11 Plus Exams Forum

I found this forum around the time of the exam and have really enjoyed reading the posts, so thank you to all of the regular contributors. My son really likes KES in Edgbaston and ChB, but currently has a very borderline mark for CHB. Do you think that fewer people will now sit the KES exam as many know that they should have already secured a grammar place?

Hello MaryMcG
My ds is also on a borerline for CHB and hes going to take up the KES in January.Everything depends on the scholarship he manages to get,BTW,the school itself is known to impress the kids and of course us too.For the record,there will be definitely a large number of children taking up the exam and trying their luck.However,I am not sure of the exact numbers tho.All the best to you

To be honest, I really do think that fewer children will sit KES/KEHS.

Under the past system, parents (including me) would often put their children forward for KES as a 'backup', given that they would have no idea how their child had performed in the consortium 11 plus, until March.

A number of parents would then sometimes be really impressed by KES and possibly have been offered bursaries too, and would end up wanting that school more...and thus turning down a KE Grammar place in March.

Now many parents will be aware that their child has a pretty 'safe' KE place and may not wish to go through another 3-4 months of 11 plus revision, I am expecting that numbers of applicants for KES/KEHS will go down.

However, I wouldn't say that the test standard required will go down.
Some families whose children are taking the exam may well know that their Consortium scores were borderline or worse, and will be far keener to make a place at KES and will take preparation very seriously.
Then you will get some children who, buoyed by the news of very high consortium scores, are genuinely trying to take a scholarship or bursary place at KES.

Thank you for your views. A number of children I know who would have done both exams have now said that they are not going to bother with KES as they feel even with some movement to the grammar marks they have a safe place. These bright children are no longer even going to sit the test, however I do agree it probably won't make much difference in the end as if offered both in March they would have taken the grammar place anyway.

I guess I was just hoping it might be less competitive this year!

Also I'm finding it very hard to re engage my son to prepare for a very different exam!!!

I agree with um that those with high KEGS scores might feel boosted and really go all out for the bursaries or scholarships now even if they were not seriously considering it due to the costs of a standard place. I think others who feel the scores were borderline for their preferred choices might also want to push out for a KES place. Those who know they have got their first preference and cannot afford a standard place might decide not to bother.

However, their may well be some parents, especially those whose children have sat several exams and not done well in any of them, who will realise that they may have been over-optimistic in their expectations and decide that they need to draw a line under things. In reality these children would probably not have made it through the KES process anyway, so the level of competition will not really change in terms of realistic candidates even if the numbers do.

btw, there were more than 600 boys who sat the KES exam last year - it will be interesting to know what the numbers are this year.

As for re-engaging your child with work: it is the same with most of them at this stage. Just have a short break and then keep trying - at least neither of you have to look at those blasted nvr papers ever again!

UmSusu

Thank you Umsusu. I agree - it will still be tough!

As for the NVR, I'd have them back in a flash if we didn't have to practice creative writing!!!

Very true!

As KES for girls does not offer much scholarship (25%-30% at most for only a few), I expect there will be a significant drop in the number of girls sitting in KES exam and the competition level.

UmSusu wrote:However, their may well be some parents, especially those whose children have sat several exams and not done well in any of them, who will realise that they may have been over-optimistic in their expectations and decide that they need to draw a line under things. In reality these children would probably not have made it through the KES process anyway, so the level of competition will not really change in terms of realistic candidates even if the numbers do.
UmSusu

You'll be surprised! Musing over some real life stats from a tutor friend goes to show that there are a number of pupils who will make KES but not a KEG. It's not the same for KEHS though, due to only 75 places being available (and limited scholarship places).

I personally know a few dps who are giving KES a miss but I also know of a few dps who are borderline and evenmore so, in hot pursuit of the Indi schools.

It will be interesting to see how many people do sit KES/KEHS. And I wonder if their exam will be brought forward next year as a result of the new system.

I have friends whose dcs go to independent schools and they are still trying for kes....it's top of the list.
they may try for gs but their schools rarely send the kids to grammar as the dcs want the top indis.....dunno if it's peer pressure or being used to the indis, perceived or actual better quality or dps having loads of dosh