how do booster children cope at a grammer?
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Bexley Mum 2
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- Location: Bexley
Exactly - I see lots of children who don't pass the 11+ achieving 2 or 3 level 5s. That's why I was so surprised to hear that there are children getting into grammar schools with level 4s (especially in maths given the emphasis on this subject in the 11+ in my area). I hadn't realised it was different in other 11+ areas.
So does this mean that the subjects that you reach only a 4 in you will struggle with?
And the children that have recieved intensive boostering,that scrape a level 5 will be OK?
Surely a child that gets 545 will have a weakness ?
I was under the impression that to do well at a grammer you had to beachieving 5s without the need of cramming.
And the children that have recieved intensive boostering,that scrape a level 5 will be OK?
Surely a child that gets 545 will have a weakness ?
I was under the impression that to do well at a grammer you had to beachieving 5s without the need of cramming.
BM2, the kids that get the 3 level 5s and are non-selective usually fall down on the VR and NVR papers. The familiarisation with these papers is a joke in some schools whereas those parents who 'know the system' are able to familiarise at home or with a tutor, sometimes years in advance.
It will be the same this September when the kids who will be expected to get high 5s in Maths and Science won't necessarily be able to do the VR and will therefore be 'non-selective'.
It will be the same this September when the kids who will be expected to get high 5s in Maths and Science won't necessarily be able to do the VR and will therefore be 'non-selective'.
Just a query for Guest 55
On an earlier post dated april 5, you said a potential grammer school pupil should be getting a level 4 at the end of year 4,which would indicate that a child at the end of year 5 reaching levels 3a or 4c would not be grammer schgool material even if they do reach level 5 after boosting?
If what you are saying that reaching a level 5 at the end of year 6 is enough,and they will be fine at a grammer why the need to reach a 4 at the end of year 4?
On an earlier post dated april 5, you said a potential grammer school pupil should be getting a level 4 at the end of year 4,which would indicate that a child at the end of year 5 reaching levels 3a or 4c would not be grammer schgool material even if they do reach level 5 after boosting?
If what you are saying that reaching a level 5 at the end of year 6 is enough,and they will be fine at a grammer why the need to reach a 4 at the end of year 4?
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Bexley Mum 2
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- Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:55 pm
- Location: Bexley
Tracy - oh yes, I realise that. It's not true that a child who gets three level 5s will necessarily have passed the 11+ (because, as you say, they may not be familiar with the VR). But I do think it's broadly true that, in our area at least, most children who have passed the 11+ will go on to get a couple of level 5s, if not 3 level 5s.
My impression, and it is just my impression, is that in the past the subject that 11+ children could afford to be weakest on was English (a shame, as, unlike maths, it spans so many other subject areas). I've been told that, at my son's grammar, new students are generally very good at maths but sometimes relatively weak on English (coming in at level 4, or, I think, level 3 in one or two cases). But, of course, we don't even have an English paper anymore! A huge shame I think.
My impression, and it is just my impression, is that in the past the subject that 11+ children could afford to be weakest on was English (a shame, as, unlike maths, it spans so many other subject areas). I've been told that, at my son's grammar, new students are generally very good at maths but sometimes relatively weak on English (coming in at level 4, or, I think, level 3 in one or two cases). But, of course, we don't even have an English paper anymore! A huge shame I think.
I would have liked all four papers to remain as it gave wider range of abilities. But there you go, the powers that be have decided......
I do know many kids achieveing 3 x5 bs from last year who were 'non selective' and their appeals failed. They didn't attend booster clases either!
Fluff, good point you brought up about the grading.
I would read 'Guest 55's comment as:
yr6 5b - a b indicates a solid level of achievement
so would have achieved:
yr5 4a
so would have achieved:
yr4 4c
All this is based on going up 2 sub-levels per year.
Is this correct Guest 55?
I do know many kids achieveing 3 x5 bs from last year who were 'non selective' and their appeals failed. They didn't attend booster clases either!
Fluff, good point you brought up about the grading.
I would read 'Guest 55's comment as:
yr6 5b - a b indicates a solid level of achievement
so would have achieved:
yr5 4a
so would have achieved:
yr4 4c
All this is based on going up 2 sub-levels per year.
Is this correct Guest 55?
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Bexley Mum 2
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- Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:55 pm
- Location: Bexley
Tracy - yes, we have lots of children at our primary who achieve three level 5s but, as you know, very few of them pass the 11+!
But I'm intrigued. You refer to children getting 5bs how do you know the sub-levels? Our school only gets told sub-levels for level 4 downwards, for 5 we don't get told the sub-levels, it's just a straight 5.
But I'm intrigued. You refer to children getting 5bs how do you know the sub-levels? Our school only gets told sub-levels for level 4 downwards, for 5 we don't get told the sub-levels, it's just a straight 5.
I know cos I made it a mission to find out!
We were given a scrappy piece of paper from school with loads of goobledigook on it. I contacted someone at Hillview and I wouldn't give up til they told me what it all meant.
When I finally got the answers as to what all the numbers meant, many parents asked me what their children's scores were!!!
Then in the summer, I found out from relatives that other borough's actually supply the info to the parents in laymen's terms. I complained to Bexley Council that parents have the right to know exactly what their child's grades are ie, have they just scraped a level or are they pushing the next one?
We were given a scrappy piece of paper from school with loads of goobledigook on it. I contacted someone at Hillview and I wouldn't give up til they told me what it all meant.
When I finally got the answers as to what all the numbers meant, many parents asked me what their children's scores were!!!
Then in the summer, I found out from relatives that other borough's actually supply the info to the parents in laymen's terms. I complained to Bexley Council that parents have the right to know exactly what their child's grades are ie, have they just scraped a level or are they pushing the next one?
