11+ 2025 support thread

[AquaPeer]

Hi all,
I really enjoyed reading previous 11 plus support threads and I think we’re probably ready for a new cohort of year 5s start their prep?

so I thought I’d set up one for next year. All welcome!

we are trying for dame Alice Owen. DD currently has group tutoring once a week but we are looking to increase to twice a week before Xmas.

i am trying to get her to do a cgt GL 15 min tests a day very unsuccessfully! This half term is going to be all about embedding routine 😀

look forward to meeting other parents preparing

Yes my friend ended up coming to meet me at the park the other side of the A10. There's a cafe in it called Leon's cafe and we had a walk/run around the park. There's another cafe opposite the school called Latymer cafe which was fine but not sure you could spend hours there, and it was also full of angsty parents so not the most relaxing. There was a kids' playground next to the school as well

I think some of the "oh no, no tutoring here" fibs are down to parents trying to secure a competitive advantage. But a lot is just plain-old middle-class shame, not wanting to admit that your child is so deficient they reuired PAID HELP to pass their big test. So much nicer to bask in the plaititudes for your "untutored" child outperforming all those hot-housed kids.

Latymer done! Felt like such a long day... 3 down, 1 more to go on Friday! Can't believe it's almost over! Unless, she makes round 2 of DAO - but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Well done! It was long wasn't it? DD said her arm was nearly falling off. But somehow I felt that gave them more of a fair go than HBS blink and you miss it. Which one do you still have left to do?

For me waiting for her to finish felt like a lifetime! But yes, she said the timings were definitely better than HBS! Friday we have St Michael's, which is a girls catholic grammar school in North London. Again, it's long one - VR/NVR/Maths/English all in one go. I have to drop off at 8am and collect at 2:30pm! She has to take a packed lunch/morning snack/book to read... roll on next Saturday! Are you done for now?

Oh yes St Michael's sounds nice but we are not Catholic. Yes we are done for a few weeks. Have St Mary Magdalene on 3 Oct but that is just VR and hopefully less pressured, and then potential HB round 2 on 6 Oct but not holding my breath. Grey coat hospital is on 14 Oct but unfortunately that clashes with DD"s y6 residential. I've emailed to ask if there's an alternative but doubt it

How did it go for your DD do you think?

@SFV We're also doing St Michael's on Fri - good luck to your daughter!

Good luck to yours too! I'm curious the day will be split up seeing as they're there for 6 hours! Oh, and we hate NVR :)

Really hard to tell tbh because if she made silly mistakes in maths/vr for example, I think she'd be none the wiser! She was relieved that creative writing was a continue the story type of thing. Let's see... I believe it's pot luck non the day too!

Is it also due a fear that their child may not “pass” the test/get a high enough score to secure a place at the school they want. And if they’ve admitted their child had a ton of tutoring and still “failed”, then it may look like the child is pretty dim? (Not saying that’s the case, just that that’s the parental fear).

Not sure as I’ve always been open about tutoring (not least as I’m convinced I’m a terrible liar!).

@SFV Long old day eh! Yep, us too - devil's work! I honestly don't understand most of it. Also same here about DD being none the wiser when making silly mistakes/not reading the question properly. Let's see what happens!

@SFV Do you happen to know if there is likely to be a writing section of the test? I've read different things - I assumed it was all multiple choice style but now not so sure!

It's impossible to say for sure as they wrote the English paper themselves and like to keep us on their toes... BUT if be surprised if there wasn't creative writing on the English!

Write

does anyone have clarity on this? I’ve seen some sites say LINE and some say SHADE the box. We’ve practised both but better to know for sure.

The exam paper says "draw a line like this" so we've told him to draw a line like that.

DS started shading the box but I’ve told him to just put a clear line in the middle. That’s the correct way I’m pretty sure

I think OCR will probably read either correctly but with straight line, I’ve seen more errors with one side not being ‘touched’ adequately (which could then be skipped by the OCR reader). Shading seems more time consuming but fool proof. Have asked tutors and will report back.

I hope it doesn't come down to this. DD tends to shade regardless

I think there were a few sitting tests today. Good luck everybody!

We received our entrance test letter last week and I just wanted to check how it works on the day. Do parents go in with their child while they’re admitted for the test and then leave, or is it just a drop-off at the door? We are in Trafford btw!

Also, the letter mentioned children can bring a snack. If your child is taking one, are they putting it in a small bag, or how are they carrying it? I can’t imagine they’re meant to just hold it in their hand. I know these are little details, but I’d rather be sure! 😂

In the tests we have done (London) they go in by themselves at the gate. Is a bit nerve wracking as I was paranoid I'd sent her with the wrong form or something and I had three missed calls from a private number I couldn't return but all was well

I think they do have to carry separate stuff. Latymer said no pencil cases

We are Trafford too. When my oldest did it two years ago we queued outside the school with him and then had to leave him at the gate - there was a member of staff there making sure the children knew where to walk from the gate to the building they were sitting the test in.

When we picked up, we went onto the school grounds to the actual door of the hall they were sitting in.

This was at Sale by the way so other test centres might be different.

Snack - can't remember what we did but I think we just had a clear pencil case and put it in there. That's what I was planning to do this time anyway!