How many children in your year 6 qualified?

[pippi]

Actually I think all primary Heads (Bucks LA and partner) have to sign a statement saying they have not done any extra preparation beyond the familiarisation at their school. Page 8 ish of:
https://schoolsweb.buckscc.gov.uk/schoo ... _FINAL.pdf
They are also not allowed to recommend any preparation materials. I'm not sure what would happen if a Head refused to sign this form - probably something along the lines suggested in Drummer's post! [Sally-Anne might know!??]

[bucksdaddy]

Yes but that's fairly normal for a state primary I think. Unless you're getting prepped at very good Prep school (and even those parents put their DC's in for tutoring nowadays too), you're DC is unlikely to get into a GS based on the normal day to day work - unless they're exceptionally bright. Often the exam is just too specific and school work just doesn't dove tail with the rigours of the test.... Doesn't stop the primaries from taking the credit for the kids who do get in though I notice!!!

I wholeheartedly agree with this comment and feel a child at state primary has to be well above base grammar standard to qualify without any tutoring. I feel that there is real problem in that parents of children who are performing well at school (with good KS scores and levels) read the stats that say 30% of children qualify and hence DC should be ok, without realising that many many children are tutored at school (prep school), externally (tutor) or home (parent) and that the 30% is inflated by OOC and prep school children.

Fortunately for me and DD this site showed me the light!

I suspect that the difference in qualification between primary schools with similar demographics is due to differing ethos and performance cultures within the respective school communities (teachers and parents) and how the different schools measure success - value added, rounded education, 11+ results etc - either informally or formally.

For example, Teacher at Primary 1 tells Enquiring Parent 1 that coaching can make a big difference. Enquiring Parent 1 tells this to all her friends (who may have had the same answer), coaching becomes very open and soon all students who hope to pass are coached. Teacher at Primary 2 tells Enquiring Parent 2 don't worry it rarely makes more than 1 or 2 marks difference. Enquiring Parent 2 either decides everything will be all right on the night or does arrange coaching but is shy about admitting to it in the playground and other parents and hence fewer children are coached.

[2Girlsmum]

....but the teachers at both schools are happy to reap the results of outside tutoring in their KS2 exam results. I wonder what school KS2 English and Maths results would look like if selective schools disappeared?

[drummer]

Pippi:

"Our school" is the one my children attend which of course does not to anything more than the familiarisation and does not reccomend books or tutors or say anything about the 11+ other than what is in the Bucks CC presentation.

"they" were the *parents* ie, the head said that if she suspected that the parents were helping their child at home in preparing for the 11+ that she was obliged to shop them and that they could lose their place. Apologies that I didn't make this clear. I think the anti 11+ culture at that school has a very great effect with parents frightened to even ask for advice from anyone.

[drummer]

Hi drummer,
Why do these people work here? I'm sure plenty of comprehensive 'utopias' would 'benefit' from their 'skills'.

My thoughts exactly.

[Doblinski]

I've mentioned it before, but my OH took the 11+ about 30 years ago in Berkshire for a very good state Grammar and almost no-one then had tutoring, it was just the brightest DC's went for it from all schools and either passed or failed. There's something to be said for it I think.

By contrast there's one child in my DD's tutor group who's on her 2nd year of tutoring for Tiffin girls and does several additional tests a week. I'm under the distinct impression her parents aren't going to let her fail the exam and I dont' think she's the only one

[yoyo123]

I tookmy 11+ 42 years ago and there was no fuss at all, we just filed into the dining hall one day sat down, did the paper and then went out to play! I quite enjoyed it, it was like puzzles and I'd never done that kind before..

[Dad40]

Doblinski,

I also took the Bucks exam 30 years ago (well, ahem, 32 actually ). But in those days, we did a verbal reasoning lesson once a week for about two years before the tests.

[Sally-Anne]

"they" were the *parents* ie, the head said that if she suspected that the parents were helping their child at home in preparing for the 11+ that she was obliged to shop them and that they could lose their place. Apologies that I didn't make this clear. I think the anti 11+ culture at that school has a very great effect with parents frightened to even ask for advice from anyone.

Simply appalling. The Head's attitude is reminiscent of the Soviet Union.

[Dad40]

"they" were the *parents* ie, the head said that if she suspected that the parents were helping their child at home in preparing for the 11+ that she was obliged to shop them and that they could lose their place. Apologies that I didn't make this clear. I think the anti 11+ culture at that school has a very great effect with parents frightened to even ask for advice from anyone.

Simply appalling. The Head's attitude is reminiscent of the Soviet Union.

She's probably right at home in the NUT then.

Seriously though, this approach/incident should be taken to Bucks CC - she should be named and shamed.