A Question for Guest 55

Looking for help · Post by **Looking for help** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:09 pm

Hi, Guest 55,
Sorry to be bothering you, but I have a question you might be able to help me with.
I understand from various posts that I have read, that you are a maths teacher.
I also understand that in Bucks there is only a VR test, whereas in Berks there used to be NVR, VR and maths, but this year for the first time, maths as been excluded.

My question to you is this- ( as a maths teacher) do you believe that there are children who have a gift for maths (and probably science) but whose ability is not assessed properly through the current format of 11+ tests in Buckingamshire and now Berkshire?

My son is very good at maths and I now feel that he (and others like him) have been marginalised by the new format of the tests in Berks and probabaly always have in Bucks - so I was interested in what you might have to say as a maths teacher with regard to this issue.

As we live within commute of Slough I am considering 12+ - for Burnham Grammar - but as it is only VR and we did fairly badly in this subject at 11+ I'm not sure whether we should just give up.

I appreciate any thoughts you might have.
Thanks
LFH

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 9:01 am

Hi,

My feeling is that just testing VR misses some very good Mathematicians who are weaker at English. Some of the children who do qualify have very low Maths KS2 - e.g. sometimes a level 3 or more commonly a low 4

However I don't think this should stop you going for 12+ - the children are a year older and, sometimes, the VR seems to 'click'.

Looking for help · Post by **Looking for help** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 9:41 am

Thank you for your reply, Guest55, it is all very interesting, we shall have a think about 12+
LFH

Looking for help · Post by **Looking for help** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:42 pm

Does anyone know, am I right in thinking that Burnam Grammar usually has places for children who pass the 12+ ?
I wouldn't want to go down that route and have no chance of a place

Rgds,
LFH

Sally-Anne · Post by **Sally-Anne** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 1:49 pm

Hi LFH

Last year BGS had 57 vacant places. The Allocation Profile this year was "All Offered", as in previous years, and that suggests that Year 7 will not be full in September.

We will have a better picture of the situation this year in a few weeks time, but despite the pressure on GS places in South Bucks this year, I would be very surprised indeed if BGS does not have places for the 12+.

Sally-Anne

Looking for help · Post by **Looking for help** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:01 pm

Thanks Sally-Anne - do you know if living in Berks would count against us?
Rgds
LFH

Sally-Anne · Post by **Sally-Anne** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:50 pm

Hi LFH

Yes, I'm afraid it will - allocations are made on exactly the same criteria as for the 11+.

I suggest that you try to find out whether any children in your area of Berks were allocated places at BGS via the 12+ last year, or this year (allocations are posted on 15th May). Combined with the number of vacant places for this September - once we have those figures as well - that should give a clearer picture of whether your chances are better or worse than in previous years.

Sally-Anne

Looking for help · Post by **Looking for help** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 4:18 pm

Thanks Sally Anne, I will have a look in May and make a decision then.
I wouldn't want to go through all the preparation again, only to be disappointed again.
Rgds,
LFH