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.

Love this @yoshiblue !!

Good for you - it’s absolutely the case that it’s not just the kids who slog and stress for this!

Hi all, stopped away from the thread for a few days and it's lit up like a firework, just been having a read through the last 3 pages. Lots of you done now, well done, you all deserve that glass! To those saying about children not getting through all the questions, try not to stress too much, while it differs from county to county of course, my impression is lots of the papers are literally designed like this, so there is not enough time to actually complete, otherwise there's no way to differentiate between the top candidates, they need to get all those marks strung out on a bell curve. 2 days left now for Essex and I can't wait for it to be over, thank goodness it's my 3rd and final child, I couldn't face doing it again that's for sure!

Does anyone know when the Bexley results are out pls. Thanks

@ElvenDreamer it's my 3rd too but I have one more to get through. He's just started year 5 my older son sits the exam on Friday and the younger one starts his tuition on Saturday. I actually feel exhausted at the thought of doing it all again!!

@troppibambini6 that sounds exhausting! I have two more to get through but mine are more spaced out so a bit of time in between 😆

My first thought reading this was ‘like a firework - one point for figurative language’. Loosing my mind. 😅 Good luck to all the kids taking it on Saturday!

I don't know how you've all managed it with multiple kids. So glad I have an only child here! 😂

Yes I've got a year or two before I need to think about it for the younger one so feel for those of you with another one sooner. Younger ones is a very different character so we'll have to see whether it's right for him to work for it. Also if older one doesn't pass he might just want to go to the same school as his brother so that will affect our approach too. Lots of unknowns currently.
Someone mentioned area specific forums but I couldn't find these under education - any tips? Some moral support would be great if we're doing it again... Husband's idea of a helpful comment along the way was 'he's bright of course he'll pass' having not looked at any of the practice questions....

@troppibambini6 it's hard going isn't it, I don't envy you. Mine are close in age too and it's just felt relentless.
@NoWayRose 🤣, thats probably what was in my head when I wrote it!
@Danascully2 yes Ive had lots of helpful family members say things like that too, no help whatsoever and makes the poor kid feel pressured when I'm trying to do the opposite!

Yes I have had discussions with him about the many flaws in the 11+ system which mean that if he doesn't pass it doesn't really mean anything much.
It's felt like a long road of getting the right balance between reassuring him that it's ok if he doesn't pass and getting him to practice (because I can see that grammar would really suit him).

@Danascully2 that's exactly our experience too. Btw, I just reread what you said about area specific forums, I don't think people mean on mumsnet, they will mean the 11+ forums which you can find here: https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/11plus/index.php

Ahhh that would explain why I couldn't find them! Have never heard of them, I'll have a look, thank you very much :)

Now we're in a weird limbo period where we are looking round two sets of schools, one set which won't be relevant to us but we won't know which one until after the results.so need to look round them all.. Which does seem a bit of a waste of everyone's time.

The girl next to my daughter cheated all the way through (flipping between sections) and the invigilator didn’t notice!

How is flipping between sections cheating?

@slaybell in the Trafford exam each section is timed then you move on. You aren't allowed to go back to any previous section once the time is up.

Ah I see, thanks.

DD sat the Trafford exam but other than saying she thought she did okay, getting anything else out of her is impossible. Didn't know that's how it was structured!

Phew glad that's all over!

Ds said today's was good. Easier than Monday so everything crossed.

Does anyone find the 11plus forums much use? In my area (Kingston/Sutton) the only thread that is ever updated is on waiting list positions. Am I looking in the wrong place, everyone talks about how useful they are re finding about 11plus etc. is it because we are in a super selective area that no one will ever post!! 😭

@troppibambini6 same for us, that's what my DS said too! Time to relax!

@Propertyladder123 we are a super selective area too, the most useful thing I've found on the forums in our area are the threads of previous years results as you can see the trends of the marks required.

I did find the one for our area thanks to the link posted above and reading previous posts was helpful in explaining the options after results come out. Not the same one as yours though so sounds like it varies.

DD found today's more difficult (different school so different exam though) than Monday's! Either way, glad it's all over and so is DD. So pleased she can finally relax.

DD2 in Y5 though so the cycle repeats

@slaybell think that's the school both my dds are at/ went to. There exams can be tricky. I know last year a lot of girls came out upset as it wasn't what they were expecting. Good luck to your dd and as you say time to relax and chill!