11 plus

shays_mum

Hi op, i would post on:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/11plus/
They also have a breakdown via areas.

I would look at what areas your ds is sitting VR/NVR etc & then buy books around them i.e bonds etc.

Also check whether the schools write their own papers or have them written by an external board, that will give you an idea of whether to use generic or specific papers.

If your kid is bright (you can gage from KS1 results, where they are in class etc) then year 4 is not to late to start. The best place to get advice is above, also do google searches e.g 11+ weekend tutoring in your area. Some tutors hire the local grammars & do weekend stuff, so you never know. Some of the bigger chains of tutors can do 121, but man that's gonna cost you! (you can find their details at the back of those free families online mags in the libraries).

HTH & good luck, it can be very stressful for all concerned, but hopefully will be worth it in the longterm! x

jackyann

I understand that you want the best for your children - but could you spare a moment for the Bucks children?
I know a young man who was very intelligent, but "failed" his Bucks 11+, largely because of children being bussed in from Beds & Luton. Fortunately he rose above, got a university education and is doing fine.
As we were a Beds. family I watched with some amusement, the Bucks families whose children "failed" and then suddenly, remarkably "needed" a Beds. comprehensive education!
I have known many children do very well in Beds and in Luton, and some even have good manners ( and grammar) as well as a university education!

Zziggi

Well I obviously did it all wrong. My eldest sat the 11+ last month & we only registered them in the last week if the summer term. We then enjoyed the summer holidays as time off & when school started back in September we had a look at a couple of past papers.

If a child needs 12 months of coaching or private tutoring then they really shouldn't be sitting the test and if they do get in due to all the coaching & private tutoring then they're probably taking a place from someone with natural ability.What happens if the child gets a place & then struggles to keep up in Years 7-11? Is it truly what's in the child's best interest or does the parent like the Kudos of getting their child into a grammar school?

There's absolutely no way I would have coached, tutored & generally pressured my 10 year old for 12+ months just for a grammar school place. I know it isn't a level playing field (my child has SEN, child on free school meals, child attends an "average" primary school etc etc). I also know many, many kids will have had private tuition and I know some primary schools run booster/extra classes for 11+ candidates. I still think its wrong (but understandable behaviour by some parents). And if my child hadn't passed their 11+ last month then I would have accepted it & supported their learning at the local comprehensive school.

katie1812

I work in a school in a year 6 class and we are talking about the SATs now. Unfortunately the year seems all about the tests. I would say there's not a great deal extra you can do, it's just making sure they are doing the work at school, completing homework, reading as often as possible... and actually understanding the text, so comprehension, and obviously as of this year is the introduction of a grammar test. We have alternate spelling and grammar tests and the grammar is one which we are struggling with.

I found last year with my pupils a lot of them got quite worked up about it, in particular the ones that give it all the front on an everyday basis!! They were struggling to sleep etc, so making sure they are relaxed, eating well and sleeping is a good idea.
To be honest I'm sure as a good parent you do all of these things anyways but just wanted to give the view from a school worker! x

fawd1

Sorry but I think a lot of the people here saying that children shouldn't be coached for the 11 plus are talking absolute rubbish. In the same way that you would expect a child to revise for their G.C.S.E's and A Levels, they should revise for their 11 plus. The key with the 11 plus is that it's not about how much knowledge a child has, it's about learning to recognise the type of questions they'll be asked and how to answer them. I was given tutoring for the 11+ as was almost every single girl in my school, 20 years ago.

The fact of the matter is, if they practice old papers then they should be fine. The real key in helping a child to pass is not in coaching them in the answers, but in what the questions actually mean. And before anyone asks, I wasn't the dunce of my grammar school, nor did I struggle when there, and I got 5 A levels and speak 4 languages. 11+ tutoring might not have been completely necessary to ensure I passed, but it was necessary to ensure I passed with ease and got into the school that I wanted.

mrcow

I teach in a grammar school.

I absolutely agree that the whole 11 plus issue brings the worst out in people. Personally I think that anyone who says that their child is getting absolutely zero preparation for the 11 plus is either a liar or a complete fool.

No-one who actually cared about their child would put them in for such an important test without at least letting them see an example paper and having a go at the multiple choice format (which is different to anything they will have tried before). Imagine sitting in the exam hall with all of your peers "getting on with it" and with you staring at the paper, not knowing where to start. It would be horrific. Especially with the verbal reasoning questions - there is a set format for these which, if you get your head around it, makes the questions very simple to do.

Don't pay for a tutor unless you aren't particularly suited to home tutoring (for whatever reason). Go to Amazon and buy some Bond practice bookss and nearer the time some practice papers. You can get them for different age groups and can ensure that they are appropriate level-wise.

They also do 10 minute tests which I've heard are very good.

Do speak to your school too and find out their opinion on your child's potential. They will usually be honest.

Some children start grammar with no support and some will have been coached to an inch of their lives. But the least you can do is to prepare your child so that on the day they feel confident and happy with what lies ahead.

mountainofdebt

Also I would add that if you are going to get a tutor, I would seek recommendations.

My nephew had a tutor but still failed his 11+ ....and there was no indication from the tutor that he could fail.

Moneybot

Totally agree with mrcow there does need to be some preparation for the 11+ no matter how bright a child is there is no way they are going to be able to get through the verbal reasoning paper in the time without having done some practise.

I used the Bond books with my sons and they both had some tutoring one with a private tutor and one with his primary school. I would also suggest spelling tests and word games. They will be up against children who have been at private school who don't have to do SATs so teach the top sets for the 11+. In my eldest boys year at grammar state primary had one child get in two at most from bigger primaries; one of the private schools got 10 boys in.

Before I had children I was against the grammar school system but seeing what the local comp was like I was more than happy to pay for the tutoring for the grammar and then moved into a different school catchment area as I realised no matter how bright your child is there are limited places at the grammar and you are up against much pushier, richer parents!

squeakysue

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JC9297

squeakysue wrote: »

He had a disadvantage being born in September, other children born later in the year got extra weighted points according to their birthdays.

No, he had an advantage by being born in September, that's why it is age-adjusted so that younger children don't lose out.