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Secondary education

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Original poster

11+

26 replies

superplumb · 07/06/2023 17:05

My son is in Yr 4 and we have started tutoring in groups of 4 students although not the 11+ syllabus until sep this year. Currently is jist cementing what they dhould know already.He is set homework which are smallish amounts every week. Prob is he moans like hell about doing it. The tutor said he lacks confident but at this stages doesn't see anything obvious why he shouldn't progress well.
He wants to go to the grammar because he close friends are ( who are having 1.1 ) and likely pass as they enjoy doing homework apparently.
I'm not sure how I can encourage him. If he is sure he hates it do I just save my money and send him the the average school or keep pushing him to do the work? I've told him, it doesn't matter if you fail but I want him to try his best. He's quite sensitive and anxious anyway, always has been. Not sure what's best. Any advice welcome

OP posts:
skyblueblue · 07/06/2023 18:09

Do you want to try Atom (a digital adaptive leaning platform for 11+). ? My kid is bright but did not like homework/practice etc. but enjoys doing Atom due to its gamification design. Its difficulty levels adapt to the kid's ability to motivate and stretch. I love it due to detailed performance data & it saves me loads of energy

It is free for 5 days, so maybe have a taste and if you do not like it, just cancel it.

In case you may want to subscribe after the trial, they are doing £30 off promotion now using the link: atomlearning.com/p/md4b5dOI

Or use the code: md4b5dOI

RedFluffyPanda · 07/06/2023 21:40

It is not like there are grammar schools and average state school. There is a whole range of state run or faith schools that are worse than average and almost as good in results as gramma schools are. I would not be mesmerised by grammar as the ultimate holy grail school. Only some kids, with a specific characteristics are thriving in grammar school. And if you look at the acceptance rates from Oxbridge, the majority there are not from grammar but independent and most importantly other state schools

RedFluffyPanda · 07/06/2023 21:43

What I am trying to say that if he is not ready for 11+ preparations then he is not probably the grammar school type. However, it doesn't mean that he is not academic type and that he will not succeed very well at GCSE or A-levels. The father of my son is a scientist. When he was in a primary school he was poorly performing student. He had a major awakening in secondary school as he fallen in love with science...

Gershwining · 07/06/2023 22:30

I think if your son has a tendency towards anxiety, tutoring him for the 11+ in Year 4 sounds like a lot of pressure to put him under.

I would save your money and not worry about it for now. If in a year's time he is dead set on going to the grammar school, then you could try some one on one tutoring to give him some experience with past papers etc. but only if your son really wants to. If he is going to succeed in a grammar school, he shouldn't need tutoring from Year 4.

ThisSummerBetterBeDarnGood · 07/06/2023 22:36

O answers you on other thread.

I disagree with red panda entirely.
My dd 1 didn't want to the hours of extra work and didn't need it! But hers wasn't super selection.

She's always been highly motivated self starter but once that didn't want to hours of extra work and she didn't need it.

Your son may not need it.

SummerIsComingLate · 08/06/2023 00:25

To assess if your child's efforts are sufficient or any extra work is needed:

  1. Find out how many applicants per place for the grammar school.
  1. Take Relevant Mock Exam, with result percentile to benchmark against 1.
Original poster
superplumb · 08/06/2023 06:50

ThisSummerBetterBeDarnGood · 07/06/2023 22:36

O answers you on other thread.

I disagree with red panda entirely.
My dd 1 didn't want to the hours of extra work and didn't need it! But hers wasn't super selection.

She's always been highly motivated self starter but once that didn't want to hours of extra work and she didn't need it.

Your son may not need it.

I've seen super selection mentioned a few times before bit what does it mean?

OP posts:
Original poster
superplumb · 08/06/2023 06:51

SummerIsComingLate · 08/06/2023 00:25

To assess if your child's efforts are sufficient or any extra work is needed:

  1. Find out how many applicants per place for the grammar school.
  1. Take Relevant Mock Exam, with result percentile to benchmark against 1.

I'm not sure he could do a mock yet because they havnt started the 11+ tuition yet...his lessons are just going over stuff to spot any weakness really

OP posts:
ThisSummerBetterBeDarnGood · 08/06/2023 07:36

You get in on the highest score

tennissquare · 08/06/2023 07:40

@superplumb super selective is where there is a high number of applicants and you don't have to necessarily live in catchment so in north London / herts - QE and HBS and in SW London / Surrey - Tiffin and Sutton based schools like Wilson's,

Have you spent time on the elevenplusexams.co.uk website in the forum section? Some areas of the uk are not as competitive as others for the 11plus.

RedFluffyPanda · 08/06/2023 07:58

@ThisSummerBetterBeDarnGood

I am unsure why you disagree with me if your child did not go to superselective. Obviously she/he didn't need it. I was talking about selective school case.

RedFluffyPanda · 08/06/2023 08:02

Tiffin and Sutton schools have catchment+ are at the same time superselective

Wallington/Wilson have no catchment ans who passes the best gets in.

Original poster
superplumb · 08/06/2023 08:03

tennissquare · 08/06/2023 07:40

@superplumb super selective is where there is a high number of applicants and you don't have to necessarily live in catchment so in north London / herts - QE and HBS and in SW London / Surrey - Tiffin and Sutton based schools like Wilson's,

Have you spent time on the elevenplusexams.co.uk website in the forum section? Some areas of the uk are not as competitive as others for the 11plus.

No not heard of it. If he does the 11+ it will be for the local one. I'm not moving cross country for him to get into a diff one.

OP posts:
CurlewKate · 08/06/2023 08:17

@superplumb what sort of grammar school are you aiming for for your ds.

Goldencup · 08/06/2023 08:21

I think you need to do a bit of research you sound slightly confused. Are you in a grammar school county (eg Kent) if so there are no comprehensives the non selective secondary schools are high schools and will not provide the academic rigour of a grammar school. Superselectives are different there are comprehensives in those areas.

Bovrilla · 08/06/2023 08:27

It really depends where you are. The Kent system where is less super selective than other places where less than 5% of children get in.

Both mine only had tutoring for yr5. Youngest takes 11+ in September. One of tutoring should be sufficient if they're bright and motivated

Peacepudding · 08/06/2023 08:29

My DD is in y7 at a superselective. We started group tutoring in the September of y5 and she wasn't very engaged to begin with when it came to practising at home. It didn't help that it was during covid and a lot of the sessions were over zoom.

However she did really want to go - her best friends were aiming for the same school - and the summer before the exam she pulled out all the stops, and practised with little complaint. She passed comfortably.

I think possibly at the end of y4 this feels a long way off to him, and I would not be overly concerned at this point or write him off as not being grammar school material because he doesn't want to do the homework.

Original poster
superplumb · 08/06/2023 08:33

Goldencup · 08/06/2023 08:21

I think you need to do a bit of research you sound slightly confused. Are you in a grammar school county (eg Kent) if so there are no comprehensives the non selective secondary schools are high schools and will not provide the academic rigour of a grammar school. Superselectives are different there are comprehensives in those areas.

Buckinghamshire

OP posts:
Original poster
superplumb · 08/06/2023 08:33

The local catchment area one in Buckinghamshire

OP posts:
SamPoodle123 · 08/06/2023 08:57

@superplumb I would get him to do Atom learning, as it is short bursts if you want. Basically the dc can spend as long or as little and you can see how they are doing, where their weaknesses are etc.

Original poster
superplumb · 08/06/2023 08:58

SamPoodle123 · 08/06/2023 08:57

@superplumb I would get him to do Atom learning, as it is short bursts if you want. Basically the dc can spend as long or as little and you can see how they are doing, where their weaknesses are etc.

Thank you. I'll have a look at it

OP posts:
RedFluffyPanda · 08/06/2023 09:29

Most grammars in Bucks are not superselective and he should get on with no problems. They are moatly not different than other good state schools

I would recommend following thread
www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4550042-buckinghamshire-grammar-schools 

Original poster
superplumb · 08/06/2023 09:30

RedFluffyPanda · 08/06/2023 09:29

Most grammars in Bucks are not superselective and he should get on with no problems. They are moatly not different than other good state schools

I would recommend following thread
www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4550042-buckinghamshire-grammar-schools 

Thank you

OP posts:
2privateschoolDDs · 08/06/2023 11:39

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2privateschoolDDs · 08/06/2023 11:41

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