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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Support thread for parents trying to get their kids to do 11+ work this holiday!

92 replies

foofi · 12/07/2009 14:24

Am already dreading the holidays as dd needs to do some 11+ practice and it's so hard to get her to do anything! Anyone else in the same boat?

OP posts:

Doobydoo · 11/08/2009 18:21

I am in Lincolnshire..so not nearI am 40 too.I went to Astor secondary for the 6th form before that I was in Suffolk.

GrimmaTheNome · 11/08/2009 18:33

Just found this thread. DD is going to sit the Lancaster Girls exam in September. We're out of catchment, so to get a residual place she'd have to do extremely well.

Unfortunately the exam is maths, english comp and VR but no NVR - which is the one part DD would do for fun, but which the headmistress and LGG declared was 'not relevant for girls' (actually that comment together with it being all girls puts me off sending DD there at all).

DH has taken charge of the whole thing, I'm glad to say!

In addition to the various papers, he's setting some extra questions on things DD needs more practise on and we're playing scrabble with extra points for DD if she can identify parts of speech, classify alliterations or onomatopaia and all that sort of thing.

deaddei · 11/08/2009 22:42

Yes Grimma, dh too has suddenly sprung into action over the maths tutoring- thank God he has the answers.

QOD · 12/08/2009 09:12

on om on om onomatopaia - that's just a song to me - no ruddy idea what it means!

Merle · 12/08/2009 19:10

My son is at his tutor, being tested on vr. Am going to pick him up and to see how he has done. Am dreading it. At the beginning of the holidays I was wishing that our tests were later in the year but in fact now I'm glad they are early Sept; don't think any of us could put up with this for much longer...

Doobydoo · 12/08/2009 20:44

TBH,The whole thing is an utter farce really.

deaddei · 12/08/2009 20:48

Absolutely ddoo.
Can't wait till December when I will have all that extra money, as no more tutoring.
A whole new thread- what will you spend the tutoring money on????

QOD · 12/08/2009 22:20

Xmas pressies & caravan holidays!

mel61 · 14/08/2009 14:43

Hi, just joining this thread here, possibly a little late... But I'll give it a go: Our eldest (of three) is just getting ready to enter the fray for secondary school testing, and as you're probably aware, it's quite stressful. I'm trying to keep things calm, but he's feeling anxious and wants to keep doing homework even when offered a break. Any suggestions on how to deal with this very stressful time in a 10-year-old's life? Btw, we did go visit one of the schools that he's testing for, and he LOVED it, which has lit a fire under him, so to speak. Now he's super keen to do well, but even more stressed. Thanks!

deaddei · 14/08/2009 17:00

Does he have a tutor ar are you doing workbooks yourself? Tell your son that he needs to give his brain a rest- that by reading a book he's learning, it doesn't have to be a vr paper. He can burn himself out by doing too much- so maybe do a timetable for him (especially when he's back at school) and make sure he doesn't do extra. A tutor may be the person to tell him- thay tend to listen to other adults, not parents!
As I said before, we've been doing half an hour a day, but we go on holiday tomorrow so it will be a complete break.
It IS a stressful time but we as parents must try not to let it take over normal life.

ShellingPeas · 20/08/2009 12:05

Just had our confirmation of dates and place for DS to sit 11+ - practice on 12th September, real test on 19th September. GULP!

We've not been pushing it too much, just test papers a couple of times a week and have a tutor once a week who runs through what he's been doing. Fortunately he really enjoys the work (actually hates school holidays as he gets bored v quickly) so haven't had to force him yet.

One thing I didn't realise but have found out through looking at various 11+ websites, is that the raw score the children achieve e.g. 45 out of 50 or whatever, bears little resemblance to the actual results they get as it's all standardised. It seems in our area that if the children achieve in the region of 75 to 80% raw score on a test they will get the maximum 140 points. It helps, in some ways, that DS is one of the youngest in his year as it will boost his score a bit.

Doobydoo · 22/08/2009 21:40

Ds1 has done nothing 11+ wise for a week...doesn't appear to want to.We do ask him but he has not wanted to this last week.We have lots of stressy type things going on too which may not help.Will see how he feels next week.

QOD · 24/08/2009 16:45

We have had a bit of time off too, I kind of feel if its not there now, its too late!

Merle · 25/08/2009 07:20

Am starting to wonder how anyone passes this wretched test.

Doobydoo · 25/08/2009 13:12

Agree Merle.We are fortunate in that we have another option other than Grammar[home ed]Ds1 was all for the Grammar but seems to have gone lukewarm now.I reckon when he goes back to School he will do some 11+ practice at home in the run up.The 2 tests are a week apart so we shall see.

Merle · 25/08/2009 19:02

OMG after all the homework we've done this summer home ed is the least attractive option I can imagine.

Doobydoo · 25/08/2009 21:19

We are basically autonomous home edders and fit to suit ds1 who is quite high maintenance at times!

Merle · 25/08/2009 22:07

Do you take him out of school when he needs it and them let him go back in?

Doobydoo · 25/08/2009 22:16

Well not really.He went to school for 2 terms when he was 5 and then we moved to Republic of Ireland[we have been back 5 months]He went to school in Ireland for 2 terms as well but has been home edded in between those times[he will be 10 on Saturday]He started school here in April having been home edded for about 3 years.

Merle · 25/08/2009 22:18

Has it gone alright since he has been back at school (going off at tangent here)?

Doobydoo · 25/08/2009 22:24

Fine in terms of academia....But had been bullied and is shocked and upset at the pettiness of children in school....random acts of violence like pushing and name calling and tripping people up.All what many people would say is normal but ds1 has found it quite bewildering.Also he has quite high expectations of school and not sure these are being met.

Merle · 25/08/2009 22:32

I bet he'd do really well at a grammar school, then.

Doobydoo · 25/08/2009 22:36

Well having seen some of the boys and looked at what they do and what they are interested in I think better there than anywhere else [as we can't afford fee paying]
If he wants to go he will do the prep[that's the theory]
We ask him daily but he isn't interested at the moment[for a week and a half]
TBH I will be glad when it's all done with.
Our point is if that he wants to go he needs to put the effort in really and if he dosen't do his best and dosen't get in then not to whinge.Harsh lesson but cannot spend my time nagging about this as he can be quite hard work generally!
Good luck to your ds.

Merle · 25/08/2009 22:43

Thanks and to yours. I think they lose sight of why they are doing the practice; to them it seems as if it is going to go on forever, whilst we know that the clock is ticking....

QOD · 07/09/2009 19:33

meh
it's next weeeeek!

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