Why don't all schools do 11plus work?

[Spokenhands]

Speaking to a teacher whose North Warwickshire state primary school was recently evaluated for an Ofsted report, the new guidelines to achieve an 'Outstanding' rating have been considerably tightened, and among the new measures is a record of how many students the primary sent up for the 11+. It has created a stir in teacher circles, I am told, and i am not surprised.

As a parent who values a good education, that at times can be challenging and requires kids to put in the work, as kids do in many countries around the world; i think ALL kids (and parents) must be encouraged to be academically ambitious, gain valuable skills and whereas there will always be different levels of ability, students must not be discouraged from taking selective examinations because the school is lazy (and does not care to be informed), because teachers cannot figure a way of providing those students who do want to take up 11+ preparation more support both during school time and afterhours, or because some teachers have a cultural prejudice to selective education (in a world which works by this almost exclusively)

My academically-average kids thrived when we were able to afford to move them to Independents - where the entire approach and culture of the school and teachers is geared towards 'actually helping' kids by being the best they can be (and these skills are tested and developed regularly - not only as a one off - to achieve real acocmplishments in sport, music, hobby-interests and academia in a rounded way). It is a disappointment then, that hundreds of thousands of other 'average' kids cannot have the chance to be the best of themselves because some teachers have decided that conformity is better for them.

I support the Ofsted in its many measures that will see a number of 'Outstanding' schools drop to 'Good' from this year onwards; in the interest of recording meaningfully how the schools perform in delivering our kids the skills and education that a globalised, competitive world requires.

[Okanagan]

They're to be measured just by how many take it - not by outcomes? And this is coming from a teacher in North Warwickshire which supposedly doesn't have grammars? Surely this kind of measure could only reasonably be applied if a school is actually in a grammar area.

Actually there doesn't seem to be anything about this in the Ofsten handbook for inspectors. I'm surprised there hasn't been more mention of the change in gradings from "satisfactory" to "requires improvement" though. Quite a change in emphasis from "ok" to "not very good" there which could rather change the perception of the reader who is unfamiliar with the Ofsted gradings.

[daveg]

Speaking to a teacher whose North Warwickshire state primary school was recently evaluated for an Ofsted report, the new guidelines to achieve an 'Outstanding' rating have been considerably tightened, and among the new measures is a record of how many students the primary sent up for the 11+. It has created a stir in teacher circles, I am told, and i am not surprised. .

I'd like to see some evidence supporting that claim. It's not, for example, mentioned anywhere in Ofsted's
September 2012 School inspection handbook. Given there are large parts of the country where there is no state-funded grammar within fifty miles (for example, there are none west of Plymouth or north of Penrith) it seems invidious to criticise schools in Penzance or Northumberland for not entering children for 11+ exams for schools that it would be almost impossible for them to attend.

[Janeymorris]

Sounds ridiculous to me, what about church primary schools where parents choose catholic or faith secondary's, and those schools who are on a county boundary e.g Leicestershire? Would be very unfair. Maybe it's about supporting or making provision for those who wish to take 11 plus ie after school 11 plus clubs.

[SpeedyCar]

If you don't get any joy you could try a freedom of information request asking the number from each school who took the test.

And I can tell you the answer, in the case of midlands LEAs which do not themselves run 11+ exams: "we do not have that information". Parents don't have to tell the school that they are entering children for 11+ exams, and even if they did, the school has no reason to record or collate that fact.

- but in 2014 we had to have a signature from the head on the application form, so the schools WILL know.

[Guest55]

11+ qualification is NOT part of the Ofsted framework as there are only 164 GS in the country! Spokenhands you have been misled.

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/schools/for-sc ... inspectors" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Check the latest information if you don't believe us.

[Daogroupie]

Speedycar, are you sure this was not a private school? I have never heard of a secondary state school application requiring sign off from the Head of the Primary School. DG

[126]

Speaking to a teacher whose North Warwickshire state primary school was recently evaluated for an Ofsted report, the new guidelines to achieve an 'Outstanding' rating have been considerably tightened, and among the new measures is a record of how many students the primary sent up for the 11+.

Not the 11+ but how many students are put forward for KS2 Level 6 SATS ?

[JamesDean]

All 11+ plus applications in Warks have to be counter-signed by Head or class teacher to confirm identity of the child.

JD

[Tinkers]

Reading and Kendrick here in Berkshire needed the primary school to confirm children's id too.