Which test was hardest for your children yesterday?

[inmystride]

Some kids I know at her school would thrive at Grammar but the parents simply cannot afford tutoring so they have no choice to go to the local comp

Notley - it can be very detrimental to make such sweeping statements. My DS went to a state school where NO work was done towards the 11+. We did not employ a tutor. We spent NO MONEY apart from buying the pack of CSSE papers. He not only passed but ranked first for his choice of grammar where he is currently thriving.

[Gottal]

My DS found the Maths difficult and said there were lots of codes in the VR. He found the English ok, however we spent a lot of time preparing the English. I heard one boy tell his dad that the last question of the English paper was in a "foreign language". I didn't want to laugh but the dad's face was a Picture...

[rhubarbcrumble]

Hi inmystride

I don't think that Notley was making a 'sweeping statement' since he/she was talking about children that they clearly know, not generalising about all of the kids at all of the state-run primary schools as a whole.

Your boy is clearly naturally very bright and I'm sure you are immensely proud of him. He didn't need much help it seems, but others do.

Anyway, a lot boils down to parenting as we all know. I know of some instances where the children are bright kids, but the parents are a waste of time and couldn't care less where the children are or what they are doing, let alone care about how well they are doing academically. Having said that, other children I saw in the past had huge amounts of money spent tutoring them to the hilt and they STILL didn't pass the 11+. Those were the parents who simply refused to believe that their children were of average ability (and would NEVER cope in a grammar), yet still continued to force the poor kids to try and work way beyond their capabilities. Those instances, I feel, are the sorts of detrimental things going on around us and it's always the children that pay the price.

[inmystride]

Many parents browse this forum before embarking on the 11+ journey. I want them to know that it is not a prerequisite to have the funds to pay for tutoring.

[SEP18]

When you talk about the 11+ to other people who aren't in the same situation you can just see their eyes glaze over he he!

That's so true - I just don't know how I would survive without this forum. I had all the worry on my own with DS1 and only found this forum when he was in Year 7. It is so nice to share our views and worries with other parents who are "in the same boat"!! For some, just the mention of 11+ is enough to kill a conversation!!!

Thank you all - am so addicted to this forum at the moment .................

[SEP18]

Many parents browse this forum before embarking on the 11+ journey. I want them to know that it is not a prerequisite to have the funds to pay for tutoring.

I agree but I do think that it is a prerequisite to have the funds to pay for some books and papers.

On Saturday, there was a boy who had never seen a V.R. paper before and had no idea how to fill the answer sheet in. Poor little chap. That must have been a dreadful moment for him.

[ahap]

Me too, I am so addicted in fact, I am visiting it everyday, most of the time. well here's what my DS said about what was hard for him. It was English which was hard, he hadn't answered 2 questions. Maths okay, VR easy.

[rhubarbcrumble]

SEP18 - that is awful. God I feel for him...poor little sod. Hope he managed to figure it out...oh dear...

Wonder what sort of preparation he had?!...

[NOTLEY PARENTS]

Some kids I know at her school would thrive at Grammar but the parents simply cannot afford tutoring so they have no choice to go to the local comp

Notley - it can be very detrimental to make such sweeping statements. My DS went to a state school where NO work was done towards the 11+. We did not employ a tutor. We spent NO MONEY apart from buying the pack of CSSE papers. He not only passed but ranked first for his choice of grammar where he is currently thriving.

Inmystride,

I was referring to children I know/knew of at my DD`s school, not anyone else who cannot afford tutoring, but I will add that I find it remarkable that anyone can go into an 11+ exam with no training of any kind, Im not saying its impossible, there will always be an exeption but its not something I would do having seen the standard required. The best option (and cheapest) is for parental tutoring which I attempted to a level but then handed the rest to my DD`s tutor. If your DC managed to get a place at Grammar with little or no tutoring of any kind then well done to them, I know we couldnt have done without a tutor, Im not clever enough Im afraid to tackle that alone!

[NOTLEY PARENTS]

I know of some instances where the children are bright kids, but the parents are a waste of time and couldn't care less where the children are or what they are doing, let alone care about how well they are doing academically.[/quote]

That is exactly what I am referring to, echoes my views entirely, such a shame that good talent goes to waste in these circumstances but thats life.

My DD`s tutor is a teacher and he had his own DD sit this year, how lucky is that! Free lessons!