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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Tier 4 January entrance exams going ahead?

63 replies

mrsTC · 20/12/2020 07:45

Do you think the January entrance exams will go ahead in Kent under Tier 4? DS has two in the first week back. Lot of children from different schools will have to mix.

OP posts:
bluemittens · 20/12/2020 08:13

Waiting to find out the same thing. I just don't know. Even if it's permitted, will schools decide it's irresponsible? I wonder whether it's too late to switch to ISEB now (presumably quite a few kids will already have taken it for other schools)? Or whether they'd consider making offers based on other data (eg 11+ results, school references etc). Can't do anything except wait to hear from the schools, but would be quite nice to know now if exams are off!!

Iateallthesmarties894 · 20/12/2020 11:04

I was wondering the same for London/Surrey. It would be good to get some idea of what’s happening so we don’t spend the holiday prepping for the wrong thing or something that might not happen - things are miserable enough as they are...

After8itsgrownuptime · 20/12/2020 18:42

Same here in London. I wondered if they might post the exams out to the kids current schools and let them sit them there to help preserve bubbles (assuming we are going back to school in January).

TheatreTaxi · 20/12/2020 19:02

DS2 is due to sit an entrance exam for a London senior school in January, and we've been told that he'll do the exam at his current school.

bluemittens · 20/12/2020 20:10

Hmm, that could be interesting. DC is at a primary and they've barely got enough staff resource to keep the school open, let alone invigilate an exam. I doubt they'd look kindly on that request.

unchienandalusia · 21/12/2020 09:38

We have two in the first week and one in the second. The second one is to be held at DS's prep. But if they delay schools going back, god knows. I really thought they'd all just take the ISEB results. They could always have added, like one school did, a creative writing assessment to be done at home and signed off by DS's English teacher as a true reflection of ability.

Hoping we'll hear more today.

Original poster
mrsTC · 21/12/2020 09:44

Just emailed one of the schools and they said currently no change to the plan but they will keep parents updated. DS is at a state school and I can’t see them having the staff resource to run private school entrance exams for some children in January.

OP posts:
stellagibbons · 21/12/2020 11:08

DD has the ISEB at JAGs at the start of January. I'm hoping it'll go ahead as the majority of applicants have already done it and the senior school aren't back until the 11th anyway.

TheExtraGuineaPig · 21/12/2020 12:32

DS has St George’s on site and KGS at his school - although lots of children are taking it at KGS. It seems unlikely they can go ahead but who knows. Hopefully the numbers will be more under control after 2 weeks of very limited contact - if not there will be all sorts of disruption to schools let alone entrance exams for the few.

Iateallthesmarties894 · 21/12/2020 14:04

I think it’s probably quite easy to move the paper based tests to prep schools, leaving a smaller number of state schools kids to be able to sit the exam on the school site. It’s trickier if there’s a computerised test involved like the CEM but I would expect those schools to perhaps revert to the ISEB which many kids have already sat? It would seem a bit odd to go ahead with 1000 or so kids all mingling together on the site of a senior school a couple of weeks after we have effectively cancelled Christmas?!

PatoPato · 21/12/2020 14:27

Communication from IPS this morning, whose exam is due to place on 5th January, states that notwithstanding the Government’s announcement of a staggered return of secondary school pupils in the New Year, the return of primary school aged children from 4 January is mandated. Therefore, their schedule to run 11+ assessments remains unaffected and they'll be proceeding as planned.

PatoPato · 21/12/2020 14:32

and SPGS have just confirmed they will still be going ahead in house on the 4th

bluemittens · 21/12/2020 15:50

I think that may be brave in advance of BJ's press conference, but there you go. We'll see!

Strandguildford · 21/12/2020 20:14

The problem is that the situation is so fluid, they (the gov) change their mind or implement rules with little to no notice, or when the 'science evolves'... just look at the car crash announcement about schools testing kids, with some taught remotely, some back and a staggered return..... on the last afternoon of term, when a lot of independents have already broken up.

The review of the 'rules' is on the 29th December, who knows what's next.

The 'current plan' that junior kids will be back in school simply cannot be relied upon, who knows where the country will be after xmas (after all we were supposed to be having a 'normal xmas' right? I expect by January it will be a lot worse than it is now.

The schools that haven't yet run their entrance exams (and we have a close friend who is affected by this) now need a sold 'Plan C' in place in case it all goes remote again, as sadly I fear they missed their opportunity at a decent 'Plan B' when they chose not to bring them forward (and make allowances) to November/December like many (in my mind) sensible schools did. Fingers crossed for everyone.

EnolanotAlone · 21/12/2020 20:21

We have 3 exams in the first two weeks back, one school has advised if govt policy remains for lockdown, exams will be held at primary school.
Also, there is the option of signing up to ISEB data pool.

After8itsgrownuptime · 21/12/2020 20:31

St. John’s in Leatherhead have just sent an email to say it’s on-site still but if we are still tier 4 by 11th jan, then it’s remote test and remote invigoration

bluemittens · 21/12/2020 21:44

Agree with a PP that I hope they have a Plan C! Obviously nothing is certain yet, but I wouldn't be remotely surprised if neither secondaries nor primaries are back for the first couple of weeks of term in Tier 4 (quite apart from the issues around persuading primaries to devote staff resource to facilitating private school entrance exams). A bit concerning if they move to online testing given we haven't done any preparation for that - but hey, I guess we'll have to take it in our stride like so many things this year. There are more important worries right now.

PettsWoodParadise · 22/12/2020 07:06

DD did a remote sixth form entrance exam using exam.net, it worked very well with invigilators and camera checking her work area. She still had to work on paper then upload the work. Possibly more suited to older children than 11 year olds but I do wonder if some schools might employ this approach???? Good luck alll.

Iateallthesmarties894 · 22/12/2020 15:03

Not sure I like the idea of remote invigilation? St. John’s have said they may have to do this which is all fine and well if you are sitting a 2 hour written exam but by all accounts the St. John’s test is part online ability, part written - so short with lots of bits. Could be a bit of a nightmare to manage at home.

PatoPato · 22/12/2020 15:36

Radnor House Twickenham have recently switched to 'exams at home with remote invigilatio' on the 9th Jan. I was sceptical until the email with the instructions arrived complete with video links on how to set up the camera (child side view on, paper, hands & head showing), how to break the 2 seals on each of the two papers in front of the invigilator, then how to seal them back up again with 2 new enveloped and 4 new seals, then get in the car (not forgetting the sealed papers) and whizz them over to the school in a 90 minute window - I kid you not.

Looks good and relatively cheat proof but must have taken a lot of organisation on their part - kudos to them.

Schools that guard their unique papers zealously like SPGS just would not be able to do this without compromising the bank of material that's in circulation for future tutors to use.
It will be so interesting to see what happens come January. Just wish I was not part of it all!

ChnandlerBong · 22/12/2020 15:59

Schools may hope that their 11+ exam schedule won't be interrupted ( a la SPGS) but surely none of them can know yet?

It looks like this new strain might cause the general return to school to be delayed - I can't see how any 11+ exams would escape that?

Iateallthesmarties894 · 28/12/2020 15:54

That whole “breaking the seal on camera” and then driving the results to the school sound a bit of a drama - but doable. I would be happy to do that - not so comfortable doing something online at home though due to having pretty poor wifi...hope they decided pretty soon and let us know.

bluemittens · 28/12/2020 20:42

I'm guessing they're waiting for some sort of update from the DfE on what's happening with primary and secondary schools next week. On the face of it the govt's already announced what's happening (primary schools in as usual, secondaries staggered start with testing put in place), but I wouldn't blame the schools for doubting whether this will still be the narrative in a week's time.

PatoPato · 28/12/2020 20:52

The reason Gove was so resolute this morning about primaries going back is because if primaries were to close it would have a massive impact on the ability of working parents to actually work which could have huge knock on effects on their job security and the economy. Secondary school children can work unsupervised.
I'm thinking unless we go into a full national lockdown á la April/May, the primaries will probably stay open and the exams due to be sat in the empty secondaries next week will still go ahead. That might be (very selfish) wishful thinking on my part!

2bedammed · 29/12/2020 03:14

I don't think they will go ahead.

Eltham college sat exams in person last few days of December term and I knew of 3 local primary schools were the year 6 children were supposed to be self isolating.

But I am sure that those who were booked just turned up to the 11 plus test anyhow.

I know this because 1 family tried to tell me that no they didn't have symptoms after telling me they had them and got tested. When I asked about Eltham they just changed the subject.

Another parent from my son's school just didn't get the letter in time.Hmm

I am just so glad we did not apply for Eltham.

A bunch of parents tried to turn up to Kent grammar tests when their class was put in self isolation. Thankfully the school informed the test centre so they had to sit a rearranged session.

There is no way at 11 plus exams should take place in person. They can move them online.