11+ independent schools entrance exams next week - now remote!

[mammmamia]

My DS sitting exams next week for a north London boys’ independent school and we were told yesterday the exams will now be remote.

They’ll have to log into a zoom call and parents print off the papers and scan them and send back.
Is anyone else in this position and feeling very uncomfortable about it?

Yes, you can but in reality would you? I don’t think either school would look on you very kindly if you did. Though I have been tempted...

Unlike others on these threads I don’t worry too much about the “unfairness” of the process post all the U-turns.

1. Regarding the reference - I was told by a registrar once that they mainly look at Y5 and Y6 reports with grades/achievements and teachers’ comments as this will be more “objective” that the head’s final referral. One of my older DCs state school NEVER sent back the reference request despite multiple requests from the registrar who then called me and asked me to send them Y5 and 6 reports. They told me it was more than enough! In many other countries selective secondary schools select solely via school reports which makes the system much simpler and fairer in my view...

2. They also look closely at CAT scores (for those who provide it).

3. Independent schools have a relatively fixed proportion of private vs state applicants every year. I strongly believe they will keep this proportion constant this year and just look at state vs private applicants as two completely different pools and rate them within their pool.

4. To some extent the new system might make it easier for independent schools to select DCs with genuine ability, who’ve had consistently good results since Y4/5, whereas the former system would “favour” those perhaps less able who are crammed with papers in the weeks and months preceding the written exams.

5. I agree this last minute change in the rules of the game can be upsetting but as parents we should set an example for our DCs in the way we react and adjust, and try and turn it into a positive. They’re all in the same boat after all. It’s an opportunity to teach them resilience, a skill which will serve them more in life (professional & personal) than their academic achievements. When I told DD the FHSS test had been cancelled, I straight away “sold” it to her as a positive (no pointless VR/NVR practice this week, more time to think about interviews, school report/CATs will play an important role etc). Really sorry if this comes across as patronising, it’s obviously not the point.

Thank you @Oceane11Plus. Very well said!

But please expand in what you mean by the proportion between state and private applications - is there a ratio? So private school kids at an obvious advantage as their school may be a feeder school or be more used to advocating for their pupils?

Possibly not as strict as an actual ratio, but some independent secondary schools will seek to ensure a certain proportion of their entrants come from the state sector (for reasons of balance, social inclusion, widening opportunities etc). To achieve this, they will admit some children who perform less well on paper, to recognise the fact that they won't have been prepared for the exams by their schools, and won't have benefitted from references prepared by experienced headteachers. It's designed to make it more fair for state school applicants, not harder.

To add (because that makes it sound like they're just doing state primary kids a favour), it's also because they know that there are very clever and talented kids in the state sector, and they want to recruit those with the most potential into their schools.

Thank you @Oceane11Plus and @annahavana, that's really helpful.

I agree re the state/indie candidates. Someone on another thread also commented that indie secondary registrars are very experienced and they are well aware that some prep schools are just very good at talking up candidates/providing excellent references etc, in a way a state primary may not. Even though a state candidate could well be superior academically to the prep one.

They also know that many prep schools will also prepare candidates rigorously for the exams in a way a state school child will probably not be able to match even if they have a tutor. The clue's in the name I guess, that's what prep school parents are paying for, to have DC "prepped" to pass the 11+ or common entrance! There's a prep school near us for example that set an hour's 11+ prep homework per night from the start of Y5 and I can't imagine that they're the only one...

So it's about levelling the playing field for state school children, not making it harder.

Thanks both. I was a bit worried.

Unfortunately with the last assessments for my son's school report they pulled him out of class to help elsewhere and then realised he had missed assessments and then made him sit them all at once. I only know because his results were not up to scratch and they were like don't worry we made a mistake abs should bot have allowed him to sit a week's assessment over a day .. but they were not going to change them or right anything about it in the school .. so for a private school entry he may look below par. But he has done very well at 11 plus.

Can anyone give helpful hints on zoom interviews?

What will/did your child wear? School uniform or something smart?

Someone wrote that having a post-it note placed above camera was a good idea so child remembers to look directly at camera and not person.

@Pantomine

Can anyone give helpful hints on zoom interviews?

What will/did your child wear? School uniform or something smart?

Someone wrote that having a post-it note placed above camera was a good idea so child remembers to look directly at camera and not person.

Most schools will tell you whether to wear uniform or smart casual clothes. Best advice is just to practice. Schools understand they are harder for some children but will do their best to draw answers out of the child. Not sure a post it above the screen would be helpful as they will be looking into space. Best to get your child used to looking at whoever is on the screen which they will more than likely do anyway.

Look up atom learning on Vimeo as there is a video on school interviews.