Tough!

[11nuts]

It only seems like yesterday, when I was preparing for my uni finals. The 11 plus has managed to remind me of exactly what exam stress was all about!

It also makes me a little pessimistic, considering I really did not achieve high marks. The 11 plus seems a very competitive battle for the top marks made even harder with competitive parents at the school gates!!

Stress has started!

[herbera]

I think all of us on this site understand how you feel - at times during this process I have felt total despair - and on days when DD has unexpectedly done a great paper, total elation. The rollercoaster of emotions is really quite ridiculous. I can only repeat a friend's (who heads a Nth London Prep) comments - try not get sucked too far into the game. Of course your DC (and you!) needs to put a fair amount of work, but ultimately its not the quantity, its the quality. Look at the recent thread posted by newbie- I completely agree that instead of hours of papers, which will bore them rigid, focus on your child's weaknesses. Focus on problem Q types in VR and non- VR, and get them to improve their level of accuracy in maths - my DD made many fewer silly mistakes after she had a couple of weeks competing against her father and I doing sheets of multiplications/long divisions. And make sure they read decent books while they are preparing- or at least ones that won't detract from their performance in English (does anyone else find Jacqueline Wilson's books a bad influence?!). Good luck...

[2GirlsDad]

Of course your DC (and you!) needs to put a fair amount of work, but ultimately its not the quantity, its the quality. Look at the recent thread posted by newbie- I completely agree that instead of hours of papers, which will bore them rigid, focus on your child's weaknesses.

I believe you mean this thread? http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 18&t=24020" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think although quantity is also required, the best is to pursue quality - you will get some level of quantity anyway... (I do not think you can avoid getting DC to do a wide variety of school past tests, question types, etc). You will see on the various threads that there are various areas that each person found worth focusing on. These become clear depending on the specific exams DC will sit and whether you get much information about those and if you manage to diagnose early on what the focus areas are.

11nuts, what year is your DC? The Sats results and any VR assessment that DC has done will give you an indication of where to aim. Other things to consider are whether many children in the same school will apply and how to deal with the social pressure that you may have before and after the exams, the results, the actual choice of school, etc.

This year I believe that the game is also changing since it's likely that all regions will need to allow children to sit exams and have them marked before you rank the schools on an application form- this will bring the dates earlier but make it less stressful for many people.

[lara228]

I can only repeat a friend's (who heads a Nth London Prep) comments - try not get sucked too far into the game. ...

Best advice to follow - it becomes very easy to get influenced by other parents and their neuroses/insecurities!!!

[11nuts]

DS is in year five.

Currently not having the best schooling may I add. The teachers seem a little withdrawn and wanting to teach every child in stagnated, ritual process – which I disagree with completely. However it was the best option of junior state school at the time.

I fell out with my childs teacher, having to have formal meetings with the head teacher trying to understand why on earth DS was feeling not completely happy in the environment.