Borderline score questions

[onebigdilemma]

I do think that a lot of people are quite ignorant when it comes to children from disadvantaged/poor/uneducated backgrounds. I think a big problem as even in areas where there are grammar schools they are not mentioned to parents and not even discussed as an option for these children. Never once has the school my boys attend mentioned grammar schools but when I asked at parents evening if my son would be able to get into grammar they positively said yes.

I work in a deprived area and have known children who have unemployed, uneducated, unmotivated parents. These children will never get the chance to sit the 11+ as it would not cross their parents mind, or they are unaware of it, or they feel it is not for them and just for "posh kids", or they think you have to pay. These children would never be tutored and if applied would get through on their own merit.

Obviously not all PP children are in this situation, but it is not a level playing field.

There needs to be more advertising of what is on offer and available to everyone, and more support in primary schools to encourage 11+ applications by their bright students whatever their background.

[Twinsmummy2003]

I agree onebigdilemma

All children should sit the 11+, at their current school, with no parietal 'input'. I bet it would throw up some wonderful, surprise candidates, who's parents may never have thought of it. Truly who a grammar school should be for.

[Twinsmummy2003]

That was meant to say parental before anyone reaches for their dictionaries...

[mike1880]

I work in a deprived area and have known children who have unemployed, uneducated, unmotivated parents. These children will never get the chance to sit the 11+ as it would not cross their parents mind, or they are unaware of it, or they feel it is not for them and just for "posh kids", or they think you have to pay. These children would never be tutored and if applied would get through on their own merit.

I agree, many people on this forum simply would not believe some of the horror stories I hear from the schools in our area. I shall be interested to see how many PP admissions there turn out to be, but I wouldn't be entirely surprised if it's a tiny number.

[Bob1892]

Apparently it's only going to be a few ie no more than half a dozen according to one of the heads. Chb has only got 3 on fsm in year 7 I believe so the remaining extra places will go to non- PP children. So we shouldn't really grumble.

[Amarstone]

Sometimes you wonder why you should instill a work ethic in your children if they are going to have extra obstacles put in front of them

The exam is supposed to uncover potential, not how hard the child has worked.

The head of KEFW discouraged tuition in her address to parents but as this is ignored by most middle-class parents, some investing hours of time and lots of money, how can a bright pupil premium child stand a chance of gaining equivalent scores?

How many children would do well in Non-Verbal Reasoning if the very first time they encountered it was in the exam hall?

[WoolEyes]

I agree onebigdilemma

All children should sit the 11+, at their current school, with no parietal 'input'. I bet it would throw up some wonderful, surprise candidates, who's parents may never have thought of it. Truly who a grammar school should be for.

Great idea Twins, my daughters are home-educated so they could take the test in the dining room whilst I invigilate!