Advantages of children coming to GSs from private primaries

[Chelmsford mum]

Serial tester - yes I quite agree too .Money whether spent on private education or intensive coaching does give the edge because the 11+ system is rarely about merit nowadays and often about money.It seems if you don't have much of the stuff , getting your child a good secondary education can be an absolute battle.
That said wouldn't want to put anyone off of trying - it can still be done. I just feel angry for those children whose parents have neither the money nor the expertise to help.Shoudn't be this way and I think we all agree on that - whether our kids are in private or state primaries.
I'll stop posting now as it gets addictive.Best wishes to all for March 2nd.

[fm]

Yes, in an ideal world there would be no tuition, no private schools and everyone would have an equal chance. Meanwhile, in the real world, I shall continue to help children, mainly from state schools, whose parents may not have the time, confidence or education to help.

[Looking for help]

Not only that Chelmsford mum and serial tester, there must be a few daft people like me in the system.
Why daft ? Because when my older children sat the 11plus, the youngest of whom is now currently in year 10 - I had never heard of intensive coaching - I thought a little familiarisation was all that is required. Now that my youngest (and arguably brightest) has just FAILED I know that he would have passed had the playing field been level, and he'd had the same tuition as those around him sitting the test.
But there you are - I've made my bed (very little coaching, same as his siblings), and my youngest has to lie in it.
With little else than a sink comp to look forward to on 2nd or 3rd or 4th or whenever of March, I probably won't even bother opening the letter!
Shame.

LFH

[Chelmsford mum]

Not only that Chelmsford mum and serial tester, there must be a few daft people like me in the system.
Why daft ? Because when my older children sat the 11plus, the youngest of whom is now currently in year 10 - I had never heard of intensive coaching - I thought a little familiarisation was all that is required. Now that my youngest (and arguably brightest) has just FAILED I know that he would have passed had the playing field been level, and he'd had the same tuition as those around him sitting the test.
But there you are - I've made my bed (very little coaching, same as his siblings), and my youngest has to lie in it.
With little else than a sink comp to look forward to on 2nd or 3rd or 4th or whenever of March, I probably won't even bother opening the letter!
Shame.

Please don't give up hope.like I said my eldest got in with the same level of coaching as you have given.You might still have good news.In the event that it isn't the news you want, no doubt he will get in the gifted and talented stream and the teachers will be delighted to have him there.I know its cold comfort but you are obviously a supportive parent with a bright child and I still truly believe the combination of both will win the day.
Our family situation didn't stretch to a private tutor and its will be hard if my dd doesn't get in not to think " maybe I should have done more ".
However if your or my child does get in at least they are meant to be there.As a previous poster said those that opt for months and months of private tuition may not actually always have the natural abilty to warrant being there.Your son will do well wherever he goes and I believe the same for my daughter.It is just dealing with the March 2nd disappointment.
Good luck to you and your son.This is really my last post on this subject some will be glad to know

[rachelmary]

I'm sorry but I have to say that not all state primaries are failing bright children!! My DS is out of county for 11 plus but has had an excellent state education and he has passed 11 plus (organised by us) with flying colours. I have two very gifted children who are doing well in state primaries and who work ahead of their peers when necessary being given more difficult work where appropriate.

I am a qualified teacher and I know what I am talking about when I say that I have taught in two independant schools and I would not send my children to a prep school if it were the last place on earth, the state schools (our local ones anyway and perhaps we are lucky?) are FAR better.

Sorry to rant but I had to say my piece. GOOD LUCK to EVERYONE on 2nd March, may we all get what we are hoping for....

[zorro]

Your DC is given " more difficult work when appropriate" That was my point exactly- this did not happen at my DS's school when it should have.
some state schools are good and some are NOT!!!!!!

[serialtester]

Yes, in an ideal world there would be no tuition, no private schools and everyone would have an equal chance. Meanwhile, in the real world, I shall continue to help children, mainly from state schools, whose parents may not have the time, confidence or education to help.

And that's great FM and I'm sure that you are an excellent tutor. But currently most of the kids who get in (in my area at least) are being tutored, and it's simply unfair that the kids of parents who can't afford the tuition are losing out.

[essex-mum18]

Quote from Olivia

"My DD has taken a selective test at two GSs where around 900 girls compete for 130 places. A high percentage of girls taking the test come from the private sector, however no grammar school will tell you which percentage of their intake comes from private schools."


I always think that in my son's GS, the number of privately educated children will be a lot higher than the stated educated ones. I must admit that I was rather surprised to find out the following information in his school website.

" Over two-thirds of the entry in Year 7
come from state schools, about one-third
to one quarter from independent schools."

So, some children in the state sector are doing well in the 11+.

[fm]

To Serialtester,

I won't disagree with that. In fact, I think we may be in the same area (Birmingham) and only the exceptional do seem to gain a place without formal tutoring or a parent in education.

I was actually arguing that clever state school children can compete successfully with privately educated children for places at state grammar school, provided they are adequately prepared by parent or tutor. I was certainly not arguing that unprepared children will gain entry.

Truthfully, if you want an equitable system, you do away with grammar schools altogether and then everyone can go to a similar bog standard comprehensive to the one my son attends.

[sycamore]

Serialtester makes a fair point. If some children are being tutored the standardised pass mark goes up and it creates the situation where virtually all children need more than 'familiarisation' to stand a chance in these tests. The children who miss out are the ones whose parents do not know/care/afford enough to prepare them adequately. In an opt-in area like ours many children miss out because the parents haven't put a GS on the blooming form!

zorro, we are in the same situation as you were. If a child is predicted a level 5 they are ignored in Yr 6 even more than in previous years. It seems to be beyond the imagination of some teachers to even just photocopy the extension activity in the book for homework. As for covering the Maths syllabus for the 11+, that is a joke. I have often wondered if a child has interested (labelled pushy) parents that some schools feel that they have to do even less.

fm, doing away with GS altogether is not altogether a bad idea only when the powers that be deal with the ghettoes of deprivation that exist across the country and help to create the kind of bog standard comp most of us are terrified of.

Or they could simply find a better way to test ability.