Are we mad?

[Jeepers]

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/school ... n-profiles

this should be it...

[munch]

Hi, which section type did your DS get wrong as I may be able to help.

[faitaccompli]

Thanks Munch.
I think we are sorted as (between us) we were able to work out how to do it!
It was the last section in Verbal Reasoning Test 3

It was where you are given a word, with a code next to it.
I showed him how to do the first 3. Then we got to

SATSUMA with the code RBSTTNZ which threw me slightly. Fortunately, he worked it out and showed me how to do it and was able to decode RQQPTUR.

When I got to WINE being DRMV and trying to put the code for WHISKY I was tempted to give up totally - again, he eventually worked out how to do it.

I am sure there is a "proper" way to do the coding for these - we ended up writing out the alpahbet about 20 times to try to work them out!

So if you have the official way to tackle these, then I would be much appreciative.

Thanks

[Jeepers]

Hi again

I was hoping that someone a bit better at this than me would answer this one for you...but I'll give it a go.

There are 3 types of these that I can recall:

The basicy type ones (all are add/minus one or more letters) A to B, CtoD etc all the way through to Z which maps to A.

The fancy basic ones (such as your example) where its go forward one, then back one or another pattern all the way through. Often a clue if the same letter in the code word maps to 2 different answers.

The mirror ones (your last example) where they draw an imaginary line down the alphabet in the middle (between N and M) and the code is the reflected letter.

The method is to use the alphabet all written out (some papers provide this at the top of the page). Then for each letter in the key word write the movement to get the answer on top of the letter +1, -1 (making sure to count these carefully on the alphabet (using little arcs if poss to avoid mistakes). This will show a pattern if its basic not if its mirror. For mirror the pairs are always the same and they get to recognise them AZ, LO, VE, KP are ones my DC knew (i think and please check these on a bit of paper rather than take my word for it). I have read somewhere of people learning the whole set of pairs...we didn't go that far, just had a few key ones to look out for to speed up.

practise to stop the error of decoding the wrong way because the question is sometimes written "what does this code mean" and sometimes its "what would the code be for." Check for errors by sense checking mutual letters in the given word (although in the fancy ones this doesn't always work) and the question word. Remember that if a code turns into a word in the question, it usually does in the answer too. Practise to get the speed up in recognising question types and decoding. Once he has got the hang of it use a timer like they will in the exam.

hope thats ok, and not too confusingly written. the books were packed away straight after the exam and the real expert at this type of thing is upstairs in bed and is not discussing anything 11+ related at the moment or possibly ever again. It may be worth posting in the nvr section for other opinions if nec.

hope its going well.

J

[faitaccompli]

Thanks Jeepers - that is what did happen (the code and the word being muddled up so he was going up rather than down the alphabet) - will try your solution as I think that writing something down such as +1 and -1 will focus him on where he is trying to go. Good idea!

[Fran17]

A friend of mine decided to go the grammar school route in Essex about six weeks before the exam and her daughter got into the grammar of her choice. It can be done, keep plugging away. Good luck.

[chad]

As you have a boy then one of your nearest (non grammar) schools will be Windsor Boys school. this was once a Grammar and still keeps some of that ethos. Very sporty..... especially rowing, rugby, cricket. Also good at performing arts....I haven't got personal experience of this school but have a look at the website.
Did you look at St Bernards Grammar? Although a 'catholic school' they also take non catholics every year. Good results and friends are currently very happy with the choice for their daughter. (Year 8 )

As an aside , the different grammar schools have different admission criteria. Slough allocated the first 100 on score and then the next 45 on distance as long as you have reached the pass mark. Herschel is similar with the first 70 on score and the next 50 on distance.
Langley has a 'catchment' and publishes the postcodes, Holyport as SL6 comes within that area. Langley does tend to offer down to about a score of 1118- 120 in the first round and possibly down to 116 in subsequent round. Historically Slough, St . B's and Herschel offered down to a lower score but this has been complicated with the introduction of the distance criteria.

[faitaccompli]

On their website, it says St B's would not accept anyone that was not a practising catholic. I am, in fact, catholic, but my son is not baptised and we do not go to church. So I had automatically excluded that from my choices as we were not eligible.

I do wish that the school websites actually told it how it is, not how they would like it to be! So far, every school with criteria (when you speak to them) actually does not stick to what they have said

I am still waiting to hear back from Bucks CC about taking their exam.

Interesting info about Windsor Boys - that would also be one of the closest schools to us I believe. My son is very sporty and also sings so sounds like a good place for him!

I wish I could start the last 12 months again and have been better prepared.

[ks]

Hi faitaccompli

As Jeepers says, although Holyport is inBerks, there are probably more kids from Maidenhead area kids going to the Bucks grammars than Berkshire ones (the Berkshire ones are either in Slough, which you're already looking at, or Reading both of which are different admissions authorities so there is no benefit to living in Berkshire).
From Holyport you would almost always get into Burnham grammar(mixed) quite often get into John Hampden (boys) and very rarely William Borlase. If your son is very bright, there is the option of Reading boys, which has a very wide catchment inc Holyport area and just takes top scores.
As mentioned, in maidenhead area you have Desborough. This has been undersubscribed for last few years so you would probably be allocated this as nearest school if you move into the area late. You are also in the catchment areas for cox green and Altwood, both mixed and you would normally get places at either from Holyport.
If you're not already aware, Windsor boys is an upper school and starts at year 9.
You would need to send your son to a Windsor middle school for a couple of years first!(attending a middle school is one of the admissions criteria and without that you would probably live too far away in Holyport.
There are 4 middle schools in Windsor. There may well be spaces for year 7s as some pupils will transfer to grammars at end of year y6.

Good luck with whatever you decide to go for.

[faitaccompli]

Thanks ks - according to the admissions map, although Maidenhead is in the out of catchment zone, Holyport is a mile or two out of the out of catchment zone (hope that makes sense!)

However, that does give me more to think about.

I think I will call Bucks CC on Monday and find out what their thoughts are about sitting their exam.

It is possible (as I have not got a house at the moment) that we could be renting in Marlow, so that would put me fair and square in the William Borlase area. I would dearly love him to go to a co-ed school rather than boys only - but at the moment would settle for any grammar school in any area!!!

I think once I get the info from Bucks, I need to sort out amending the Bedford CC form as that at the moment only mentions the three Slough schools. Although Bedford CC have less idea about all this than me (if that is possible ...)

Thanks again for the advice - please keep it coming - it is all very much appreciated.