Question for Guest55 please re low score

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All Too Much
Posts: 72
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 3:29 pm

Question for Guest55 please re low score

Post by All Too Much »

Hi Guest55, sorry to bother you but I believe from other posts that you are/were a GS teacher (apologies if I am wrong).

Our youngest DS did not pass the 11+ but was extremely fortunate to get through on appeal. My concern is that on attending other academic review days and/or parents' evenings for my older children (at GSs), the form tutor or teacher had a note of my child's 11+ result on the top of the piece of paper in front of him/her. Are all teachers told individual results? Would they then look at him 'differently' to the high proportion of children who have passed - some with full marks?

We fought for him to get in as we are convinced it is the right place for him (as the appeal panel must have agreed with).

I know that the children do compare 11+ results in Yr 7 as we have been through this already and always told my other children to hold their heads up high when declaring their moderate results (126-129s) in comparison to the full marks of other children. I do not want him to feel he has to explain himself; I have no doubt that he will shine in his classwork once they get going but am still a little concerned that he will be viewed differently by his peers and teachers at the beginning.

He wasn't tutored and loves school.

Thanks.
ATM
All Too Much
Greta2
Posts: 180
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:21 am

Post by Greta2 »

I know that you are waiting for G55 who I am sure will come up with very sensible advice. I do understand how you feel and I think everyone would instinctively feel the same – one more reason to my mind why scores should not be given.

However I can only try to reassure you from DS1’s experience – now in year 8. The school did have scores – I could see then at the first parents evening - but from knowing several boys and their scores it did not seem to make one iota of difference to how the staff saw them or their expectations.

The school didn’t set the children for anything until the end of year 7 in any case and that was only for maths and done on the basis of tests and class work done that year. They do however select for G&T in quite a few subjects from early in year 7. My understanding from one of the staff is that that is done on the basis of a) reports from primary and b) how they perform in the first term at GS. Given that a lot of children going to GS have been on G&T at primary for something I think it is mostly done on the work they do once at GS.

The children quickly learned that scores on the 11 + was a poor indicator as to how each child did in class. They had their eyes opened by one child who got in on appeal but is now in G & T for 5 subjects and certainly from my own son’s point of view is probably the brightest child in his class.

So whilst it might feel funny to them at first sharing scores (as I think they all do for about a day!) it may even prove to be a learning curve in the long run to the children – as well as to us parents.
All Too Much
Posts: 72
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 3:29 pm

Post by All Too Much »

Many thanks Greta2, he will just have to prove himself worthy, which I'm sure he will. Lovely to hear about the child in a similar situation who is thriving.

I think the 'problem' may be exacerbated by the fact that he does not know anyone starting with him although he is aware of some siblings of his older brother's friends going but does not know them personally (different primary schools).

Although I focused my query towards Guest55 (as a teacher), anyone, like your good self Greta2, who has experience or advice, please feel free to pass it on.

Oh, more grey hairs - the worry of it all !!

ATM
All Too Much
Looking for help
Posts: 3767
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Berkshire

Post by Looking for help »

Hi All too much,
2 of my 3 children at GS got in with the pass mark, (one of which was helpfully rounded up to reach the pass mark - for which we were eternally grateful - ours was an average score on 3 papers). One of them was embarrassed, I think at the time of going, in case she wouldn't be good enough! What nonesense, she is now in yr 12 and doing very well indeed - her GCSE results put her in the top half of her cohort, and she will (fingers crossed) do very well in her A Levels.
Every child is different, and I think that the scores on the day really bear very little resemblance to how the child will do in the end. I have known friends of my children who got very high scores in 11+, but failed to do anywhere near as well at GCSE, so the most important thing is for your child to not worry at all about the fact they got in on appeal - the fact is that your son just underperformed on one day, and that's the end of the matter.
He will, I'm sure do very well, and I don't believe the teachers will pay too much attention to actual scores once he is there and working well.

I hope this helps,
LFH
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

The general feedback we've had about this in the past has always been very positive and encouraging.

There's a comment from Guest55 included here:
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/11plus ... rs.php#b26
Etienne
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Post by Guest55 »

Hi,

I am happy to confirm that VR score is not even recorded in our markbooks in the school where I teach!

My Dc got in at 12+ yet is G&T in several subjects - I do look at the KS2 test marks - a score in the high 90s for Maths would set them apart.
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