Hands up, I was wrong about tuition!!
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Hands up, I was wrong about tuition!!
Hello all, remember me?!!!
I have been a little quiet ( unusual I know !) but I needed time to recover! I was so exhausted that my bottom lip started to twitch, a symptom of anxiety and fatigue
Anyway the point of my post. When I first joined the forum I believed that heavily tutored children would get in, regardless of ability. I NOW TAKE IT ALL BACK!!!!
I can speak for this year only, but I think they were tutor proof. I know quite a few tutored children either fail, or gain entry to a school which was their third or fourth choice.
My DS was not tutored much, only a couple of Saturday mornings a month. He never did anything at home. He is naturally very bright and scored very high in the Warwickshire Exams, enough to get a place at Alcester Grammar. Not bad after missing a year and a half off school without any extra lessons! I see this as all to his natural ability, a gift from God.
So yes, I take it back. No amount of tutoring is going to change the final outcome. Maybe an odd few ( but definitely not for most), whereas a natural flare can withstand all sorts if difficulties.
Rant over!
I haven't received the Birmingham mark yet, but I'm not holding my breath for that one. The competition is tougher and DS may have performed less well.
I have been a little quiet ( unusual I know !) but I needed time to recover! I was so exhausted that my bottom lip started to twitch, a symptom of anxiety and fatigue
Anyway the point of my post. When I first joined the forum I believed that heavily tutored children would get in, regardless of ability. I NOW TAKE IT ALL BACK!!!!
I can speak for this year only, but I think they were tutor proof. I know quite a few tutored children either fail, or gain entry to a school which was their third or fourth choice.
My DS was not tutored much, only a couple of Saturday mornings a month. He never did anything at home. He is naturally very bright and scored very high in the Warwickshire Exams, enough to get a place at Alcester Grammar. Not bad after missing a year and a half off school without any extra lessons! I see this as all to his natural ability, a gift from God.
So yes, I take it back. No amount of tutoring is going to change the final outcome. Maybe an odd few ( but definitely not for most), whereas a natural flare can withstand all sorts if difficulties.
Rant over!
I haven't received the Birmingham mark yet, but I'm not holding my breath for that one. The competition is tougher and DS may have performed less well.
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Re: Hands up, I was wrong about tuition!!
Best of luck for the future for your child,
Despite all the advice about this topic, tuition centres are already full for this years exams I would imagine
Despite all the advice about this topic, tuition centres are already full for this years exams I would imagine
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Re: Hands up, I was wrong about tuition!!
Congratulations Reeyah, I am so happy your DS got a place in AGS. I am wondering where you have been all these days!!! I too agree with you that no amount of tuition would compensate their natural abilities which are hard to hide in this era of tutor proof exams. I for one still not able to come out of shock if you remember well as all these days, my DS2 was performing exceptionally well in all the exams he took at home as well as in the tutions who failed to secure a place Where as, it was always the reverse case with our DS1 who even though got natural ability which was apparent in everything he does except studies and never ever came close in the entire preparation of their 11+ journey but got a place in HGS So once again I second your statement about heavy tutoring.
We are in a bit of a dilemma what to do now as we somehow very reluctant to send him to the local comp but not in a position to support him for 7 years on a full paying solihull school especially in this recession
How far will be AGS for you and are you considering to send him there?
We are in a bit of a dilemma what to do now as we somehow very reluctant to send him to the local comp but not in a position to support him for 7 years on a full paying solihull school especially in this recession
How far will be AGS for you and are you considering to send him there?
Re: Hands up, I was wrong about tuition!!
Another 'Aren't tutors crooks?' thread?
Re: Hands up, I was wrong about tuition!!
I too was wrong about tuition!
Having received DS mark from KES, now looking retrospectively, strongly feel that had we been successful in securing 'the tutor' his mark would be considerably lower!
We did not use a tutor instead spent what little time going over DS weaknesses. This was far more productive than churning through photocopied material I have seen at some of these centres.
The best value tutor out there is the library. Total cost was £1.20 in late fines but a small price to pay for what DS gained.
Having received DS mark from KES, now looking retrospectively, strongly feel that had we been successful in securing 'the tutor' his mark would be considerably lower!
We did not use a tutor instead spent what little time going over DS weaknesses. This was far more productive than churning through photocopied material I have seen at some of these centres.
The best value tutor out there is the library. Total cost was £1.20 in late fines but a small price to pay for what DS gained.
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Re: Hands up, I was wrong about tuition!!
Problem with the whole tutor / no tutor thing is that you can't do a double blind randomised crossover trial....
hence you just don't know what would have happened if you had / had not tutored .... applied outside the area / stuck to your own area ... used an indie prep / stayed at state school .... lived in another part of the country ... etc etc
hence you just don't know what would have happened if you had / had not tutored .... applied outside the area / stuck to your own area ... used an indie prep / stayed at state school .... lived in another part of the country ... etc etc
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Re: Hands up, I was wrong about tuition!!
I think the issue is with those businesses that promise to get kids into the brum grammars when clearly as posters have explained so eloquently, that it is natural ability and intelligence that is all that is needed in the first place. Some of us have an issue with those 'tutors'..
Of course there are others who help secure places into indies...that is just practice with stated papers, I think for instance KES states what practice to cover in their letter, was it lettts or GE?
Of course there are others who help secure places into indies...that is just practice with stated papers, I think for instance KES states what practice to cover in their letter, was it lettts or GE?
Re: Hands up, I was wrong about tuition!!
Twinsmom11, no DS won't be going to
AGS. We made him sit the Warwickshire Exam as a 'mock'. It's miles away (
I have been looking at your post in Appeals. I really hope and pray it all works out! Poor you have double trouble (. You are absolutely right. Def not easy to pay Solihull fees in this recession.
Ok1, your very bright DS only needed a nudge in the right direction... The library!!!
Hermanmunster, you are right in the sense there's no black and white proof. I'm dating from my experience this year, that looking at DS class at school, it's definitely the very bright who made it. The others with heavy tuition didn't. In fact, the boy who got KES AP and CH, is the most chilled out boy I have ever seen!
Steve, you're right. The tuition centres are bulging with hopeful candidates!
AGS. We made him sit the Warwickshire Exam as a 'mock'. It's miles away (
I have been looking at your post in Appeals. I really hope and pray it all works out! Poor you have double trouble (. You are absolutely right. Def not easy to pay Solihull fees in this recession.
Ok1, your very bright DS only needed a nudge in the right direction... The library!!!
Hermanmunster, you are right in the sense there's no black and white proof. I'm dating from my experience this year, that looking at DS class at school, it's definitely the very bright who made it. The others with heavy tuition didn't. In fact, the boy who got KES AP and CH, is the most chilled out boy I have ever seen!
Steve, you're right. The tuition centres are bulging with hopeful candidates!
Last edited by reeyah on Sun Mar 04, 2012 11:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Hands up, I was wrong about tuition!!
No idea why the **** came up! Promise I didn't swear
Re: Hands up, I was wrong about tuition!!
I was thinking it was meant to be a sort of cloze test practice!