pulling out of the test - alternative schools

[tag30]

So i have decided to withdraw my daughter from the tests as having being group tutored and with regular help at home for almost 2 years, she is really struggling with the maths. Everything else she averages around 70% but her tutor suggested getting her tested for dyscalculia.

Anyhoo, i had a chat with my daughter and she would rather not do the test and i dont want to put her through it knowing she will fail the maths. Therefore, i am now looking at suitable alternatives but wondered if anyone had any recommendations either in Bexley or Bromley as we are actually in Greenwich borough and bordering the others and am in catchment of Coopers, Chislehurst Girls, Blackfen for girls and Harris Falconwood maybe.

If anyone knows anything about Greenwich schools i would also like to hear about those. My daughter was assessed as band 1 (most academic) in her banding test in year 5 which Crown Woods and Eltham Hill school use to allocate.

Thanks for your suggestions and hope you are all keeping calm under the stress of it all

[PettswoodFiona]

It sounds like you've thought about this long and hard and you know your daughter best but personally I would always want to know 'what if' and give it my best try and tell my daughter there is no such thing as failing, only doing your best. Bexley just requires a pass and Townley went to all offered so distance shouldn't be an issue and as there is no minimum score for any single module it is perfectly possible to do well on some areas and poorly on others and still pass. I think the raw score required is in the region of 55% so it sounds do-able to me given what you've said about your daughter's other scores.

Regarding alternatives I went to Coopers and know some who are there now and they get on well at the school. I have friends DD's going to Chislehurst school and it sounds a bit like marmite, you either love it or hate it. I think some of the more confident girls thrive there but others have been on the receiving end of bullying.

[salsa]

So i have decided to withdraw my daughter from the tests as having being group tutored and with regular help at home for almost 2 years, she is really struggling with the maths. Everything else she averages around 70% but her tutor suggested getting her tested for dyscalculia.

Anyhoo, i had a chat with my daughter and she would rather not do the test and i dont want to put her through it knowing she will fail the maths. Therefore, i am now looking at suitable alternatives but wondered if anyone had any recommendations either in Bexley or Bromley as we are actually in Greenwich borough and bordering the others and am in catchment of Coopers, Chislehurst Girls, Blackfen for girls and Harris Falconwood maybe.

If anyone knows anything about Greenwich schools i would also like to hear about those. My daughter was assessed as band 1 (most academic) in her banding test in year 5 which Crown Woods and Eltham Hill school use to allocate.

Thanks for your suggestions and hope you are all keeping calm under the stress of it all

Hi,
As long as you are both happy with your decision you will be fine. Two years of preparation seems like a good investment in education and I'm sure has contributed to your daughter being band 1.

I'd like to point out a few things, if I may. Banding has changed in Greenwich and now it is 1, 2 and 3. So, we don't know how this will affect catchment, especially for popular schools.
As your daughter has achieved the highest band, I'm puzzled as to how her Maths at school would be. Surely she also has a high level? Or is her English so good that her grade was improved?
I hope you do realise that in Bexley she could "fail" the Maths part, but pass the test as it is an average of the whole test? This is unlike Kent where the 3 sub tests need to be passed with a minimum score. Remember that the pass mark is around 55%.

I do think that a band 1 girl could cope very well at Townley, which has an extensive catchment area.

Salsa

[tag30]

pettswoodfiona & Salsa

First off, thank you for your replies, i really appreciate it. I agree about giving it a go its just my daughter is quite an anxious person so i worry about the effect a fail will have on her. I have, of course, reassured her that its the taking part that is the main thing but shes so worried about explaining to her friends that she failed . Hard knowing what to do for the best.

That aside, i would consider myself very knowledgeable on the 11 plus tests as ive spent hours researching it all and studying it but i didnt know that the Bexley test was an overall mark compared to Kent's individual marks! Ive explained this to her and she is happy to do the Bexley test knowing that so thank you for making me aware of this. Her report from the tutor puts her at, or above average, of the rest of the class for her English verbal reasoning and comprehension etc so she may have a chance.

I dont know how they do the school banding so cant comment on the weighting of it but getting a band 1 must give her a chance at the tests surely

[salsa]

pettswoodfiona & Salsa

First off, thank you for your replies, i really appreciate it. I agree about giving it a go its just my daughter is quite an anxious person so i worry about the effect a fail will have on her. I have, of course, reassured her that its the taking part that is the main thing but shes so worried about explaining to her friends that she failed . Hard knowing what to do for the best.

You're most welcome.

Well, we're all facing the same situation. I've been thinking what effect it would have on my son, especially if my eldest is already at a grammar school. To that effect, I was talking to a psychologist friend of mine who was saying that we all need to learn about failure. I then said that I'd rather he had that lesson when older and more mature, but her view is that you need to fail to learn about it. If you fail earlier then you mature in that sense earlier.

I don't know if that's what I wanted to hear, but all we can do is help him prepare for the exam. I've told him that if he does his best, he'll have no regrets regardless of the result. He could be very unlucky that day and not do very well. There are so many reasons why children do not pass.

Not attempting the exam is different and can also attract criticism from peers. When my eldest took the exam, one of his friends didn't go. He was also band 1a and was doing very well at school, but was finding the English part challenging at home. Now, he was sitting the Kent test which had no English and Bexley which averaged all the parts. So, he may have done well. Who knows?
The other children did comment that he didn't try. This was very obvious as there was an empty seat with his paper. (The exam paper has the child's name already printed and there was a label with the name of the child on the allocated seat) We are from out of county and all children take the exam together with children from their school.

That aside, i would consider myself very knowledgeable on the 11 plus tests as ive spent hours researching it all and studying it but i didnt know that the Bexley test was an overall mark compared to Kent's individual marks! Ive explained this to her and she is happy to do the Bexley test knowing that so thank you for making me aware of this. Her report from the tutor puts her at, or above average, of the rest of the class for her English verbal reasoning and comprehension etc so she may have a chance.

Now, I'm glad you bring this up. This boy I was telling about also had a tutor. A brilliant teacher with many years of experience, but who was not that well informed about the admin side of the tests. That's why I've found this forum invaluable as there are lots of knowledgeable people willing to share their knowledge.

I'm glad you have discussed it with your daughter and she's willing to have a go. You can praise her for this and say you are also working on plan B, that she's already achieved band 1 and that she will have other opportunities. I'm sure you are praising her efforts and then try to seek advice with regards to her anxiety. One thing I would say is that most children would be understandably nervous and that this is perfectly normal. Mine is nervous too!

I dont know how they do the school banding so cant comment on the weighting of it but getting a band 1 must give her a chance at the tests surely

Greenwich council have left banding to be up to the schools. Tests are no longer being sent to be marked externally, so I don't know if all schools will be consistent in their marking. What is true is that going from 5 bands to 3 will change catchment areas. In the past, the top band 1a had a greater catchment area.

If you live in Greenwich, you'll be able to put 6 choices plus the new International School which opens this September. I'll definitely be going to have a look.

Salsa

[tag30]

Thanks again salsa I really do appreciate the time you've taken to respond

[Daogroupie]

tag30, I am so pleased to hear that your daughter has decided to give it a go.

Surely a dc in Band 1 most academic must have a good chance? Maths is a subject where the way that is taught has a big impact. Have you asked at school if they can recommend a one to one Maths tutor who can focus on her learning style?

11 plus is just the start of learning to try and then sometimes not do so well but regroup and move on. I worked for a very famous man who should have learnt how to fail earlier on in his life. It is a very important skill. DG

[tag30]

I'm intrigued about that person!
I think I'll definitely get her a maths tutor anyway but it's a bit late in the day for the tests. She's more positive about the test now knowing it's not necessarily a minimum maths score. She's even willing to do the Kent test anyway as a practice for the bexley one so that's progress. I'll be glad when it's all over!
Thanks for your reply

[salsa]

Good news! I'm glad to hear it. I guess as she had decided not to take the test, she has nothing to lose. Please remember that the Kent Maths part is totally different to Bexley's. I find that it would be easy to pass the Kent Maths as there is more time allowed per question. Moreover, if the Letts CEM papers are anything like the test, I think the Maths part is particularly hard as it's not really multiple choice when you have 10 options to choose from.

Salsa

[PettswoodFiona]

Just to say don't panic if your DD finds the maths time pressured in Kent (a number of questions had multiple parts so took longer and were equivalent to three or four questions so it is deceptive), DD found Kent more time pressured than Bexley so a different experience to some other comments. Depending on your birth month you need less than half of the questions right to pass (or that was the case last year). Everyone will experience the test in their own way but I would caution against telling her Kent is easier on time as if she does get time pressured it may make her worry about Bexley. Good luck to your DD and I am sure you are already proud of how well she is planning to tackle this. I am pleased as punch she is going to give it a go.