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Original poster

11 plus support thread 2022

623 replies

PalindromemordnilaP · 23/09/2022 20:35

Anyone else have a DC sitting 11+ this Autumn?

If so, would you like to chat on a support thread?

DD is sitting her exam tomorrow.

Anyone else? Waiting for the results will be nail-biting.

OP posts:
Unsuredad123 · 06/01/2023 23:16

@Aethelfleda not looked at any of the appeal bits, so how does that work? You appealed the 11+ results, so how will that work with the PAN?

Aethelfleda · 07/01/2023 08:20

@Unsuredad123 we are in Bucks, it’s something the county does before the places are allocated, because a lot of out of area children sit the exam each year (as a “free
practice” or “we can move to the area if the child clears it”) which nudges borderline local children below the pass mark.
Bucks know this happens so there is a pre-place appeal system you can use if only a mark or a little below and the child was expected by school to do well, if the Review succeeds, the child converts to the 121 pass mark and they are considered in the first round of offers with the children who did get 121 and above. One year a child got 120.97 and their parents still had to ask for review to have it converted to a “pass”….

Aethelfleda · 07/01/2023 08:24

so it’s not a true Appeal (those happen after all the places are offered in April, you’re right that the first offers fill the school PAN).
The advantage of Review (I think they only happen in Bucks and acouple of other places) is if your child should have passed but didn’t, they can still get a place if the Review is successful
becquae it becomes like they passed in the first place. Tends only to work if decent reason for the mark drop, child doing well at school, AND very slightly below the pass mark (121). but worth trying because otherwise it’s off to the comp (which would be okay but grammar would suit him better and he has a sibling there already)

Pipsquiggle · 07/01/2023 09:21

@Aethelfleda

Good luck with your review.

When you were doing your school application form in October did you put down Grammars first knowing you were going to go through the review process?

Aethelfleda · 07/01/2023 09:29

@Pipsquiggle Yes, the results came out mid-October and the CAF deadline is 2 weeks later.
So we knew he was super close but in Bucks the grammars are allocated on distance not score. So I put his sibling’s grammar first, then a bacl up grammar, but then put comprehensives on the rest of the form so he definitely will get a Comprehensive (Bucks call them Upper Schools) place if the Review doesn’t work. We’re close to a good Comp but he really liked the grammar and has also got friends who have passed, he’ll be okay at either but I just think he’d love the grammar if he got in. We’ll see.

Maybetoofarsouth · 15/01/2023 07:25

I'm counting today as half way through Jan, which psychologically seems closer.

DD wobbling over whether she wants to go the the grammar or to the closer comp (which is fine). I think this is self preservation as she was adamant after she took the 11 plus that she wasn't going to the grammar anyway but was very excited about it once she knew she'd past.

I suggested last night we leave it in the hands of fate. If she doesn't get in, she goes to the comp without a second thought and if she does get in, she goes to the grammar.

It's not easy. I think she will thrive at the grammar but she'll also do well at the comp. So different though - single sex v co-ed, selective Vs not, length of travel to school.

We are in a very fortunate position in that her second choice is fine and I know it's more make or break for others so not really complaining, just need somewhere to get down my thoughts. The 11 plus forum in my area is dead, perhaps everyone else failed!

ElvenDreamer · 15/01/2023 10:10

Yup, thinking of it as half way through Jan here too! Yes 11 plus forum for pur area wuoet also, but I think that's normal, everyone just tensely and competitively waiting 🤣 There will be a flurry if posts on offers day. Last year people were literally obviously waiting up until midnight when offers were released as there were posts at 2am!

UsernameOfMine · 15/01/2023 11:36

We waited up for my dc1 only to find out he didn't get a space...neither me nor DH slept after that. He got a place offered a few weeks later .... Then we couldn't sleep because we were too excited then lol.

DC2 is in a much better position, higher score/rank so 99% sure she will be offered a place.
Plus she scored high in a fair banding test which historically the band she is in all got offered a place at an outstanding comprehensive school (usually because a lot/most of that band also sat the grammar test so once all the DC who have been offered a place at grammar are taken out of the mix, there is only a small number left in the highest band, but they still have to take the same percentage of DC from that band.... so all offered)

So yeah....she should either get the grammar she wants or outstanding comp... Saying that I'll probably still not be able to sleep and will probably wait up again 😂

MKDmumofflash · 15/01/2023 12:03

Our area's 11+ forum has tumbleweed as well for certain schools but they don't have the complexity/demand of some other school's entrance tests so maybe there's less to discuss.

Pipsquiggle · 15/01/2023 17:02

What time do the school admissions come out on March 1st? Does it differ by area?

ElvenDreamer · 15/01/2023 18:15

I think it differs according to local council from what I remember from a similar thread I was on past year for DC1...

LockInAtTheFeathers · 15/01/2023 18:44

Yes, it differs by area. Some come out at midnight whereas others are later in the day or even at 5pm (gives me an image of everyone in their coats ready to run out of the office as soon as the button to send offers is pressed!). London is among those that wait until 5pm I think.

Aethelfleda · 17/01/2023 09:36

bored bored bored bored… Just want to know!!!

Maybetoofarsouth · 17/01/2023 11:48

Aethelfleda · 17/01/2023 09:36

bored bored bored bored… Just want to know!!!

Ha ha ha.I have had to ban myself from Rightmove as we can't move until we know what school DD will be going to and saw house of my dreams last week. So, Rightmove banned until 1 March. And I'm addicted...

Pipsquiggle · 17/01/2023 11:49

Aethelfleda · 17/01/2023 09:36

bored bored bored bored… Just want to know!!!

@Aethelfleda

Agree! Time is dragging.

When do you hear the outcome of the review?

Aethelfleda · 17/01/2023 12:48

@Pipsquiggle “mid February”, someone on the forum said it’s 16th Feb this year but in practice it will be when we get the email. For us that’s the D-day rather than 1st March, because if the Review works we should get a GS place as “our” GS has a sib rule.
We’ve already decided that it’s not worth an appeal as the our primary is not really geared up to grammar appeals and we don’t think it’s worth the uncertainty for DS. I want him to know where he’s going and make the best of it (because once the GS is full there’s v little movement and I don’t want to give him signals that we don’t like the comp).

Aethelfleda · 17/01/2023 14:51

(because we do like the comp! but think his personality and interests would make him a good fit for the gramamr)

starpatch · 17/01/2023 18:07

Fingers crossed for you

Aethelfleda · 17/01/2023 19:11

thank you @starpatch .
So glad this is my last DC doing this!

princly042 · 17/01/2023 19:52

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster
PalindromemordnilaP · 19/01/2023 00:11

Good luck to all those still waiting for a definitive answer.

Along a slightly different vein, those whose DCs have younger siblings, have you started thinking about whether you'll be going through this brutal process again? I'm really conflicted for DC2 as she's a bright child, but never as 'far ahead' as DC1 and I can imagine it feeling even more awful going through the process and not getting in, if your sibling is already there. I don't want to knock her confidence in herself.

OP posts:
UsernameOfMine · 19/01/2023 07:23

What school year is dc2??
Our dc1 passed without tutoring and dc2 saw how much he loves the grammar, we were worried a bit because the school never told us how smart she was like they had done for dc1 .... We decided to give her a chance and go to tutoring... once dc2 started tutoring she began to really click and she got a higher score than dc1.

We did "big up" the other choice schools though just in case so she would be happy with those too.

What are the other schools like around where you live?

Missingthesnow2 · 19/01/2023 07:25

PalindromemordnilaP · 19/01/2023 00:11

Good luck to all those still waiting for a definitive answer.

Along a slightly different vein, those whose DCs have younger siblings, have you started thinking about whether you'll be going through this brutal process again? I'm really conflicted for DC2 as she's a bright child, but never as 'far ahead' as DC1 and I can imagine it feeling even more awful going through the process and not getting in, if your sibling is already there. I don't want to knock her confidence in herself.

@PalindromemordnilaP yes I do think about this a lot. And how stressful it is. Dc1 was an obvious candidate - and passed. DC2 is bright enough, but I don’t think has the same skill set needed (recognising patterns and shapes, VR, word-play etc). Can’t win either way though; Don’t put DC2 in for the test and risk not giving the opportunity. Or put in knowing passing is a bit unlikely, and highlighting the (very) obvious differences between the children as siblings. Argh. (We are in Catchment, if that makes a difference).

ElvenDreamer · 19/01/2023 08:12

It is tricky, I am waiting on DC2 now, but never had a doubt it was the right thing to try, DC3 on the other hand is more tricky, very bright but not as far on as the other 2 were at that age, mainly because he's just not so interested, in which case would it even be the right environment anyway! So hard to know. We are going with giving him the opportunity to try though, and looking round all the other schools fresh again (regardless of where DC2 gets given) to make it very much about him. Have done this with each child and in all probability will end up with 3 in 3 different schools, but if that's the case, so be it! DC3 is quite laid back about it all, said he'd like some tutoring as he doesn't want to go in unprepared, and then will think about if he wants to take it or not nearer the time.
Meanwhile...why is it that 1st March still seems so far away....

Unsuredad123 · 19/01/2023 08:48

DC1 was top 25% of her class, post covid we gave her some tutoring to get back up to speed going into Yr 6, was advised unlikely to pass. Knowing her character we had already decided that. Dc2 far more laid back passed minimal effort. We now have a few years to see how they both do at different schools before all set again for dc3