the paper? Are you simply awarding a mark to each question/part of a question answered correctly or are you awarding more marks to harder questions at the end?

Hi Scabby, I'm not really sure how to allocate the marks to a paper where they are not allocated.... I might try and compare the questions with an allocated paper and chuck a few more at the tricky ones at the end.....

Minimal work going on over the hols, but counting every piece as a small step towards the goal!

Just saw this link on another MNpost - looks like a great site for me in the next few months.

www.independentjunction.co.uk/specimen/11.html

mummyinatizz, that is a really useful website, thanks so much....

Hello! May I please join this discussion. Thinking of doing 10+ at KGS for my DD this January. Visited the school with her this year and both loved it. Could I please ask anyone with recent experience about this exam? The example papers on their website look almost identical for 10+ and 11+... Was that the case in real life? Also, are bond papers for VR a good basis for preparation? Any idea how high she should be scoring in these to get through- is 80 percent good at this stage? Thank you:)

my DD did both and said the 11+ was much harder, particularly the maths. The 10+ VR was bond book like but the 11+ VR was "random" - her words! Don't know about pass rate, i think with 10+ they are just looking for something special, not necessarily top marks in all papers.

also be aware with 10+ they interview 40 but only offer to 20. how will your DD/you cope if she isn't offered a place but is interviewed (so has done well in the exam). i think that's quite a hard one to take and the odds at 50-50 aren't great.

TeddTess- thank you so much for this insight. Yes, I worry about less places available and lower chance of getting though the interview. She seems quite up for it as I told her it's for practice and we can try again next year but you know how kids are... Random VR- oh dear

if she's up for it, go for it. just play it down!

Just been asked about the school placement person I used on another thread. Thought it might be of helpful! They do assessments, tutoring for the papers and interview prep and then helped us decide when we knew what places we had. Isobel Walters Schooling Consultants. Not at all pushy but great in terms of confidence and a bit of sanity! Good luck!

Back to schools - has everyone finished Open Days? Last one for us was last Saturday - Latymer Upper. Now to decide which exams to sit.

one more for me Ohtobefinished JAGS on Friday morning, then form filling begins in earnest. Yay, an excuse to buy a new pen!

Goodness, I hope there is a bit of hype here and that it isn't this much harder for the girls! We've just been through this with DS who did really well and got the offers we were hoping for - but even at SPS and KCS his interview questions were mostly about interesting things that he's done, what he was currently reading etc - certainly nothing as controversial as FGM! We're gearing up to start the process for DD next year and while I'm not exactly looking forward to it I was reassured by our experience with DS, so I really hope some posters here just like to scaremonger...

Samiam123, it was me that mentioned FGM, because a mother at school of a girl now in y7 said it was on a list of possible subjects....

[I have since discovered that the mother in question has not been strictly truthful about some quite fundamental things in relation to her daughter's 11+ success last year, so I can't really believe anything she has told me any more..... ]

Anyone go to JAGs yesterday? I went expecting and hoping to love it but I cae away not sure. Can't quite put my finger on it. Didn't entirely warm to the new head. Didn't dislike but equally didn't love the girls who showed us around. Know it is a clever school but felt they really pressed the point. Interested in other views. Small point in the grand scheme of things but the only school of what feels like millions not to offer a cup of tea!!!

Hello all. I would love some advice on how to approach the Xmas holidays. How much work to do, how much of a break to have and how to keep my DD motivated and ready for the kick off in early jam. What worke best?!

Giraffe44 we took a break from early December (life just got too busy, colds, tired) until 27 December then did something every morning.

Pearlmummy, I have a ds so havn't visited JAGS but several of the parents in school felt the same. Apparently it's not a very 'warm' school, big emphasis on the academics, sometimes to the exclusion of all else (unless you have a 'super-girl' who can keep up with everything and I suspect these are the types of girls who go to JAGS). Academic results are very impressive though.
Alleyns?

MrsPatmore, thanks reply and interesting to hear similar experience. I also have DS and when we were at DC I really felt the warmth. The senior management I met couldn't have been nicer and we came away with a very good feeling which was why I was then expecting same at JAGs. I do like Alleyns - def much warmer - and that's def on our list. Is it a high achieving girls school thing and do different neck of the wood but is LEH the same in reality?? I much preferred LEH to JAGs when I visited but is the reality the same I wonder??? Anyone got any experience that they can share?

I was at JAGS too on Thurs am and felt same pearlmummy about head, plus her boasting how academic it was. Thought I wouldn't even bother with the tour, but did and warmed to school a bit.

And agree no coffee or biscuits - very poor show!

Undecided about whether to apply or not - will sleep on it.

And why do JAGS need 3 passport photos with application form?? Annoying!

Right forms/photos/cheques all in. We're up for 5 schools come January, so there goes nearly £500. And that was the easy part. Trying to keep DD upbeat and motivated, and a bit ahead as the end of term stuff starts slowly to busy up.

Best of luck to all with application decisions.

Dd didn't warm to JAGS at all when she saw it - went to 3 open days in the end and her reaction each time was 'meh'

We decided not to enter her for the exam as there didn't seem much point

At the Wimbledon interview this morning - it's all starting to feel very real....

Had our email today inviting DD for interview at PHS, no 'thank you for applying' etc, just see you on this date for interview!

Its really annoying me!