what do we do now???

Eleven Plus (11+) in Buckinghamshire (Bucks)

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BLANCA
Posts: 144
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2008 8:58 pm

what do we do now???

Post by BLANCA »

So now that test are over (havent forgotton half term takers!) what do you do to stop yourself from chewing your own arm off with worry???

I thought once it was over I would want to celebrate and enjoy 11+ free life. Sadly I seem to have developed ocd and cant stop thinking about it, did she miss a section, did she tick the right box, did she check right til the end, did she put the right id number on the sheet... the list is endless. Am I the only one or are you all still thinking about it??

All of a sudden november seems a long way off.

must go as cant type and chew at same time!
bucks mum1
Posts: 191
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:20 pm

Post by bucks mum1 »

Hi Blanca,

I am totally with you. I am getting more nervous as time goes on - four weeks seems such a long time now.

I just want the wait to be over - successful or not in reaching the magic 121. DS initially came out of the 2 tests full of confidence but is now worrying about how he did.

Oh well, at least I've now got half term and other things to think about....
Last time Mum
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2008 10:12 pm

Post by Last time Mum »

The same!!
My dd too came out full of confidence (especially from the first test) but every night before she goes to bed she starts saying that she really hopes she passes etc - its driving me mad!

Having been here twice already I should be used to it but it does not get any easier! We should be grateful I suppose that we only have to wait until the 21st November. When my first dd took it we got the results on the 16th January!!!! Nice relaxed Xmas that year - not.

The funny thing is you can't wait for results day to arrive yet when they come out with that envelope after school you get home with it and are terrified to open it!

Good luck to everyone - and enjoy half term!
Greta2
Posts: 180
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:21 am

Post by Greta2 »

I am soooooo with you on this...

Every time I have a momemnt to think, worrying about results day is what pops into my mind.

I keep recalling how it felt last time opening the results - and I know I will be more nervous than DS2.

Someone replied to me a few days ago that it shouldn't be this stressful - but it is! Actually I think we are lucky in Bucks compared to most areas- at least we have one qualifying score and don't have to worry about getting a high enough pass but does that stop me worrying - no!

I worry whether - he looked carefully enough / finished too quickly / read the subtle questions properly / made too many silly mistakes etc etc.

I know that DS2 is capable of scoring well and in my heart of hearts I know he is right for GS - that is what makes me worry all the more. I also know that these two things are not enough and that there are plenty of children each year who should get through and don't.

So, sorry no magic cure for the worrying. Just roll on the next 4 weeks! :?
Bucks Mum
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:34 pm

Post by Bucks Mum »

I think it is particularly stressful if, like a lot of us on here, you have a DC who you know is capable of doing well on the day but who is also just as capable of making a series of silly mistakes.

I have a couple of friends whose kids have been consistent 99% scorers over the last couple of months. Without a hint of arrogance they know that unless something has gone desperately wrong then their DC's should be fine.

I have a DS who was scoring bewteen 68 and 75 in the final days and is an Autumn baby. He came out saying the tests were 'okay' and remembering no specific questions so I'm really in the dark as to which DS (focussed DS or 'away with the fairies' DS) performed on the day!! So I know it could go either way....that's what makes the prospect of opening the envelope so nerve wracking!!

Also if another person tells me the pass mark is going to be high this year because so many people have sat the exam i think I'll scream! Does anyone have any accurate info on whether this is true? Sally-Anne...any thoughts?
BLANCA
Posts: 144
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2008 8:58 pm

Post by BLANCA »

just because more children take the test, does that mean that the already high pass mark will go up? I too have heard because of credit crunch bla bla bla.. but maybe those children would have sat anyway even as a practice for thier first choice indpendent? and with such high pass mark ( 86-90%) how much higher can it go?

I know it wont stop anyone worrying, I dont know how i will get through the next 4 hours let alone the next 4 weeks!!

After the sharp down turn in pasta sales followed by the massive demand for bananas I hope local shops have stocked up on wine and chocolate!!!
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

Bucks Mum wrote:Also if another person tells me the pass mark is going to be high this year because so many people have sat the exam i think I'll scream! Does anyone have any accurate info on whether this is true? Sally-Anne...any thoughts?
A version of this rumour goes round every year. Where are all these extra children supposed to have come from so suddenly? Mars? :roll:

The overall size of the Year 6 cohort is very stable at present, and the tested cohort has also been very stable for the last 3 years (in 2008 it was 7292, 2007 was 7219), so the only numbers that concern us are:

a) The number of Bucks resident state school children who opt out of the test;

b) Children from private schools who may have taken the test in the hope of avoiding senior private school fees;

c) Out-of-county children.

Dealing with them one at a time ...

a) The number that opt out of testing each year is very stable at around the 1,000 mark - in 2008 it was 1154. These are all state school children - Bucks statistics cannot include children at private school opting out of the test, because the system is "opt in" for private school children.

These are almost entirely children whose parents have firmly decided upon an upper school, or who are moving away from the area (RAF Halton plays a fair part in that, I suspect). The number of children at state schools who opt out because private school is the preferred option would be extremely small. If it is more than 10, I would be amazed.

b) For the last 4 years the number of children taking the 11+ from Bucks private schools has also been very stable. (From 2008 backwards: 374, 399, 395, 408) My guesstimate is that those numbers equate to around 65% of the total private school cohort, so even if every single remaining child opted in this year, the increase would only be 140 children. I know for a fact that they aren't all opting back in!

c) Out-of-County applications have increased slightly in recent years. (From 2008 backwards: 2152, 2063, 1959, 1982) This element of the cohort is limited by the realistic chances of gaining a place under the distance rules. Even if the number went up by 10%, rather than the figure of nearer 5% of recent years, it would still add only 200 children to the tested cohort.

So, the absolute worst case scenario is that up to 300 extra children might have taken the test this year compared to last year. That would take the total up to 7,500, 1% higher than it was in the highest recent year (2005).

The pass mark was 121 in 2005, and has been for as long as anyone can remember.

(Is that enough numbers for you? There's plenty more where those came from ... :wink: )

These rumours are primarily being fuelled by the situation in Kent, where the numbers shot up from 7,000 to 9,000 because of a change in the testing process. However, Kent has always been "opt-in", whereas Bucks has always been "opt out", so there was a large number of additional kids available to come in to the system.

So unless you see lots of these walking around your local town in the near future ...

Image

there is no need to panic!

S-A
Bucks Mum
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:34 pm

Post by Bucks Mum »

Thanks Sally-Anne. Calm and reassuring as always.

Now I can stop worrying about that and worry about something else instead....like whether he checked he didn't miss marking down any answers on the answer sheet! :shock:

BM
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

Statistics on the number of children who missed out marking any answers on the answer sheet were, in 2008, ...

... only joking. :lol:

Stop worrying and enjoy the sunshine. That is an order.

S-A
BLANCA
Posts: 144
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2008 8:58 pm

Post by BLANCA »

well, ok then if its an order i might be able to manage 5 minutes......... oh no still worrying.
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