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panic begins for 2010 entry!!

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:02 pm
by Nxx
Just seen the news re change of criteria for the girls entry...started to panic now for my boy currently in yr 5, sitting all 3 grammars this year---

No distance criteria for boys...lets hope they bring back the sibling rules and distance for the boys!!!

My ds has started 10/11 bond papers and makes silly mistakes, hence scores around 80% when he can actually score more...are there any other parents out there who have started to panic???? :x :x

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:29 pm
by surreymum
Welcome to the forum.

I do not think the criteria will change again for the boys as sibling rules long gone and all just done on rank score.

I think you need to try and relax a little. You are in for a long haul as if sitting all 3 grammars it will start in September and go on till January :D and then there's the wait for the results and allocation!

If your son was getting full marks now it would be very hard to maintain his interest until the exams and pointless doing any more work. If he is already getting 80% he is well on track. Part of learning the techniques is refining your approach to the exam and eliminating the mistakes. It is very common for boys to rush through it and make multiple silly mistakes. At least if the mistakes are silly ones that is remediable, it is much harder if they are due to a fundamental lack of understanding.

It is in both of your interests to work gently towards it, whilst pointing out as you correct his paper what he would have got without the silly mistakes.

Good luck

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:43 pm
by isamum
I would wait with tests for now
I think is more effective to go over all topics in order to spot any gaps and spend time on explaining and practicing them.

As my experiences are fresh - I'd make sure that by end of may you've covered all maths topics, VR and English in such details that then you concentrate on tests.

3 months of tests is enough providing you were honest with your revisions.
Have you covered all VR yet?

Also comprehension is not that easy to master to get 90% each time (I say 90% since on the day of each exam they will have allowance to make mistakes and doing tests will hopefully bring him up to mid 90's).

***comment removed - see below. ***

Don't panic - plenty of time ahead, but pace yourself with plenty of time for his fun time so he won't get fed up with sitting down for too long anyway.

My DD one is in y6 and I know mistakes we've made :-)

I have removed your comment re: the type of maths questions because there are still late entrants taking the Wilsons test. Please could everyone on Surrey exercise great caution in this matter. Thank you. Sally-Anne.

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 2:51 pm
by Nxx
Thank you both...this site is great!

My son has started VR English and Maths...he's on the 10/11 papers for all three at the mo. We also look over the 9/10 papers too and over any corrections.

His maths is v. good as is his vr...its just his English...essays etc...he needs alot of help with it.

We also have tutor who says i'm mad and that he will pass easily...i'm just worried as i know its very competative out there..

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 3:06 pm
by isamum
Work on his English then - that's where boys fail (quite often).
I mean it is hard for them to write well if they are good at Maths.
He needs a lot of practice to get to the point where he will begin enjoying it.
For some it may be something as trivial as speed they write with.
However in my opinion Comprehension should be treated as a very logical exercise, as you may not know meaning of words and still manage to answer questions.
It comes with confidence.

And as a parent it is much easier to mark Maths and VR - but only teacher or tutor can mark their English essays/Comp.
At times we were doing just one subject in depth.

My DD is very grateful to her tutor as he helped her to get confidence - so listen to your tutor, don't project your worries onto your son and enjoy teaching him.
It does bring us closer to our kids :-)

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 3:13 pm
by Nxx
Thanks again...you are right, English is hard to teach and the tutor does help him more than what I can..

He actually enjoys working with his tutor...at times i do wonder whether he has done any work with him as i can hear alot of laughter!!!...which is reassuring too as they need to enjoy the work to a point..

Good luck to your daughter.. :P

Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 4:13 pm
by isamum
Don't be affraid to ask tutor to change content of lesson - say make 50% of it English for next few weeks and concentrate on one aspect of his work.
Making more of it at this stage will benefit him in long term.

Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:41 am
by Nxx
:lol:

Thanks isamum.

Will speak with his tutor, and decide on how best to construct his lessons.

I really want him to go to Wally Boys. My son wants to go to Wilsons as thats where most of his friends want to go.

To be honest, would be over the moon if he got into any of them!

Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 12:28 pm
by isamum
Good luck :)
I am sure he's going to be fine in either

Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 8:22 pm
by Nxx
Thanks for your Good Luck wishes.

No doubt there will be a few more posts from me ( the neurotic that I'm turning into) :( before he sits his first exam in Sept!