2023 Eleven Plus support thread

[elevenduck]

I thought it might be useful for parents of 2023 children taking the 11+ test next school year to have a space to talk everything 11+ - tips on managing stress, approaches to the different papers, ways of relaxing etc.

Let's try and keep it positive and supportive!

It tells you the pass mark, the marks for each section of the test and your overall standardised score. It will say whether you are selective or not. It will say whether you are too 180 or not and the mark for achieving top 180 but not your specific rank. It will also say how many took the test and how many were deemed selective.

Yes. They are due by Saturday but I'm hoping it will be before then.

Thanks @historyrepeatz
thats a lot to take in in one email 😂

I wasn't there today (my DH brought him) but I did join DS for the year 5 taster morning a few months ago and did like it then. DS loves it. He really liked Chis and Sid but so far his heart is really set on Beth's for some reason. It's the longest and most awkward commute for us which is annoying and I'm trying to get him to understand the realities of that. I think it's just a school that seems quite STEM focused and is both rugby and football school too. Plus his best friend likes it too.

I would have screenshot DD's but her name is repeated a few times.

We are a GL area, obviously each region has a process but our results letter said:

“X has met the required standard for entry to X Grammar School. They scored X for Maths, X for English and X for VR. Their standardised score is X and the overall required standard for your school was X. The scores have been standardised, taking into account any “age weighting”. All papers have a range between 69 and 141 marks – these are not percentages. The average score for each test was 100. We must emphasise that at this stage the information above is for guidance only. This letter does not constitute an offer of a place. It is important to note that meeting the required standard does not guarantee that a student will be offered a place at X Grammar School as we are usually over-subscribed.”

Does anyone here have any thoughts on townley ? If we get a pass that is the most likely one we would get as I think their catchment goes quite far, we are due to go to the open evening this week but would be great if anyone here has any first hand experience
plus I am trying to keep distracted ! DD out with a friend who did not do 11 plus so blissfully unaware thankfully
she found the whole experience of the kent test much nicer than bexley however

@CokeZeroPlease - exactly the same here: Townley is the one school we are likely to be successful at (assuming a postive result today, which I'm actually doubting!) and my DD also found the experience at Kent much nicer than Bexley (despite having to sit the test on a sweltering hot day in a room with no A/C!)

@BlackLambAndGreyFalcon interesting !
which kent schools are you looking at ?
again IF we get good news on that tomorrow we are going to have a look at Weald and Tonbridge although I realise Tonbridge requires very high scores so realistically it would be Weald

@CokeZeroPlease our only realistic option due to travelling logistics is DGGS. But it depends on her score as we're not in their priority area.

IF she passes in the first place, that is!

Another one hear who has crazy temperatures for the Kent test followed by Bexley.

For us and if lucky it will be a toss up between Chis and sid and Beths. Beths has a wonderful range of languages but Chis and sid was the best rated I think for academics, although that could all change...

@11plusdrama we really like C&S
although one thing I meant to ask but didn’t is how do they ensure equal ish weighting of boys and girls when they admit ? Do they have a set number of boys they admit with a certain score and a certain number of girls ?

I know it is slightly more weighted in favour of boys I just wondered how they make sure it doesn’t end up being 80:20 sort of thing if that makes sense !

Just pondering really
argh
refresh refresh refresh !

@CokeZeroPlease DD is at Townley but I don't really feel I can say that much about it and can't make comparisons. She does mention certain teachers who make subjects more interesting than others. The new cohorts are not allowed smartphones at all. Chromebooks are purchased by parents unlike other schools in the borough. There was a bit of cover teaching in the early years but I think that's the same in many other places due to staffing problems and experienced teachers are kept with exam years understandably. If there are problems such as not doing homework/ following instructions/ being late parents receive an email or are copied in.

Cokezero I drilled down and asked questions about whether the girls felt comfortable and on an equal footing to the boys and they did. They did mention there were more boys than girls but it didn't seem an issue so I didn't ask further.

I know other friends with girls who are keen on chis and sid over townley but I also thought that may be because of sibling policy with younger boys in the family.

I suppose if you are lucky enough to get a grammar place in Bexley you really are fortunate as they all seem to be very good!

@11plusdrama that’s good to know !
oh absolutely
however all the positivity I felt when dd came out saying it was fine has slowly drained away with this wait !
oooffff

Oh come on Bexley!!!!!!! I can't believe that I'm about to leave for school pick up and I STILL DON'T KNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm LOSING MY MIND!!!!!

Arrghh!! I swear waiting to go into labour with DD this time 11 years ago was nothing on this

I cracked and have just been on hold with Bexley council - the person I spoke with said we should get them by 6 pm..

Cokezero I love that comment, yes this is worse than waiting for Labour to begin. Come on Bexley!

I can’t believe that’s all they said that’s no more than the website they must be told to say nothing other than the line by 6pm 17 October. It’s incredibly frustrating I don’t know why they are stringing it out this year.

😂😂😂😂😂

I feel better for speaking to a human but yes I said to them that they have always come out earlier.

COME ON BEXLEY RELEASE THE RESULTS!

DS' hopeful little face coming out of school and I'm like 'i got nothing for you!'

Coraline that made me chuckle.

my child is none the wiser at the moment so I am acting calm but in a state of high alert..

Sp in a state of stress I message a friend who says .. don't stress X might not reach the standard anyhow .. most kids don't...

Thanks for that good friend! Just lovely.