11 Plus Exams Forum

Please correct me if I am wrong but people not sitting the test today, due to illness, independant schools or out of catchment seem to have an unfair advantage. Tutors will do their up most to find out the questions - my ds who sat it today is reeling them off. Do these people get a different paper? If not, how is that fair? The out of area people are not taking theirs until half term. That's three weeks to find out as much info as possible. Just knowing one or two of the tricky questions could make or break a pass. Thoughs please!

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And probably a similar thread at this time every year!

You are correct. However, is it any fairer than, say, children from wealthier backgrounds having access to extensive tutoring where others might not be able to afford it? Or some schools not being allowed to give more than the one practice paper sitting to their pupils where other schools don't have the same restrictions? Or Bucks GSs drawing children from Beds, Berks, Herts, Oxon and London? All of which have been cause of contention for years.

I don't think there is a way to make any system totally fair or be seen to be fair. Someone will always perceive an advantage or disadvantage. If you feel that later sitters get an advantage, why not keep your child at home for the second test and glean as much information as you can before s/he sits it later? I suspect that any "advantage" might be balanced by having to sit in unusual circumstances away from the majority or other children.

I think Sbates is totally right. If we look at the things Bucks cc can control, not sure they can control wealth but can have separate equivalent papers.

If students sat papers 3 weeks late for any other major exam such as GCSE there would be outrage. It is not correct and I think unfair where knowing the answer to one tricky question can make all the difference

Let's see what happens next year when Bucks GS run their own testing.

Unfortunately life is not always fair. I think the majority of children of parents using this forum are at an advantage to begin with as they have caring and motivated parents, some may say tutoring already able children is unfair.We all just have to go along with the current procedures and if we do not agree and think it to be unfair then do not sit your children for the exam.

Regarding the GCSE statement the children get one chance at sitting GCSE's and A'levels, there are no appeals or excuses, if your child has a bad cold, family problems, loss of a pet etc etc they just have to get on with it.

I personally would be pleased if there was a tutor proof exam which enabled all children regardless of their background and socio economic / cultural group to all compete on an equal footing, but I am realistic to know this will probably never happen!

There are only 4 schools which are managed by Bucks CC, does that mean these 4 will also do there own testing, admission, allocation next year?

IOs Slough going to introduce something similar?

People taking them later really isn't fair at all.

They don't do this for GCSEs do they? Everyone must sit those on the same day.

It may explain why there are just so many OOC kids at my prospective school. It seems a very high proportion to me.

If everywhere still had grammar schools I suppose everyone wouldn't be trying to get into this one and local, in-catchment children who are reasonably bright, rather than mega watt bright, would get a place.

My kid is reasonably bright. I don't think she is going to get the 11 plus though. But if her siblings are any thing to go on, by the time she's older she'll do fine in GCSEs. I just think she should be at the Grammar. It's her local school.

Hi MollyB,

A child can resit their GCSE's if they don't go well unlike the 11+ where there is not a resit option.

I work in education and a key to all exams is fairness, that is why a paper that is out there can be leaked and is not a good system for anyone. If a parent hears about a difficult question I can understand why they would want to tell their child even though we know helping them to pass doesn't mean they will cope when they get to GS!

I'm in catchment so this was not a issue I had to face.