Why does the 11plus create so much trauma?

[sykes]

I presume it's because there are less grammar schools? But when I passed it, years ago, you just did it. So, is that it? Less places? I do understand that but it seems worse than cramming for CEE.

[3littlefrogs]

Just filled in the form for 3rd choice - 1800 applicants for 120 places last year. sigh.

[MrsGuyOfGisbourne]

I think the coaching just helps with exam technique - don't believe
you can 'coach' a child to answer the questions if they are not bright enough. But perhaps it would be fairer if there were NO advance info and they just changed the format each year - eg one year maths and comprehension, next verbal or non verbal etc, with no clues as what it will be or which exam board will be setting the questions - eg NFER etc?

[BodenGroupie]

Sykes, dd1 didn't have coaching of any sort - I was worried that if she needed coaching to get in she might struggle once she was there. That was three years ago but things seem to be a lot more competitive now. It wouldn't have been the end of the world if she'd not passed cos our local comp is fine - we had no grandma to sell, FF!

[3littlefrogs]

Last year some tutors had got hold of the papers and some children came out of the exam saying they had seen it the previous week. It is shocking that tutors would stoop to this - charging a small fortune for months or sometimes years of tutoring, then cheating. Some people have no morals.

[Havenamechangedtostayanonymous]

DD has to re-do her test for the local grammar as a tutor had got hold of the papers beforehand! There's about 6-7 applicants per place here so not horrendous but hardly great chances!

[fircone]

Do we ever hear what happens to the people whose dcs 'fail' the 11+ after they have spent hours and hours and hundreds of pounds on coaching and hundreds of thousands on moving to a grammar school area?

I know when I went to grammar school (late 70s) we had some neighbours who moved exactly opposite my school saying how convenient it would be for 'Alice'. Then Alice failed the 11+. They became leaders of the 'abolish grammar schools' campaign and actually displayed posters in their windows and in their car. They clearly had not heard of hypocrisy.

[MrsGuyOfGisbourne]

PPH - indeed! My Dc know to wind me up by deliberately saying 'less' where fewer is correct , but I comfort myself in the knowledge that lt least they understand why it drives me insane

[PrincessPeaHead]

I can't get past the first line of this thread

fewer grammar schools, not less

[Aero]

It's only been like that since last year cod - I've seen so many parents of children who are borderline agonise over whether to put a grammar school as first choice or the nearest decent comp to be sure of a place at a half decent school, thus possibly denying a child who passes a grammar place just a few years ago. Glad someone has finally seen sense to change the crazy system!

[Cocolepew]

OMG, I thought 400 applicants for 80 places was bad

[NotCod]

1500 applicants!!! omg ours looks small fyr then

yes aero - your system si a lot better i think

[3littlefrogs]

Where I live all the selective schools have their own exam, and they are all different. The local grammar school has 4 papers on one day. The others spread them over 2 days.

1300 applicants per 65 places last year at our first choice.

1500 for 120 places at our next choice.

The only way is to sit them for 4 or 5 schools. There is a huge amount of guilt for putting them through it all, but on balance I feel we have to try.

It is very stressful.

[Aero]

Lol - that is funny Cod.

We're in Medway and I'm feeling bad about putting ds1 through this too. It's on 18th Oct and results are fairly speedy. Will be out by end of month, then we have two weeks to visit schools and get applications in depending on result. Ideal as at least you can put your first choice at the top knowing the result. We won't find out which schools though until March!

Local comp ok too though, but for ds1 the sporting opportunities at the grammar school are screaming at him to pass the exam. It's definitely touch and go on the day though as he also makes careless mistakes and works a bit slowly despite being very able.

[NotCod]

lol at fio

[Cocolepew]

Some of the questions are ridculous, my mate in work used to be an electrician and he couldn't answer a circuit one.

Though maybe that's why he's not an electrican anymore.

[NotCod]

sliding
how many men slide on street corners?

[NotCod]

yes its not really a test iof intelligence uinless oyu are UBER UEBR bright

what will let ds1 down is rushign or not answering the q

there was this one in a test paper

" put in the three letters needed to make htis word in caps into a snetence"

"michael was SDING on a street corner"

of course he was STANDING
but in ds1s world he was

sliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigind man!

nob!! how we raored"

[Cocolepew]

And if the child picks a school and doesn't get the right grade they have to re-apply for the other schools even though you have to put down a choice of 4.

And, if a child is accepted to a Grammar School with a grade lower than an A and then a child with an A re-applies to that school, they automatically get the place and the other child has to re-apply to another school.

It's a bloody minefield.

[solo]

It was the 20th Sept Fio. Bexley ones were 16th/17th. Doubt Ds has passed, but he didn't work for them very much and wasn't coached. Results on 14th I think, so we shall see...

[NotCod]

msn fio

[NotCod]

yes but his comeptitive streak has served him well.
he really wants to pass
have had two tearey sessions in the whoel hting which made me sad but its so wroth it
its a great schoola nd tbh he belongs there- its not like he is border line

the only issue is learngin HOW to do the test