Telegraph - Grammar School Tests to be made Tutor-proof

[StJamesDad]

Grammar, comp, indie they all have to pass the same GCSEs or Baccalerate or whatever they are introducing, and so I don't see the argument about they may struggle. They are all working towards the same exam and so the parent just needs to decide on the school and whether they like co-ed or separate schools.

Sunshine 11

So are you saying that Grammars are just Comps by a different name, and Indies are Comps by a different name that you pay for?
Why would you want your DC to go to a Grammar if you do not think the academic level is higher? Because the facilities are better?

Not all the children in a Comp "have to pass" or are "working towards the same exams". Some will leave without any GCSE's

I thought that the point of a Grammar was to allow the brightest children to work together at a higher level and achieve better results.
A child that cannot easily work at the expected level will soon find it a struggle I would have thought.

[scary mum]

There is plenty of time in the moribund curriculum for all state schools to offer timetabled VR lessons. In areas where there are grammar schools failure to do so is damaging to the future chances of their pupils and they should be placed in special measures with a change of leadership

In Bucks the primary schools are not allowed to coach for the 11plus, and get their knuckles severely rapped if they do. The local independent schools are allowed to (of course).

[qip001]

There is an indie in Chelt which states on their website that they prep children for grammar - they get at least 75% of their children into grammar every year and a few years ago got 12 into Pate's (that's 10% of their intake).

My children go to a very good state primary but not everyone is so lucky - we would have chosen the indie route if necessary.

Totally agree. Vio out of interest which school is that with such amazing results?

[Vio125]

I have pm you - not sure I am allowed to say this on the open forum. I am sure that many have guessed already!

[Ellen-Jane]

At my DS's leafy mainly middle class state primary, 10 DC took the 11+ this year, that's a third of the class and 8 passed for at least one grammar school, with 2 getting Pate's. All the DC were tutored bar my DS. I did practise with him at home in the summer holidays, obviously, or he wouldn't have had a chance against those tutored. The primary school does nothing towards the 11+, that's fairly common in state primaries, VR isn't a skill most DC need in life, why teach it to 30 DC when only 10 take the 11+? It's a waste of teaching time. I was lucky with my DS that he was a natural at VR, but I expect he would have done significantly better had he been professionally tutored. As it happens, grammar school is a fall back option for him, he would prefer to go to one of the local but out of catchment comprehensives.

Not sure what point I'm trying to make, now. I think it was that our primary school had an 80% success rate for those taking the 11+, but this was down mainly to private tutoring (plus some bright DC.)

I would love the test to become tutor proof, that would hopefully mean that the grammars would go back to taking the brightest DC regardless of background. Personally, I feel the test should be compulsory for all DC, so those DC through no fault of their own with parents who know little about grammar schools or just don't care about their DC's education aren't penalised because they never get the opportunity to take the test. These are state schools, after all, and shouldn't be exclusively for DC whose parents are informed, interested and/or well educated themselves. Just my personal opinion.

[dr.watson]

Why don't they make the driving tests tutor proof? So that people with natural driving skills can only be on the road thereby making our roads safer?

[qip001]

I salute you , Dr Watson

[Vio125]

Ellen Jane - I agree - it is all down to tutoring/preparation for the exam - whether with a private tutor or at home. A good proportion (I think about half) of my DD YR6 class (state school) took the exam. I believe that they were all tutored with the exception of one child. The success rate for a grammar school pass was more than 80%. I suppose not everyone sits the grammar school test at indies either. However, I think a good majority of the children in the school I was referring to (ie more than 50% of the children in YR6) sit the grammar test.

[bananabrain]

Totally with you Ellen-Jane!

[capers123]

Amusingly, or possibly scarily, yesterday on a programme about children being tutored (11+, Kumon, etc) on ITV, a survey said that 57% of parents wanted their children to be the brightest child in the class.

A lovely wish, but realistically, 7% of those children must actually be below average.