11 + exam prep in private education

[Kismet]

I've heard that some private schools concentrate solely on preparation for the 11+ test as they are not required to adhere to the national curriculum. Anyone know if there's any truth in this?

[gameon]

From my experience with private schools, they do not just do 11+ preparation. Yes, they don't have to follow national curriculum but they do cover much more than what national curriculum enforce. I can only speak from my experience and had one DS who was in private and now in GS and two more still at the prep. They don't have the pressure of SATs and they do lot more activities than state schools. (drama, sports, music etc, etc). Do I have experience with state schools? yes, I put my two younger ones and pulled them out after 6 months.

Of course they do prepare the children for the common entrance exams and 11+ but most of the kids started from the age of 4 so the preparation very gentle. They do tend to teach almost one year ahead but kids do not feel the pressure. Do all pass the 11+? No, because not all the kids can pass the 11+, but the percentage is high.

I wonder how this CEM tutor proof system is going to break down the high pass rate of the private schools?


Hope this helps. Are you planning to send your DS/DD to private school? or is it just a general question?

[MedievalBabe]

In my experience of working in the private sector locally, the schools focus on the CE 11+ if they are a prep school hoping to feed to independent senior schools. They have lessons on VR and NVR if required in tutor time. The kids are used to tests and exams as they are tested frequently and even put in exam situations at a younger age than state. Some children are there in the hope they will get through the exam for GS and if they don't well they stay put.
The independent primaries will provide extra coaching for GS, possibly as a club or as lessons. They want as many of the children to get GS places or Independent Senior School places as possible as it looks good for them.

[Daogroupie]

That is very interesting. It is the exact opposite in my area: North London and Herts. Prep schools don't want their students going to the state selectives because they want them to feed into the secondary private school and increase their success rates. On exams. state schools sit KS1 in May of Y2. Which exams do prep schools sit at a younger age? Prep schools are certainly not a year ahead in my area and some prep students really struggle to make it into selectives. It is a lot easier to get into the private secondaries than the selectives. DG

[gameon]

Yes, I agree with MedievalBabe that they push towards independent senior schools than for a GS place, but they still prepare them for GS as well. All the preparations are blend in with their normal lessons for my DS. No extra clubs or tuition.

The standard depends on which private school they attend. There are good and bad private schools as well.

Mind you, private school tend to influence which child takes which exams (GS, super selective or just selective) so their pass rate is high. Of course not all the parents follow their advice, but some do.

[MedievalBabe]

In the Indie they start formal testing in Y3, with termly assessment tests sat in the classrooms with the desks moved. By Y5 they are still getting termly assessment tests but they also have formal exams in the main school hall, in rows, at exam desks. Y6 have 2 sets of formal exams in the hall with another set in the autumn term as a practice for the CE in January.

My dd is in the state system in Y5 and she does not get tested at the same level and all tests are in a much more relaxed way within the classroom. She will be doing her optional SATs in a few weeks but there is no weeks of revision, which has been happening at the Indie, and the kids will not get stressed out by them.

I know which system I prefer, but I can also see how the Indie way prepares the kids better for GS entry as they are not put off by exam situations and timings.

[Kismet]

Thank you all. That's really helpful feedback and very interesting. DS is yr 5 in state school so I am wondering what his chances are when attempting entry to GS. Was half wondering tho if we should also attempt yr 7 entry to private sector as fallback. Interesting that you say, gameon that it's easier to get into private secondary than GS. Food for thought....

[Kismet]

Oops...that should have said Daogroupie not gameon

[Daogroupie]

You can edit your existing text rather than having to start a new one. Just click the edit button. It is easy to get into the private schools than the state schools in my area, may not be true of yours. I would recommend you sign up to do Y7 entry into private school as back up. What is the exam format of the state selectives you are interested in? DG

[Stressed?Moi?]

In the Indie they start formal testing in Y3, with termly assessment tests sat in the classrooms with the desks moved. By Y5 they are still getting termly assessment tests but they also have formal exams in the main school hall, in rows, at exam desks. Y6 have 2 sets of formal exams in the hall with another set in the autumn term as a practice for the CE in January.

My dd is in the state system in Y5 and she does not get tested at the same level and all tests are in a much more relaxed way within the classroom. She will be doing her optional SATs in a few weeks but there is no weeks of revision, which has been happening at the Indie, and the kids will not get stressed out by them.

I know which system I prefer, but I can also see how the Indie way prepares the kids better for GS entry as they are not put off by exam situations and timings.

It's funny, we've found the opposite. Perhaps DS is lucky at his school; they are very relaxed about testing (they don't do SATS). His friends in the state system however get really stressed during their SATS with piles of preparation. One of the friends of my daughter refused to go into school as she couldn't face it. She was made to and started crying and they had to go and pick her up. Shows that all schools are different, no matter which system they are in.