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Congrats Sham
Hi Sham
That is supere super news. Well done. Celebrate success with your son.
I have a favour to ask please. Can you please specify which text books (for Eng and Maths), and test papers (NFER, etc) that you practiced with your son. If you could do it differently what other resources could you use.
That is supere super news. Well done. Celebrate success with your son.
I have a favour to ask please. Can you please specify which text books (for Eng and Maths), and test papers (NFER, etc) that you practiced with your son. If you could do it differently what other resources could you use.
Congratulations to all those whose children have been successful at gaining a place at the grammars in Birmingham. Don't please worry about homework - my daughter is in year 7 at Camp Hill and doesn't get 1.5 hours a day. It is 1 hour per day except 2 days of 1.5, but it takes her about 1/2 an hour at most. I know that this isn't camp Hill boys, but friends of mine whose children attend the school haven't found that they have huge amounts either.
I was told that my eldest would need a tutor to complete her homework and I panicked terribly about this - it isn't true. Just enjoy the feeling of success and look forward to 7 really good years at Camp Hill.
I was told that my eldest would need a tutor to complete her homework and I panicked terribly about this - it isn't true. Just enjoy the feeling of success and look forward to 7 really good years at Camp Hill.
Results
I'm hoping someone can solve the following results mystery for me as my brain has been chewing the cud on it for two days now:
My son passed the exam for KES (the flags were out that day!) and I was told he was one of the top scorers. We accepted the place by return of post. However, when we received our grammar school results this week (he sat QM, Vesey and KE Aston), the results seemed to show that he had failed his grammar exams and had been allocated a place at his local comprehensive.
Although all this is purely academic (sorry for the pun), I wonder if the fact that we had already accepted the place at KES meant that we were taken off the grammar school allocation list. Or did my son just forget to put his batteries in on the test days?!
What makes it weirder is that my son consistently achieves the top numeracy and literacy scores in his class, yet seven of his classmates have passed for the grammar schools and it appears that he hasn't ...?
Ah, well! C'est la vie! We are just extremely grateful that he was fully charged up for the KES exam.
My son passed the exam for KES (the flags were out that day!) and I was told he was one of the top scorers. We accepted the place by return of post. However, when we received our grammar school results this week (he sat QM, Vesey and KE Aston), the results seemed to show that he had failed his grammar exams and had been allocated a place at his local comprehensive.
Although all this is purely academic (sorry for the pun), I wonder if the fact that we had already accepted the place at KES meant that we were taken off the grammar school allocation list. Or did my son just forget to put his batteries in on the test days?!
What makes it weirder is that my son consistently achieves the top numeracy and literacy scores in his class, yet seven of his classmates have passed for the grammar schools and it appears that he hasn't ...?
Ah, well! C'est la vie! We are just extremely grateful that he was fully charged up for the KES exam.
Hi KE Mum,
I'm afraid it seems that KE Five Ways seems to expect more from their pupils regarding homework - I have assumed that Camp Hill Boys would be similar - certainly the feed back from some friends with children at Camp Hill boys was that there was also quite a lot expected at that school.
Those with offers from KE Five Ways will get a Notes for Parents booklet in which the school says In year 7 pupils can expect no more than 90 minutes Private Study each night I think the main problems tend to be with the Humanities Subjects rather than Maths and Science which are ok. They tend to get Home work such as describe the differences between the Old and New Testaments and the problem is that the children think they expect quantity - this takes a long time.
Maybe the other reason at KE Five Ways is that they take KS3 1 year earlier than other schools to get them a longer time to concentarte on GCSE. We think this is a good thing as it means they are not bored, but it does mean more work in a shorter time. Not sure if Camp Hill Girls/Boys does the same.
We don't actually think the homework is major problem - we just think it's one of the thinks you have to accept with a school that wants their pupils to be challenged.
I'm afraid it seems that KE Five Ways seems to expect more from their pupils regarding homework - I have assumed that Camp Hill Boys would be similar - certainly the feed back from some friends with children at Camp Hill boys was that there was also quite a lot expected at that school.
Those with offers from KE Five Ways will get a Notes for Parents booklet in which the school says In year 7 pupils can expect no more than 90 minutes Private Study each night I think the main problems tend to be with the Humanities Subjects rather than Maths and Science which are ok. They tend to get Home work such as describe the differences between the Old and New Testaments and the problem is that the children think they expect quantity - this takes a long time.
Maybe the other reason at KE Five Ways is that they take KS3 1 year earlier than other schools to get them a longer time to concentarte on GCSE. We think this is a good thing as it means they are not bored, but it does mean more work in a shorter time. Not sure if Camp Hill Girls/Boys does the same.
We don't actually think the homework is major problem - we just think it's one of the thinks you have to accept with a school that wants their pupils to be challenged.
Re: Results
In reply to Puzzled Mum - we have had the same situation - daughter passed the exams for KEHS (our and her first choice), was expected by everyone (including teachers) to pass easily for the grammars but results yesterday show she's been allocated a place at the local comp. Cant work out the logic. She might have had a bad day for one of the grammars but for all of them?? Makes me suspicious of the system. Nevertheless, I've told her to forget it - she has her first choice,its a great school and we're immensely proud of her.
Hi Puzzled Mum & Fred,
Your situation is not uncommon, a similar situation occured last year with our son and also a number of our friends. My son was offered non means tested academic scholarships at both KES and Solihull School, but failed our 1st choice KE School (Camp Hill Boys); he was allocated a place however at KE Five Ways - our second choice.
The strange thing was that a number of other boys in his class passed including many who were predicted to fail the KE Grammar exams and had been advised by the head not to bother entering and to consider alternatives!
We phoned up the KE Foundation Office to find his scores (you are entitled to do this in these situations) and we found that although he had scored very highly in the numerical and NVR sections, his score in the verbal section was very low. (This is the section where they are under significant time pressure with the synonyms etc ). We simply put this down to nerves and a bad day.
As you say purely academic - but probably good ammunition for the anti 11+ brigade - many very bright kids miss out for a variety of reasons.
Both KES and KEHS are really excellent schools - my daughter is at KEHS and really enjoys it. I'm sure they will have a great time.
Regards
Your situation is not uncommon, a similar situation occured last year with our son and also a number of our friends. My son was offered non means tested academic scholarships at both KES and Solihull School, but failed our 1st choice KE School (Camp Hill Boys); he was allocated a place however at KE Five Ways - our second choice.
The strange thing was that a number of other boys in his class passed including many who were predicted to fail the KE Grammar exams and had been advised by the head not to bother entering and to consider alternatives!
We phoned up the KE Foundation Office to find his scores (you are entitled to do this in these situations) and we found that although he had scored very highly in the numerical and NVR sections, his score in the verbal section was very low. (This is the section where they are under significant time pressure with the synonyms etc ). We simply put this down to nerves and a bad day.
As you say purely academic - but probably good ammunition for the anti 11+ brigade - many very bright kids miss out for a variety of reasons.
Both KES and KEHS are really excellent schools - my daughter is at KEHS and really enjoys it. I'm sure they will have a great time.
Regards