11 Plus Exams Forum

I walked past such a room today - not my children's room or year thankfully.

Younger children walking up and down the corridor as normal, some changing their books on the opposite side of the corridor. A p e lesson in the hall opposite with lots of clumping children jumping up and down. And they were seated at long narrow folding lunch tables. 2 children each had a narrow end and one on the middle of the long side. I think I might have struggled with the width with the question sheet and answer paper and the necessity for speed if I had been on the narrow end.

Are there any rules?

My dd2 sat the 11+ in a school hall, usually used for assemblies, sat at individual tables. The hall is used for exams and assemblies so the sun doesn't bother anyone. It isn't too hot or too cold in summer.

SEN children sat in separate rooms, classrooms, in another block.

Dd2 didn't mention any problems with hearing the cd.

As it was on a Saturday, all was quiet - apart from parents outside desperate to collect their dc early. The school isn't on a main road so I don't think there were any distractions. Perfect for an exam.

But I obviously don't know other exam centres.

Our CSSE GSs, Chelmsford CHS and the local Essex CC semi-selective which runs its own entrance test all organise their main / only test on a Saturday, so there are plenty of suitably-sized rooms available and minimal distractions, although I have a vague memory that when one of ours took the s-s test there was a sports fixture of some kind on at the same time. The alternative dates are all normal school days, though.

We were the same as Ginx - Saturday in a school hall at individual tables, set in rows. I don't think anything else was happening and distractions were at a minimum.

Normal school day, but the girls already at the school get the day off. Exam taken in classrooms so they are in small groups.

My daughter sat the Kent 11+ today and yesterday. All the students sat in the hall which has the school kitchen connected to it with no barrier. she said it was noisy and she could hear the catering staff singing, banging pots & pans, music playing. today was worse than yesterday. i was furious and wished that she had told me yesterday. i bet that the headmaster will make sure that there are no noises during the Sats. For 11+, he could not care less.

I would get some proof of this now in case it comes in useful and put in a complaint. Was it the same in previous years? Is there pass record at the level one might expect or poorer?

I think its best to try and get your child to ignore all distractions and keep their head down. My sons were given their own table , but still had children peering through the hall windows and last year , a boy who took the test flicking pencils through the air. I know it has been suggested that they do their prep in a noisy ish environment ....although I used to screech at my others to be quiet on pain of death

yes, our household gives ideal noise practice at homework time, and I think that is essential and a good skill for later. But still, I don't think it is right that marks are being compared between children who had a lot of distractions and those who didn't. It does affect the speed of some children more than others, and speed does seem to be key in these tests.

Thanks for your advice, Mystery. I will write a complaint letter to KCC about it. I think that it will be helpful to get other parents to sign or complain too. I am so disappointed with the headmaster's attitude towards 11+.