Taking 11plus a year later
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Re: Taking 11plus a year later
Amber won't say this herself because it's not her style, but I happen to know that her DD got some of the best GCSE grades in the country last year, so clearly keeping her out of school when she was younger didn't do her any harm at all.None of it did any harm, and I reckon it did lots of good.
Re: Taking 11plus a year later
Really difficult. There are two issues: the 'rules' - check, double check and check again; what you think will be in your child's best interests.
Mine is a summer birthday. I considered holding out until she was five to start formal school, or least Easter with one term in reception. The nursey strongly advised against missing reception. In the end she started in January and did two terms in reception. But when she was half way through Year 3 we moved abroad - a new language and a much later age for starting school, also interestingly, much more flexibility on year group vis a vis age - social maturity is considered important. She could have gone into year 1. The school's advice was no, she's already 'school experienced' therefore year 1 would be inappropriate. She went into year 2 but was one of the very youngest in the class. Come year 5 and we expected to move back to the UK when would be mid year 6 (in her oversesas school) but in the UK year 7 age group. In the end we skipped year 6 and applied for UK secondary schools at the 'right' age, boarding from the start of year 7. Didn't do 11+ but did do indy exams (and got offered places including a music scholarship - those these weren't the most competitive schools). Given out personal circumstances this was probably the right choice but I think that social maturity (not 'missed' schooling) has been an issue. It's only now in year 11 that she's really beginning to show what she's capable of as she begins to mature. Not easy though because they can be socially immature and bright -then perhaps bored and behave worse!
Mine is a summer birthday. I considered holding out until she was five to start formal school, or least Easter with one term in reception. The nursey strongly advised against missing reception. In the end she started in January and did two terms in reception. But when she was half way through Year 3 we moved abroad - a new language and a much later age for starting school, also interestingly, much more flexibility on year group vis a vis age - social maturity is considered important. She could have gone into year 1. The school's advice was no, she's already 'school experienced' therefore year 1 would be inappropriate. She went into year 2 but was one of the very youngest in the class. Come year 5 and we expected to move back to the UK when would be mid year 6 (in her oversesas school) but in the UK year 7 age group. In the end we skipped year 6 and applied for UK secondary schools at the 'right' age, boarding from the start of year 7. Didn't do 11+ but did do indy exams (and got offered places including a music scholarship - those these weren't the most competitive schools). Given out personal circumstances this was probably the right choice but I think that social maturity (not 'missed' schooling) has been an issue. It's only now in year 11 that she's really beginning to show what she's capable of as she begins to mature. Not easy though because they can be socially immature and bright -then perhaps bored and behave worse!
P's mum
