new mum to the 11 plus

Eleven Plus (11+) in Surrey (Sutton, Kingston and Wandsworth)

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JASMINE
Posts: 61
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 11:56 pm

new mum to the 11 plus

Post by JASMINE »

Hi to all,

I stumbled across this wonderful website by accident and I am so glad I did. Its a real gem!

Reading some of the previous threads has really answered the questions I had wondered about for a long time but had no one to ask.
I found that mums at the school are so reluctant to give out info. I feel so isolated and today I feel so much better that I am not the only one going mad with worry. My partner thinks that I've gone mad but I am so
stressed about my sons maturity and relaxed approach that I am dreading the exams to come in sept and Jan for Wall, Sutton and Wisons.

My son is in year 5 and so laid back and wanders why I get in such a panic when he decides to take it all so easy. Its probably a good thing in a way, the trouble is he makes silly mistakes in his tests and is careless and really has trouble writing stories. He will write about two lines and then go off, he can't concentrate.


Please help !
STRESSED OUT
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2008 4:11 pm

Post by STRESSED OUT »

Hi,

I have just been through the 11+ and like your son my son was quiet laid back about the all thing. He was like your son whose writing is awful. I think it is a boy thing with writing. I have had many sleepless night worrying. To my surprise he passed both sutton and Tiffin.
Be postive and good luck

The advise I Can give you he just need to be focused and work hard it does not get any easier.

:lol:
JASMINE
Posts: 61
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 11:56 pm

Post by JASMINE »

Thankyou stressed out and congrats on your sons achievement. It was worth it.

Yes I do believe it is a boy thing and well done for keeping it going. I am trying to focus on concentration techniques etc to see if they help at all.

Thanks again.
melinda
Posts: 226
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:40 pm
Location: surrey

Post by melinda »

Just to add that I too have a son who was quite laid back about the whole testing thing. But I took that to be a good thing and I carried most of the stress for him!
I think the Wallington test, held in September is too early and my son said himself he did not feel ready. Wilsons was straight after Xmas (first day back at school) and so he was still in holiday mode!
Fortunately he wanted to go to Sutton Grammar so much, he decided to focus everything on that test and got a place. I just wish he had told me at the time!
I think you have to trust in your son's ability, but I think being happy at school is one of the most important thngs to consider in the end

I can smile now that I am at the end of it all, but good luck.
JASMINE
Posts: 61
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 11:56 pm

Post by JASMINE »

Hi Melinda,

Its great to hear success after such hard work. I am so pleased for you and your son, my son also has a preference for Sutton G and I have heard it is the hardest test. Don't know how much truth there is in that.

I totally agree with you with the test timings, not so great and I think the waiting for the results must be a real agonising time as well.

I will encourage my son to sit Wallington, Wilsons, Sutton and Tiffin.

All the best for the future.
surreymum
Posts: 553
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:26 pm

Post by surreymum »

I think most boys are similar-in principle want to go to the grammar school, but don't want to do the work involved! I found the creative writing very hard with all 3 of my boys. I found some useful information on the internet about planning stories, having a beginning, middle and end. Trying to start with something interesting that catches attention and lots of adjectives and adverbs. We used to have a special mention for achieving a metaphor or a simile!

Most bright children make silly mistakes, but they do gradually learn from them. I also found that it was very hard to make the boys take a practice paper at home seriously, but the real thing focussed their mind.

We all found Sutton hardest (sorry I mean all my boys did)-particularly as their English is not a story usually now but often a discussion or an argument. This year it was what school rule would you change and why and last year if you were prime minister what law would you change.

If the schools don't change what they did last year be prepared for a long haul: Wallington exam is mid September so very early and too close to summer holidays. Wilsons is the first Monday of the new year and Sutton slap bang in the middle of the two. I do hope Wilsons and Sutton move their exam dates to comply with the admission code. There is nothing on their websites yet-may be worth a ring to their admissions officers-but I would wait a couple of weeks as no doubt swamped at the moment.

Sutton also hold a mock test, you can find out about it on their website, which gives boys or girls the opportunity to sit a test at a real school under exam conditions. However only maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning so not a full reflection of the real thing.

Finally (sorry waffled on a lot) if you are sitting Tiffins it means you have to do non verbal reasoning which isn't needed for any of the other exams so it does add to the load for the kids and may be something to think about.
JASMINE
Posts: 61
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 11:56 pm

Post by JASMINE »

Hi Surrey Mum

Thanks for all the info and many thanks to the other replies I got. The advice has been very valuable and now I feel alot more reassured.

I will certainly try looking on the internet for ideas to improve his writing and especially discussion or argument writing for Sutton thanks for that tip. I know my son wouldn't able to do that kind of writing unless he was coached in advance. He has the ideas but can't reflect on paper or goes off the subject.

He enjoys vr and enjoys doing the papers and we also doing nvr for the Tiffin exam.
maxie
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:06 pm

Post by maxie »

Hi there.
My son is in year 5 and is very laid back and unfocused and has terrible handwriting!

Nevertheless, I'm thinking of putting him in for the Tiffin exam and am wondering if the exam is multiple choice or standard version...? Do you know?

I havent been and wont be sending him to a tutor, I'd like to prepare him at home. :wink:
JaysDarlin
Posts: 548
Joined: Mon Jun 16, 2008 6:34 pm

Post by JaysDarlin »

Hi Maxie

The Tiffin 11+ consists of one VR and one NVR and both are multiple choice, as far as i know. and are written by NFER.
geling
Posts: 153
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 12:18 pm

Post by geling »

Hi, Maxie, yes, Tiffin exams are mutiple choices, so don't worry about your son's handwriting! :roll: To be frank, i would like to say here is that if you really really want your son will get into Tiffin, the private tuition for verbal and non-verbal (at least one year) is essential. You can look at another thread to find the other parents' comments on this. The " down side "by private tuition is that it still can't gurantee anything , let alnoe without it. However, i don't know your "situation" (maybe you are a teacher yourself?), i've just gone through all of it, so i just tell you my experience . Put your any other questions here, we would like to help you. :lol:
Best regards.
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