11 plus support thread for exams 2024

[ElvenDreamer]

Hi all,
Anyone fancy joining me for for an 11 plus support thread for those yr 5s who are probably just starting a bit of prep now ready to sit exams in September 2024?

State grammar is the angle I'm personally coming from but all welcome no matter if you're applying to private selective, state aptitude tests etc.

This will be my 3rd and final time of going through this and I've found support threads here really useful the previous times.

HBS 1st round results are out and I'm just wondering how their score usually compares to what less competitive schools require? DD didn't get through to the second round and I'm just wondering if it's worth it sitting for other schools 🤔

I am not sure about HBS. But I have heard/read about children not getting into one school and getting into another more competitive school, so you really just never know. It all depends on the luck of the day of the exam. I would not stop at one exam, give her a chance to take others. Of course, it may be one is not prepared well enough, but it can be just a bad exam day.

Yes, it’s a sample of one but my friend’s daughter got in City of London Girls’ School having not made the grade at a couple of supposedly easier schools. It wouldn’t put me off trying for one or two more schools with a high pass mark but obviously you want some “easier” schools including a back up that you could live with. And HBS is meant to me one of the most competitive.

Yes, always good to have a variety of schools. At least one stretch, one middle and one back up.

Hope all the DCs with exams today got on ok! DS said his was fine. I'm so glad it's over! Now for the anxious wait. Is that everyone done now?

When does everyone get results? We are before the 21st October for one school and before 31st for the main consortium. That's the official line but in previous years the consortium always comes first.

We've been told 4th October for one school and mid-October for the other.

I wish we were done - our target school exam isn’t until January! 😱

10 days until results over here, had email through yesterday confirming they will be sent at noon on the 11th.

My son took great delight in throwing the heaps of practice papers etc in the recycling!!

11th here too, though not until later in the day. I was very tempted to have a bonfire of all the material but have reluctantly kept most of the practice test books - most are only half completed so we can use them for the younger one. I was very happy to put them away though!

It's the 18th for us so we're halfway through the waiting period. Luckily we've got a busy October to distract us but I hope DS isn't thinking about it as much as I am!

Same here @MincemeatMaestro I’m thinking about the results loads but hoping that DD will forget about it for a while!

Our results aren’t due until 15th Oct, I’m jealous of those of you who will get to hear a few days earlier!

We’re only given a window but it’s almost certainly going to be 24th 😞

14th October for us, that's when scores are out anyway, then if scores seem like they might be good enough it's the interminably long wait until March. In the meantime we have started looking round the local state schools open days, some of which are OK, but realistically would only be likely to get our catchment school which is sadly well below par. Trying to be very positive about it for DC just in case while crossing my fingers very hard for the grammar school.
Hang in there everyone!

14th for us too. The wait is killing me! They didn’t finish the maths and keep wondering how much affect that will have

They be put on 14/15th, same every year.

I'd love to find out on 14th/15th but all the council communications say 18th so I don't want to get my hopes up that they'll be out sooner.

Ours is posted on the 11th, but who knows when it will arrive! DD's entry card never got to us, I had to contact the school and get it emailed over.

Yeah the wait until next Friday is nothing compared to the wait until March!!!

If the mocks were anything to go by we’re likely to be in the zone of uncertainty where no idea if the marks will be enough or not but I guess it’s one hurdle at a time!

I can't believe some schools still send the results by post, that's ridiculous! Luckily ours are uploaded to the Applicaa site, although I don't know what time it will be, so I'll probably be awake at midnight checking!

DD has passed! So happy. Hope everyone else has good news coming their way too 🤞. Still got an anxious wait for DS's results here.

Ah that's great news @RandomUsernameHere , are you in an area where a pass means the place is secure at this point? Fingers crossed for your DS also.

Really happy for you :)

Thank you @ElvenDreamer @Danascully2 !
Yes we are lucky that they do not rank them in order of scores, all those that pass are eligible to apply and then it's done by catchment/distance. We are in catchment and only 2 miles away. I'm just worried now that DD will not want to go, as none of her friends have passed unfortunately, which is going to take the shine off it a bit.

Well done to you and your DD, @RandomUsernameHere, and great that you can be confident she's got a place for Y7. I hope your DD comes round to the idea of going to a different school to her friends; that must be really hard, especially if she was expecting some to pass and be going with her?