In order for everyone to get the most enjoyment from the Eleven Plus Exams forums we do ask that all who would like to post messages follow the rules and guidelines outlined below.


Forum Etiquette

Writing postings
It is an internet convention that words written in all capital letters indicate shouting, so please take this into consideration when using CAPs.
Please write in standard english. Text speak and excessive abbreviations are considered as a foreign language by many of us.

Personal Messages
Private messages [PM]are a good vehicle for more personal exchanges.
However, before you ask for advice from another Forum member via PM, please consider if your question could just as easily be posted on the main Forum for them - and others - to answer, as the information may be useful to others.

Rule 1: Be Polite

This seems obvious, however, many can sometimes forget that common courtesy goes a long way to lending respect to both you and your opinions. Just because you don't see the other readers' faces doesn't mean they don't have feelings and won't be hurt by rude comments. When you read something that you find silly, rude or insulting, first assume that perhaps there is more to the post than you initially thought. Re-read it and keep in mind that tone and inflection is difficult to convey in written form. It may be that the person is attempting a joke or is exaggerating on purpose. It is best to politely request clarification before accusing someone being ignorant, a liar, or worse.

If after clarification you still disagree with the person then politely outline your points. Try to avoid name-calling or even implying insults wherever possible. These tactics generally only inflame a situation and lead to what are known as "Flame Wars." Whenever a flame war starts it usually ruins a perfectly good discussion. Others will lose interest in the thread and the discussion board in general if this kind of interchange is found here.

It also should go without saying that swearing, profanity, ******** references, etc. will not be tolerated in this forum. Remember that we may have readers of all ages.

Rule 2: Stay on Topic

After reading and posting at Eleven Plus Exams Forum for a while you may feel as though you have developed friendships with some, perhaps many, of the other posters and readers. This is probably one of the most rewarding parts of participating in a discussion area. It is only natural to occasionally want to share information with your friends that is "Off Topic" (i.e. not related to the subject matter of the forum you are in).

While it may at first seem harmless to post a bit about off topic (OT) subjects, it can become a slippery slope. If others join in on OT posts then soon everybody has sent the discussion threads on so many tangents that it is difficult to follow the original topic. Further, posting off topic essentially violates Rule #1. People come to the Eleven Plus Exams forums looking for all kinds of information. It is not polite to post off topic items frequently. For general chat, use the 'EVERYTHING ELSE ....' forum.

Rule 3: No Spam

While Spam may be a tasty meat product, on the Internet "spam" refers to invasive, unsolicited information. Posting advertisements for unrelated web pages or services is simply not acceptable. In addition, posting many repeat posts just to increase your post count or to generally be 'cute' is also inappropriate. All "spam" is a violation of Rule #2 and certainly Rule #1.

Rule 4: No Solicitation or Advertising

We understand the importance of other resources and information available on the internet relating to eleven plus exams. We do not object to postings making genuine recommendations to such websites however, due anonymity of postings we are unable to distinguish recommendations from blatant advertising by third party commercial enterprises. Consequently we will prohibit discussion of specific tutors and tutor centres. We will therefore allow promotion of government and local education authority websites only in the forum and will remove any direct promotion of other sites.

We also prohibit solicitation of funds such as donations, aid organizations, etc.

Rule 5: Reference to products

Due to variations in examinations by LEA, region, consortium or even the same schools from one year to the next we have to apply extreme caution in which products are offered by ElevenPlusExams.

All the materials available on this website have been carefully vetted by 11+ tutors, teachers and educational specialists. They have been selected from the wide range offered to ElevenPlusExams by publishers or their agents, and inevitably some products have been politely declined.

If you do not see the product you are enquiring about on this site it means that it has either been declined by ElevenPlusExams or not offered to this website for inclusion to date.

Therefore it would be appreciated if enquiries on the forum about products and materials are restricted to those offered by this website, as many of the authors frequent this website and they can respond directly to queries and suggestions.

Mentions of products not offered by this website are not permitted on the forum since the authors will not have an opportunity to defend any criticism nor, as has happened in the past, would it be appropriate for these authors to post self-serving messages under pseudonyms.

Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the site administration.

Your co-operation in this matter is appreciated.

Rule 6: Posts by Authors of 11+ Materials

Posts from authors of materials sold on this site are welcomed, as they can provide a valuable support tool for parents. However we wish to ensure that parents are always aware that the information they are reading is not necessarily impartial if the poster is an author featured on this site.

1. Posts by authors that refer to practice materials, whether theirs or other people's must always include a full signature. A sample signature would be "Author of the ABC practice papers". The signature may be omitted from posts that do not refer to specific materials.

If an author inadvertently omits their signature, Site Admin reserve the right to add it to the post.

2. Authors are requested not to indulge in attacks on other authors' materials. Objective and informed comments, such as the suitability of particular materials for different 11 plus areas, are welcome.

Rule 7: Posting Images and Pictures

We ask all contributors to the Forum to exercise careful judgment when posting pictures or images on the Forum. This site is viewed by children and by people of many faiths, for whom some pictures may be offensive.

We reserve the right to remove pictures we deem inappropriate from the Forum. Where they have been posted by a registered user we will send you a PM to advise you of our actions.

If you break the rules

While we all have the best of intentions occasionally mistakes happen. Unfortunately there will be people who sometimes try to goad others into acting in a manner they would otherwise avoid. Many of us can get on each other's nerves occasionally either by accident or on purpose. When this happens sometimes things are posted that are later regretted. This happens to the best of us, and with a quick apology you can usually repair any damage done.

In addition to the occasional loss of temper, there are a few out there who seem to enjoy causing trouble. They will post inappropriate information in various forums and make comments with intent to start flame wars, add spam, etc.

To keep such occurrences to a minimum, Eleven Plus Exams Forums have moderators who read the forums and try to keep things polite and on topic.

If posts occur that break any of the four above rules the moderators may take some or all of the following actions, often without warning:

:: Posts that are in the wrong forum will be moved to the correct forum. If your post just disappeared - DON'T PANIC! Check the other forums to see if it was moved.

:: Threads that get long because they have wandered off topic will be locked. People can still read the thread, however no new posts can be added. If you'd like to continue your ideas start a new thread with an appropriate title in the correct forum.

:: Posts that contain profanity, insults, blatant attempts at baiting a flame war, racial slurs, etc. will be locked/edited/deleted. Occasionally whole threads may have to be deleted if they degenerate into a situation described above. Repeatedly posting such comments may result in temporary or permanent suspension of posting privileges.

:: Spam posts (ads, attempts at attention, etc.) will be deleted on site. Repeat offenders may receive temporary or permanent suspension of posting privileges.

:: Off Topic Posts: While these should be avoided, the occasional off topic post is generally allowed as long as it reasonably contained. Be sure to mark any off topic post with "OT" so readers know what they are looking at. Note that off topic posts should be RARE and kept to a minimum. People who repeatedly post off topic and abuse this may risk suspension of posting privileges.

Remember that posting on this forum (or any Internet forum, for that matter) is a privilege, NOT A RIGHT. Please treat it that way. If your posts are locked, edited or deleted due to one of the issues outlined above do not be offended or take it personally. Evaluate what you posted and think about why it might have been. If you have any questions as to why your post was locked or you lost posting rights, please feel free to e-mail any questions to 11plus@elevenplusexams.co.uk