11 plus support thread

user153876909 · 2021-08-21T20:19:25+00:00

Hi folks, My DS is sitting the 11 plus for some of the superselective grammar schools in London next month. We did a mock test today and got the results back, which have put me in a bit of a panic mode. I thought we were almost there with the prep but it seems we still have quite some work to do. Anyone else have DC taking the 11+ next month and what last minute prep are you doing?

CoolKitkat · 22/08/2021 17:57

We're in a similar boat - not sure what else to do at this stage, just trying to do some 10-minute tests to improve on speed, and looking up new words for vocab etc. Not sure how to improve on the marks though, it's a bit worrying but not sure there's much we can do about it.

Sweetsweetsoul · 22/08/2021 21:16

It’s hit and miss here too. Trying not to add any pressure to my son and just carrying on as before. 10 min test every day then a full paper once a week. Argh! Can’t wait until it’s over.

ElvenDreamer · 22/08/2021 21:33

Can I be angsty with you all pls? Super stressed here too, 2 super selective schools in Essex being applied for, 1 of which has a catchment area meaning DD has to score significantly higher than many as we are not in it. And don't even start me on age adjustment 😭 just want the next month over now.

CoolKitkat · 24/08/2021 13:29

I thought age adjustment didn't make too much difference to the marks? But I'm not that familiar with how it works.

Not long to go now, soon they'll be back at school and then time will really fly!

annaseal · 24/08/2021 18:16

Hello @user153876909, which schools you are targeting? Which board like GL or CEM your DC will be sitting?

louisejxxx · 25/08/2021 05:39

My advice would be to spend any time now on sections they aren’t so confident in/usually score worse in. I would also ease off on any practice papers now so they’ve had enough time to “recover” for the test - you don’t want them to be exhausted from doing tonnes of them in the days and weeks beforehand.

Blubell46 · 25/08/2021 08:25

@user153876909 please may I ask which schools you are applying for? When completing the test did you pinpoint a particular that your dc needs work on?

You still have time if you know the area.

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 25/08/2021 10:23

Yep, Dc2 will be sitting his on 11/09. We're Warwickshire & dc1 sat hers last October & got a brilliant score considering the uncertainty over it, she (& a lot of her friends) really became quite detached from it when they found out it wasn't being sat alongside the B'ham schools. Very glad it's going ahead 'as normal' this year though!

We're just going over things really, he's academically very bright, more so than dc1, but he's a worrier, where she isn't. So it's more about letting him know that he can only do his best on the day & that we're proud of him either way.

louisejxxx · 25/08/2021 12:35

Where is your dd starting at in Sept @BernardsarenotalwaysSaints

My ds is starting at AGS on the 7th

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 25/08/2021 17:15

@louisejxxx

Where is your dd starting at in Sept *@BernardsarenotalwaysSaints*

My ds is starting at AGS on the 7th

AA louise, she did the summer school during the first week of the holidays & loved it. It think 3, possibly 4 from her primary are going to AGS.

She really wanted to go to Shottery but had a waiting list, rather than automatic entry, score & we didn't want the uncertainty of the waiting list & she agreed. She really wasn't keen on the idea of AGS so we ordered it SGGS, AA, AGS, St Bens on our application.

Ds on the other hand has his heart set on AGS & would like KES 2nd on his preferences (although this year I'll probably not submit the application until after we have the scores, I was just convinced I'd forget last year ). That's dh's fault though, he went to KES briefly & utterly hated it.

Original poster

user153876909 · 25/08/2021 20:30

We're aiming for QE and the Sutton grammars so all superselectives! gahhh. I think I need to step away from some of the Facebook forums dedicated to 11+ stuff because parents are saying their kid is doing 6 hours a day (like a proper school day during these holidays!).....and getting 95+% in their practise papers......

OP posts:

Original poster

user153876909 · 25/08/2021 20:35

We've identified some points of weakness (mainly comprehension in English) but progress has been slow - it feels like we've plateaued. but then it's always much easier to go from 20% to 60% than from 80% to 90% so it's going to be slow going.

OP posts:

ElvenDreamer · 25/08/2021 21:28

@user153876909 , 6hrs? wow that's crazy, you definitely should stay away from that sort of talk! I know what you mean about it being relatively easy to get better at the start of the journey then harder to get those last percentages up though.
I think I'm erring on the side of doing a little less at the moment though as others here have said too. Don't want burn out. Also I used to teach in a grammar and the kids that had been tutored within an inch of their lives to pass the test would often then struggle in school and I'd hate to land my child in that position.
@CoolKitkat that's good to know you don't think age adjustment affects the marks that much, rumour round where I am has it making as much as 5% which I sincerely hope is not true.
I think at this stage we're just doing a little light practice on exam strategy as much as anything.

BumbledBee · 25/08/2021 21:33

We are doing Sutton Grammars too, and DS did it 2 years ago. Nobody I know has done/is doing anything like that sort of prep. We are doing 3 hours a week in total (with a couple of weeks doing nothing at all) and, obviously no guarantees, but she feels ready.

Yes, some will be getting 95% in their papers, but there are still places for DC that don't.

steppemum · 25/08/2021 21:33

I tutor for the 11+, although not in such a competive area as London.

Step away from the facebook groups. Don't believe everything you are told, and take everything with a pinch of salt.

I had a good solid, perfectly capable of passing student 2 years ago who had a friend in his class also preparing. Apparently, he did hours of study and was scoring 90% in all mock tests. It terrified my student and his mum. He failed. No idea why, but all the 90% stuff was probably made up. My student passed.

Remember it is all a rather nasty game for some parents.

Original poster

user153876909 · 25/08/2021 21:46

Yeh nobody blinked an eye when this parent mentioned doing 6-8 hours a day except for this one person who said she didn’t even do that much revision for her A levels. I’ve been playing it by ear with DS, some days I can tell he’s getting a bit fed up of it so I step back and take my foot off the pedal.

OP posts:

flyaboat · 25/08/2021 23:59

Yes I know people who do massive over preparation. I know someone who spends over 100 pounds each week in tuition. But you must step away from such talk.

Focus on your child, what time you have, keep your head rational.

Give your child the best chance to pass by making sure you see them as a whole person - they are not a machine.

Make sure you have some realistic schools in the mix if at all possible.

You can only do what you do.

I would say do little bursts of work and often.

Don't give up either. Just keep being positive and ofcourse listen to your child, if he is getting fed back then you must take a break!

CoolKitkat · 26/08/2021 08:07

@ElvenDreamer That's what I'm led to believe, but I guess no-one can really know for sure! I imagine it won't disadvantage autumn born children too much, they must end up with a relatively even mix of children born across the year?

It's hard not to get sucked in, I can't believe some of the tutoring fees when I was looking into it! Some people charging £120 per hour (for 1:1), and that's just for one subject!

pkim123 · 26/08/2021 10:42

@user153876909

Yeh nobody blinked an eye when this parent mentioned doing 6-8 hours a day except for this one person who said she didn’t even do that much revision for her A levels. I’ve been playing it by ear with DS, some days I can tell he’s getting a bit fed up of it so I step back and take my foot off the pedal.

tutoring is only the tip of the iceberg. many parents also help their children in other ways which include:

getting a psychologist's referral letter suggesting the child requires extra time on entrance examinations. this is a very popular option in London
having the child prescribed Dexamfetamine to help them with entrance exams

Again, tutoring is the most basic form of helping a student during the 11+, many parents go much further than that. Good luck.

ElvenDreamer · 26/08/2021 11:23

@pkim124 seriously?! Wow, this thread is really opening my eyes, it makes me feel so sad. Essex grammar schools actually say that while various reasonable adjustments may be applied for, extra time is not one of them as if the child needs extra time they are unlikely to cope in the grammar school classroom normally. As to the thought of medicating your child to pass a test 🥺😭

pkim123 · 26/08/2021 11:52

[quote ElvenDreamer]@pkim124 seriously?! Wow, this thread is really opening my eyes, it makes me feel so sad. Essex grammar schools actually say that while various reasonable adjustments may be applied for, extra time is not one of them as if the child needs extra time they are unlikely to cope in the grammar school classroom normally. As to the thought of medicating your child to pass a test 🥺😭[/quote]
I completely agree with you, I feel sad for the children. I also feel sad for the parents who clearly exhibit a high degree of insecurity. I in no way support such 11+ tactics.

annaseal · 26/08/2021 15:03

What is Dexamfetamine?? did a google search and found a very complicated definition. Seems like something that affects Central Nervous System? Poor kids 😔

Original poster

user153876909 · 26/08/2021 15:12

I did the same, google searched it and still don't fully understand what it does but read some of the risks of it and it's pretty intense.

OP posts:

annaseal · 26/08/2021 15:25

@user153876909 Please do not worry at all reading about kids who are studying 24/7 ( poor kids). 7 years ago when I was preparing my son for 11 plus, yes there was social media but mostly parents used to stick to 11plusexam forum. Sometimes I found even that stressful when I would see parents boasting kids getting 90% up and also declaring unless such is the case securing 11 plus place would be near impossible. I genuinely thank to god my son got a place in a super selective without external tutoring and only with reasonable prep. This year it is my daughter’s turn and I am flabbergasted by the number of facegroup groups, whatsapp group, telegram chat group, all dedicated to 11 plus and all claiming quintessential to 11 plus success. It is sort of information overload and at times can be over whelming. 😢😢. Now only few weeks before exam, I am sticking to age old tried and tested CGP 10 mins, fptp, bond. Making sure all maths and english basics are clear. Doing few time tested papers of the specific exam board to make sure DD understands the exam format well and create good strategies.

BumbledBee · 26/08/2021 16:13

If it helps @user153876909, when my DS sat the SET 2 years ago, the percentage needed to pass and be eligible to sit the second exam worked out at around 80% maths, 72% English (and a high mark in one meant they could get a lower in the other).

Obviously this will change each year (and with age standardisation) and it is the standardised mark against the cohort that counts, but I thought it might help to know this anyway.

Once in school, there is still variation in ability, so yes there are some who get 100% or close, but it isn't needed to get a place. In fact, as soon as too many are getting in the 90s they need to make the tests harder still!