I have so many questions, so any advice would be appreciated

NotAPushyMum · Post by **NotAPushyMum** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 12:27 pm

We currently live in Surrey and now need to move to Cheshire because of my husbands job. Our daughter is 10 and in year 6, so will be moving schools in September, we don't have grammar schools here so I am attempting to understand the system very quickly.

I have spoken to both Sale and Altrincham Girls about how we would get our DD into either and they have both said that we need to have moved by the end of January. As we plan to rent in the short term, this is do-able although not ideal for our daughter as she'd have two terms in a new primary school - but she's not too bothered about that. The schools have also said that she can sit the exams in the next few weeks.

Well, poor thing has never seen a VR or NVR question untill this week and we are spending time each night going through the VR questions at the moment and she's doing fine. However we don't have very long and as this has happened all very quickly we are just using free downloadable papers. I'd love to know which of the many resources are the best ones to buy and get her started on?

I don't know how the school system works - lets says she passes the exams do we apply for all grammar schools, or do they only allocate to the people who put them as first choice? What happens if she doesn't pass at all, are there good non grammer schools in the area?

I also have two younger children (yr2 and yr3) so need to find them a good primary (state) - if anyone has any advice on this too that would be great.

We are planning to move to Altrincham/Hale.

Help

TIDDLYMUM · Post by **TIDDLYMUM** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:01 pm

NAPM

Have sent you PM

TM

emsy · Post by **emsy** » Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:01 pm

Wellington Road school is non-selective and has a very good reputation. I know a few people with children there and they are all very happy with the school. It is very popular though - I don't know how far away you can be and still get a place.

caz · Post by **caz** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 4:44 am

they have to pass the exam then your have to put as a first choice ,wellington rd is a very good school but it's very hard to get in if your not in the catchment which is wa14,wa15 ,m33.primary schools elmridge primary hale barns is very good but is also very hard to get in.my advice would be is too look at the trafford league tables

NotAPushyMum · Post by **NotAPushyMum** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 12:33 pm

We are planning to move to either WA14 or 15, so I hope that will help. One of the primary schools I spoke to this week had good things to say about Wellington Road too.

I'm afriad I have another question, which is about how the exam is held, do the children sit all three exams one after another - I assume/hope there are breaks etc, it would be good to prepare my daughter for this.

We've spent some time on VA today and she's 'getting' everything so far, but a bit slow just yet - I'm very proud of her - now off to have a lovely weekend.

emsy · Post by **emsy** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 3:10 pm

Last year the tests were one after the other with a break between the second and third for a drink and snack.

NotAPushyMum · Post by **NotAPushyMum** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 12:32 pm

Thanks, emsy thats quite a lot for a 10 year old in one go isn't it?

I have another question, hope that's ok. Can anyone explain how the scores are calculated - the schools are giving a passmark of 350 (I think) how does that relate to the number of questions for each test? Is it equivilent to a certain percentage?

Thanks for all your help.

TIDDLYMUM · Post by **TIDDLYMUM** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 1:56 pm

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... hp?t=10970

does this help re the marks?

square_root · Post by **square_root** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 7:33 pm

NotAPushyMum wrote: I'd love to know which of the many resources are the best ones to buy and get her started on?

Hi NotAPushyMum - you have my sympathies to have to go through this at such short notice!

for VR I'd say the Susan Daughtrey set of 4 books, this is the first of the set,
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/ ... php%23bs78
but they may well cover more types than necessary (TraffordMum may
know more!) for NVR I'd stick with the Bond Assessment books. For Maths there's
no hard and fast author in my opinion - the Schofield and Sims 'Understanding Maths'
range are pretty good but I'm not sure if they cover absolutely everything
http://www.schofieldandsims.co.uk/key-s ... kbooks.asp
(cheap though!) These are available from our local bookshops and libraries in
Hale/Altrincham for about Â£3 each. You absolutely must do these (multiple choice)
familiarization tests for every subject though...
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/books/ ... p%3D0%23b4

Waterstones are currently selling all these types of book on 3 for 2 INSTORE promotion

Hope that helps! you may very well find that most people don't want to give out
information as every child is considered 'competition' around here - if you're not
in the masons *and* have the right handshake you can't even find a tutor who's not
booked up 3 years in advance...!

Good Luck

square-root

TIDDLYMUM · Post by **TIDDLYMUM** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 12:24 pm

Hi square root

your advice echoes mores or less exactly what I told NAPM in a PM a couple of weeks ago, though I forgot about Schofield and Sims. AFN VR are also a very good resource.

Its interesting what you have said about local parents. We are out of area and so only a few of us are affected. I must say though that for the most part we have shared all our resources and knowledge, at least I think we have

I have so many questions, so any advice would be appreciated

I have so many questions, so any advice would be appreciated

Re: I have so many questions, so any advice would be appreci