Familiarisation pack?

bestpossibleoutcome · Post by **bestpossibleoutcome** » Fri May 30, 2008 8:09 pm

I would be grateful if someone could tell me about the 11+ familiarisation pack that is mentioned every so often in posts.

guest42 · Post by **guest42** » Sat May 31, 2008 12:05 am

It's a pack which Wirral Council set out to 11+ entrants that includes example questions. Allegedly it is all you need.

However if you search this website you will discover where to access many hundreds more to practice on!

bestpossibleoutcome · Sat May 31, 2008 10:14 am

I ask because the only 'official' familiarisation was at my daughter's primary school and that was virtually zilch. In common with what I have been reading here, the staff there were very anti 11+. I would very much have preferred to have a pack to work with her myself.

Many thanks for your reply guest42

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Sat May 31, 2008 11:04 am

Hi bestpossibleoutcome

There is a big range in the attitude of primary schools on the Wirral to the 11+ depending on the politics of the staff. Some schools, particularly those where few children are expected to pass the tests offer little support and only provide the basic familiarization. However, other schools provide both the basic familiarization and additional homework and support to children.

Out-of-area parents do receive the familiarisation packs directly from the LEA whereas children attending schools on the Wirral have their packs sent directly to the schools. Some schools are reluctant to hand the packs to parents after the familiarisatin sessions whereas some are happy to do so.

If there are any issues relating to accessing the familiarisation packs then speak to Wirral education services. We are not aware of any ruling, other than those of individual teachers, that should prevent a parent from accessing the packs.

The familiarisation packs cover the 21 question types that appear in the Wirral 11+.

Regards

Mike

bestpossibleoutcome · Sat May 31, 2008 11:37 am

Mike, thank you for your response. Hardly anyone from the school passed the 11+ that year (2004) - or in the previous several years. The only ones who passed were tutored. I wish I had known about this forum at the time it would have saved us so much heartache. Having said that we got through it and are more than happy with the school my daughter attends now, (more importantly she loves it) so we truly achieved the best possible outcome.

regards, BPO