Is it common for selective schools to generate revenue from 11+ "mocks"?

[riteofpassage]

A local state grammar school has announced that it will be offering 11+ "familiarisation" tests for up to 1400 Year 5 students in the last week of the summer holidays. They say are doing this to reduce anxiety about the process, but also to generate revenue for the school, and they are asking parents and students to volunteer time to help. Is this a common fundraiser for selective schools?

Yes and it has been the case for a long time.

For example private schools in London charge a fee just for applying:

£100 per applicant x 1,400 applicants = £140,000 in revenue

I don't know of it in any of our local state grammars

The grammars local to us do familiarisation sessions but they are free.

The grammars near us offer a range of dates and people often book 2 dates (it's a 2 stage test). It's probably a fair money making scheme for the schools. I don't know how they staff it.

It is common, Sutton mock is organised by the PTA to raise funds, similar for St Oalves mock exam I heard. It generate a lot of income.

On the other hand, have you heard of exam tourist trying " free mock" by sitting a lot of schools in London area?

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/grammar-school-coffers-drained-by-test-tourism-as-pushy-parents-use-11-plus-as-mock-exam/

Not heard of that in our grammar area but people in our borough and other areas do use the neighbouring area as a mock as its earlier. Little to no chance of entry as it's on pass then distance and not score.

Sorry if I’m hijacking the thread, but DS did one of these 11+ familiarisation tests recently. He hasn’t had any coaching/tutoring for 11+ but he’s considered to be one of the most able in his year group. This was born out by his above average standardised score for English, but to our surprise he was slightly below average standardised score for maths. He completed slightly over half the maths questions and said that he had not covered every question that was asked. Is this par for the course because they are only in year five and wouldn’t have covered every area of maths to that level? If so, why would would they be tested to 11+ level if they are familiarisation tests for Year 5?

I can see why they're not happy if over a third who sit the actual tests have no intention or likelihood of taking or being offered a place.

It would be easier if, like public exams, results were only released on a particular day and even more so if they were only on a fixed date - but then people would be unhappy that it's one date that they might not be able to make/a child could be ill (maybe that would then lead to a demand for special consideration and larger number of appeals, which would be a pain and further cost?).

It's another example of how financial privilege increases access to selective education, though - £45 is a significant whack for somebody on benefits, £90 for both English and Maths even more so.

Assuming you’re in a selective grammar area then the 11plus tests the full year 6 syllabus (and frankly beyond that.) this is why almost all kids are tutored as State schools don’t prepare for 11plus.

Whether being high in his class will be enough to pass will ultimately depend on how tough the pass mark locally is. Where do you live?

It's another example of how financial privilege increases access to selective education, though - £45 is a significant whack for somebody on benefits, £90 for both English and Maths even more so.

Yep.

Similarly I’ve heard of schools charging quite hefty amounts for packs of past papers. They make it hard to get hold of them too. Only available directly from the school during term-time from a particular secretary who rarely seems to be available. No good realising at the start of the summer hols that you don’t have them. Another form of selection I suppose and perhaps not such a bad one.

@OneHandInPocket , even private schools pupils will tutor, to cover topics and test techniques. It is not covered in schools, though some prep schools have place extra sessions; even so families do extra homework either within or paid to get DC use to questions they haven’t seen before.
Check out 11+ maths workbooks so you can help DC.

Our local grammars offer free sessions to local primary school children.