What was your child getting in practise papers?

[DC17C]

Hi Wolves mum,
-She quite enjoys learning unusual words (and I think she incorporates the more fascinating ones into her writing at school, in the hope that she can use some the teachers doesn't know!!)

This made me chuckle as my Yr 7 DD was accused of getting me to do her homework because she used "hypothetically" and other "interesting" words in her english homework.

[Professor Yaffle]

Hi

I just wanted to say don't worry too much about the marks your DS is getting. As DIY Mum has already said, there isn't anything available that is truly like the real thing. I have a DS at Adams who didn't get particularly fantastic marks in anything we did at home prior to the test- I think because he just didn't really want to be doing them in the first place! Also please don't worry about not having a tutor- having a tutor does not guarantee a place. Like others have said your DS has nothing to lose by taking the test and everything to gain-all he can do is give it his best shot. Your DS sounds very bright and I wish him lots of luck for the exam.

[Wolves mum]

Thank you Yaffle. It's so nice to hear some positive stories. I'm hoping for Adams' so fingers crossed. I had been on mumsnet and the advice in there was to do "Chinese parenting" ie hours of papers everyday!

So glad there's sensible parents on here!

[reeyah]

Hi

My DS1 did a maximum of 8 papers ( if that!!?) and never scored over 60%. He still got a reasonable score and made it. He did have a tutor every Saturday for 2 hours who did mixed work, but DS1 said none of the stuff they did with him came up

So all in all, I don't believe the nonsense of 90% on every paper, and at least 2 papers a day.. The bright ones don't need that much practice..as long as they are doing 'something' and learning happily, they'll make it. Good luck!

[Bubbles44]

Thank you DIY Mum, professor Yaffle and reeyah!!! Your sensible, positive comments give hope to us diy parents who don't want to spend every spare minute, and every spare penny, on tutoring. Children need to have some free time and some fun. I am following reeyah's advice that it is enough to be 'doing something and learning happily'. Love it!!!

[ginx]

Dd did quite a few Bond papers, but we only worked over the summer holidays and she didn't achieve brilliant scores. She had no other tutoring. She got a reasonable score too.

She looked round the grammar school and decided she wanted to go there. Nobody expected her to get there, she did not appear to feel any stress or pressure before or after (we assumed she was going to our comp with her siblings already there).

She's not top of the class and never has been. She's always read a lot and has a naturally enquiring mind. I nearly gave up nagging her to do any work having read on here somebody doing four hours a day and scoring 90% every paper or something. I thought - she hasn't a chance - but she did.

Don't be put off by people telling you how much practice to do and how much you need to get. Do what is right for you and your dc (and get advice from here - it's so helpful!).

Good luck.

[reeyah]

Thank you DIY Mum, professor Yaffle and reeyah!!! Your sensible, positive comments give hope to us diy parents who don't want to spend every spare minute, and every spare penny, on tutoring. Children need to have some free time and some fun. I am following reeyah's advice that it is enough to be 'doing something and learning happily'. Love it!!!

Glad to help!

[Wolves mum]

Bubbles to totally agree, some great advice and since ive eased up and spent time playing in garden with him etc his scores have gone up!!