advice regarding 12+
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 8:55 pm
This forum has been useful over the last 18 months so I will post some advice for anyone who may benefit from it.
Last year, my child missed out on 11+ qualification by one mark. Naturally we were disappointed but we genuinely did no coaching, only practice at home, and we were not convinced that our daughter was absolutely suited to a GS. We used the appeal more to confirm this for ourselves than to try and win a place. She had predicted SATs of 5b and 4a for English and Maths respectively so appealing was always likely to fail. The panel were very nice but it was clear from the hearing (we were totally transparent and took all her school work in - some good, some not so good) that the academic evidence wasn't there. Our daughter duly started at an upper school last September and is thriving.
Having got 5as in both SATs in Y6 after all (which was a bit galling!)We then made a tactical decision to register her for the 12+. We realised that you can pull out at any time but registration bought time to see how she progressed in Y8 and whether there was an appetite or need to move to a GS. After one and a half terms in Y7 at an upper school, we knew that a GS was the right place, with SATs levels in the 6s and 7s already. She duly sat the 12+ three weeks ago, again with no coaching and only 5 minutes' practice 5 times a week since December. We got the result yesterday and she flew through with almost full marks. The extra 15 months' "brain maturity" made all the difference. We live within 3 miles of two GSs so are hopeful of a place but you never know.
Our daughter was always a late developer and the system (hopefully) will work to move her to the most suitable place for her. I'm glad she has had the time so far at the upper school because it has done her confidence the power of good to be in the top sets for most subjects and we would have been worried had she joined GS in Y7 because she may have struggled.
The lesson? In my opinion, register for the 12+ if you are at all unsure - it just might prove to be a good decision. You can always not proceed with the test or even turn down a GS place if your child is settled and doing well at an upper school.
Last year, my child missed out on 11+ qualification by one mark. Naturally we were disappointed but we genuinely did no coaching, only practice at home, and we were not convinced that our daughter was absolutely suited to a GS. We used the appeal more to confirm this for ourselves than to try and win a place. She had predicted SATs of 5b and 4a for English and Maths respectively so appealing was always likely to fail. The panel were very nice but it was clear from the hearing (we were totally transparent and took all her school work in - some good, some not so good) that the academic evidence wasn't there. Our daughter duly started at an upper school last September and is thriving.
Having got 5as in both SATs in Y6 after all (which was a bit galling!)We then made a tactical decision to register her for the 12+. We realised that you can pull out at any time but registration bought time to see how she progressed in Y8 and whether there was an appetite or need to move to a GS. After one and a half terms in Y7 at an upper school, we knew that a GS was the right place, with SATs levels in the 6s and 7s already. She duly sat the 12+ three weeks ago, again with no coaching and only 5 minutes' practice 5 times a week since December. We got the result yesterday and she flew through with almost full marks. The extra 15 months' "brain maturity" made all the difference. We live within 3 miles of two GSs so are hopeful of a place but you never know.
Our daughter was always a late developer and the system (hopefully) will work to move her to the most suitable place for her. I'm glad she has had the time so far at the upper school because it has done her confidence the power of good to be in the top sets for most subjects and we would have been worried had she joined GS in Y7 because she may have struggled.
The lesson? In my opinion, register for the 12+ if you are at all unsure - it just might prove to be a good decision. You can always not proceed with the test or even turn down a GS place if your child is settled and doing well at an upper school.