Daughter sitting 11+ Nov 2011 - trying to stay calm....

Eleven Plus (11+) in Essex

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rhubarbcrumble
Posts: 89
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 7:47 pm

Daughter sitting 11+ Nov 2011 - trying to stay calm....

Post by rhubarbcrumble »

Hello all

Posted once last year and got some great replies.

I have viewed this forum now and again and there are some fab people on here giving excellent advice. :D

Just curious I suppose to see how other people are feeling now that there is a little over 6 months to go...gulp.
I remember thinking a while ago....it's fine, there's over 18 months to go...ha...how time flies.

I personally think that my daughter has a reasonable chance of getting it...well at least I hope so! She is very unconcerned about the whole thing (she's 9 still so fair do to her!) at the moment and I hope she remains calmer than her mother...

Gone down the tutoring route (reluctantly and courtesy of grandparents) which amounts to one hour a week. Started in Jan this year and I think it is serving her well thus far. However, did a timed maths paper recently given by the tutor (past paper I believe) and got 17 out of 34. Not terrible, but not great either. Not sure though what I am expecting from her at this stage. I think some of the questions threw her as she hasn't covered the stuff at school yet. Some of the easier ones she got wrong and the more complicated ones she got correct!! Sigh. Anyway, I did mention last year that she had sat her CATS (not SATS as I think some people mis-read) and got 121. Did them this year too and got 122 which I think shows reasonable ability. Her teacher thinks she should definitely try for the 11+.

Well, if anyone has any advice of ANY kind or would like to chat and try and keep me sane....I'd be very grateful.
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: Daughter sitting 11+ Nov 2011 - trying to stay calm....

Post by KB »

Don't panic! You still have plenty of time to deal with any issues and the summer holidays provide plenty of school-free time to make progress while still having a good break.

One of the major issues with the 11+ in Essex is that the state schools at least won't have covered the English and Maths that is tested nor practice the verbal reasoning.
But this is why so many people employ a tutor.

I would advise talking to the tutor to check what she has covered and what level is expected in the Maths. It might be that this is a starting point to work from or that the work has vbeen covered and your DC didn't understand. Always remember that the tutor is working directly for you so should be happy to answer questions - and there are planty of experienced people on here to advise.

I would be expecting thge tutor to be setting regular homework at this stage - not huge amounts but sufficient to reinforce what is being covered in the weekly sessions.
rhubarbcrumble
Posts: 89
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 7:47 pm

Re: Daughter sitting 11+ Nov 2011 - trying to stay calm....

Post by rhubarbcrumble »

Hi KB

Many thanks for replying. :D I know. I am not normally a typical panicky, stressy (good English!) type of person, but this 11+ plus appears to have changed that a little for the moment...

I should have said actually that she attends an independent school bursary assisted and they have been doing VR there so I suppose that's why she is pretty good at that. However, her vocab isn't as good as I think it should be at this stage and she really needs to read more. It is hard though I have to say to get her to do extra reading although we have been stepping it up and I've been reading to her too which she really likes as she says she seems to understand things better sometimes when I do that! She gets homework every night and attends an 11+ club at school once a week with most of the class I might add so not a one-to-one like her tutor, but it is still hard to get her to do more. Her tutor has been giving her homework which is on top of everything else! God, it sounds like soooo much when you write it down!!

I think I wouldn't be so concerned about the whole thing if my local comps were good, but they are far from that unfortunately which is a real shame. I personally think that my daughter would thrive in a grammar (I went to SHSG and loved it) and I can only hope she will get through and then be able to cope once she gets there.

You are right about the hols too - I think I will have to get organised (not my strongest point) and just get her to do even half hour a day to stop her brain from festering. :D

Can I ask if you have been through this lovely process before or is this your 'first time' too?!
First-timer
Posts: 698
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2009 1:47 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Daughter sitting 11+ Nov 2011 - trying to stay calm....

Post by First-timer »

It sounds like you have nothing to worry about. It just doesn't seem like it this side of the exam, though! Your daughter is very well prepared and so even if she doesn't get in, you will have the comfort of knowing you did everything you could to support her.
sargul
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon May 30, 2011 10:21 pm

Re: Daughter sitting 11+ Nov 2011 - trying to stay calm....

Post by sargul »

Hi,

My DD will be taking 11+ in novemver too. Her VR is pretty sound and math is good now, we was worried about her with maths but she seems to have grasped alot of concepts now her multiplications are in place. Her strongest subjust seems to be a worry now due to lack of vocab. I do wonder what they teach our children at school!

:)
moved
Posts: 3826
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: Daughter sitting 11+ Nov 2011 - trying to stay calm....

Post by moved »

Sargul, welcome to the forum. Reading helps with vocab. I would suggest a wide variety of books. You can also make sure that at home you use more unusual words in your everyday language.
no_ball

Re: Daughter sitting 11+ Nov 2011 - trying to stay calm....

Post by no_ball »

On a personal level, we played scrabble three times a week with minimum number if letters for a word set to five. Helped us all. Ds didn't read a single book in his last year prior to exams. It's all about horses for courses
moved
Posts: 3826
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: Daughter sitting 11+ Nov 2011 - trying to stay calm....

Post by moved »

Both Scrabble and Boggle are great and there is always Freerice too.
rhubarbcrumble
Posts: 89
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 7:47 pm

Re: Daughter sitting 11+ Nov 2011 - trying to stay calm....

Post by rhubarbcrumble »

Thanks for your replies...Moved...have seen lots of your posts on here in the past...they have been very helpful indeed!! We found Freerice a little while ago and that is great...will play more games too. I do wonder what they do at school sometimes though...her last school report was great, but the teacher did say that she needs to use her Thesaurus more. Not sure if they are physically reinforcing that though at school if you know what I mean - do they honestly expect all 10 year olds to be that interested in browsing a Thesaurus of their own accord? Bless her, she tries very hard at school, but like most 9/10 year olds can be a trifle on the lazy side...

However, we have a little over 6 months and I have been trying to make learning vocab a little more fun! I make up silly and funny sentences and try to get her replace words with those she isn't quite so familiar with. Just makes it a bit more palatable for her! As you say, reading is definitely the way to go and as well as her reading to me, I read to her too as things tend to make more sense sometimes like that she told me. However, not always easy to spend as much time as I want with her...have a 6 year old autistic son to deal with too.

Moved...I think it was a post of yours in the past that said you tend to see a big improvement after the summer hols to when they actually take the 11+...I really hope that will be true of my dear girl! Thanks everyone. :0)
moved
Posts: 3826
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: Daughter sitting 11+ Nov 2011 - trying to stay calm....

Post by moved »

I played a game with pupils called the circus parade, but it could be anything.

The game follows the format:
1, think of an animal (tiger);
2, think of an adjective starting with the same letter (turgid tiger);
3, think of a verb starting with the same letter (turgid tiger traipsing) and finally
4, think of an adverb
Turgid tiger traipsing tediously! Children often like to illustrate the sentences and make a circus.

This is ideal for the car or if played at home then type it into word and use the synonyms button.
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