Yr 5 in a state primary in AV - what chance?!?
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Re: Yr 5 in a state primary in AV - what chance?!?
Ds2 goes to a prep which is one of the biggest feeder schools to DCGS. There's absolutely no specific coaching - the school's approach is completely hands-off.
It administers the test as basically as it possibly can. The main focus there is 13+.
Majority of the 11+ children have gone to a particular local private coaching company which recommends a 'pre11+' year then a year of 11+ prep. The waiting lists are filled years in advance. Certain other local state schools enjoy a high success rate which maybe isn't questioned as much...
What I would say is that preps cover more of the NC and most do CATs from Yr3 - not unlike some local primaries.
Children who have completed CATs do at least have some idea of what is involved and the Review Panels take them seriously: a steady series of high CATs will trump high SAT predictions according to panel members I know. Maybe if all schools took them it would be a start to a more even system.
It administers the test as basically as it possibly can. The main focus there is 13+.
Majority of the 11+ children have gone to a particular local private coaching company which recommends a 'pre11+' year then a year of 11+ prep. The waiting lists are filled years in advance. Certain other local state schools enjoy a high success rate which maybe isn't questioned as much...
What I would say is that preps cover more of the NC and most do CATs from Yr3 - not unlike some local primaries.
Children who have completed CATs do at least have some idea of what is involved and the Review Panels take them seriously: a steady series of high CATs will trump high SAT predictions according to panel members I know. Maybe if all schools took them it would be a start to a more even system.
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Dollydripmat
- Posts: 332
- Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2014 8:19 pm
Re: Yr 5 in a state primary in AV - what chance?!?
My daughter attends a normal state primary, generally not more that 10 pass the 11+. She got through on review this year with no Cat's , just her Y5 report and levels (already 5's then ) , a 1:1 HT recommendation and a fully supportive headteacher report. Maybe cats this year haven't been quite as important as last years review....who knows! Dollyx
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justanothermother
- Posts: 54
- Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 10:43 pm
Re: Yr 5 in a state primary in AV - what chance?!?
Could you please pm me the details of the company you mentioned in your post?Mostlymum wrote:Ds2 goes to a prep which is one of the biggest feeder schools to DCGS. There's absolutely no specific coaching - the school's approach is completely hands-off.
It administers the test as basically as it possibly can. The main focus there is 13+.
Majority of the 11+ children have gone to a particular local private coaching company which recommends a 'pre11+' year then a year of 11+ prep. The waiting lists are filled years in advance. Certain other local state schools enjoy a high success rate which maybe isn't questioned as much...
Best regards,
Justanothermother
Re: Yr 5 in a state primary in AV - what chance?!?
I’ve been lurking for a while, but this post made me sign up.
I’m somewhat bemused by the comments on here a lot of the time.
Although I was born in Bucks, I moved to Edinburgh when small and was educated in Scotland.
I do have two nieces who live in Bucks. Both are in year 5.
One goes to an independent school and the other, a state school in Aylesbury Vale.
My niece in the independent school does not prepare for the 11+.
She does prepare for common entrance.
She does do year 7 English and maths.
She does attend ‘puzzle club’
She does have regular tests/quizzes on synonyms and antonyms.
My other niece has a tutor. In her school only about a dozen (out of 90ish) passed the test, about half of whom went to my niece’s tutor.
Even with an excellent tutor, my state educated niece is falling behind her cousin. She gets an hour a week (plus homework). Her cousin gets her ‘non-preparation’ nearly every school day.
Whatever the schools they end up at, my independent educated niece will get a huge boost due to money. It’s not cheap tutoring, but I think my tutored niece will learn lots of things that will be useful in secondary school – the process itself is worth the money.
It does seem to me that money drives things in Bucks far more than it does in other parts of the country. That inevitably means that bright, but poor children lose out!
I’m somewhat bemused by the comments on here a lot of the time.
Although I was born in Bucks, I moved to Edinburgh when small and was educated in Scotland.
I do have two nieces who live in Bucks. Both are in year 5.
One goes to an independent school and the other, a state school in Aylesbury Vale.
My niece in the independent school does not prepare for the 11+.
She does prepare for common entrance.
She does do year 7 English and maths.
She does attend ‘puzzle club’
She does have regular tests/quizzes on synonyms and antonyms.
My other niece has a tutor. In her school only about a dozen (out of 90ish) passed the test, about half of whom went to my niece’s tutor.
Even with an excellent tutor, my state educated niece is falling behind her cousin. She gets an hour a week (plus homework). Her cousin gets her ‘non-preparation’ nearly every school day.
Whatever the schools they end up at, my independent educated niece will get a huge boost due to money. It’s not cheap tutoring, but I think my tutored niece will learn lots of things that will be useful in secondary school – the process itself is worth the money.
It does seem to me that money drives things in Bucks far more than it does in other parts of the country. That inevitably means that bright, but poor children lose out!
