Birmingham 2017 test at Camphill

[Howstressfulisthis!]

This is my first post here, been watching chats for the last year but mainly from the 2017 entrance cohort.

I now find myself in the next 'lot' and one of those nervous, waiting parents (with a daughter who just took the test on Saturday).

I'd like my first comment to congratulate all the children who managed to turn up, sit the test and come out again! Its a tender age to do such a big thing and I saw many children conquering nerves and being very brave. Also well done to all those who were involved in testing at the Camp Hill centres. The arrangements were well organised with all the staff and helping students putting a real positive and encouraging spin on things. All were clearly trying to make participants feel at ease and get the best out of them all. Children were well looked after, came out pretty much on time and despite the down pour were discharged efficiently.

I for one was expecting chaos and it wasn't...... in fact the opposite. So thank you to all who helped.

.....now for the hard bit ..........waiting!

[booellesmum]

Welcome to the forum, I'm glad it all went smoothly on Saturday - and good luck to your DD for results day.

[um]

I assume you were in the girls' school?
They were organised and had a decent 'colour coding' system in place.

The boys' school pick-up was an absolute nightmare and other parents have said the same.
There were two teachers, and apparently no plan in place other then to get the hundreds boys out of the doors towards hundreds of parents who couldn't see anything due to all the umbrellas. Given the huge space available, the boys and parents were corralled into a tiny area and there are many better ideas that could have been implemented.

I have a scratch above my eye from an umbrella, a hoarse throat from trying to shout for my very distressed son, and a bruise on my hip from a woman's handbag. This was very trivial compared to my son who was absolutely traumatised by it. I cannot think of any incident in his life which has upset him so much, but then his school and we have always taken steps to accommodate his needs, and we know he cannot manage crowds or noise well. It took most of the day to calm him; even though the exam itself was fortunately fine.
He has ASD and that was no way to treat any child, never mind an ASD child. He had to push his way through a huge crowd of screaming parents just to get to me. I managed to get him under my coat to muffle the crowd and noise and it still took another few minutes for us to exit the worst of the crowd. I now have to get him ready for KES and he's very anxious about how he will be collected from there. I've no doubt they will be more organised, but I'm sad that he has to worry about it during their exam.

[quasimodo]

I assume you were in the girls' school?
They were organised and had a decent 'colour coding' system in place.

The boys' school pick-up was an absolute nightmare and other parents have said the same.
There were two teachers, and apparently no plan in place other then to get the hundreds boys out of the doors towards hundreds of parents who couldn't see anything due to all the umbrellas. Given the huge space available, the boys and parents were corralled into a tiny area and there are many better ideas that could have been implemented.

I have a scratch above my eye from an umbrella, a hoarse throat from trying to shout for my very distressed son, and a bruise on my hip from a woman's handbag. This was very trivial compared to my son who was absolutely traumatised by it. I cannot think of any incident in his life which has upset him so much, but then his school and we have always taken steps to accommodate his needs, and we know he cannot manage crowds or noise well. It took most of the day to calm him; even though the exam itself was fortunately fine.
He has ASD and that was no way to treat any child, never mind an ASD child. He had to push his way through a huge crowd of screaming parents just to get to me. I managed to get him under my coat to muffle the crowd and noise and it still took another few minutes for us to exit the worst of the crowd. I now have to get him ready for KES and he's very anxious about how he will be collected from there. I've no doubt they will be more organised, but I'm sad that he has to worry about it during their exam.

Hi Um,

Sorry to hear you and your son had a bad experience in the 11 plus exam.This is a link to a you tube video which I was sharing with friends and family last week which shows the talents of one child on the autistic spectrum.(it is similar on the other end of the scale with those with neurological issues like dyslexia).I thought you might find it uplifting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq-FOOQ1TpE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[OldTrout]

Howstressfulisthis!

Congratulations - the hardest part is well and truly finished and well done to your daughter. As you said, sitting the exam is a real achievement. The waiting will be hard - for October Results and for confirmation in March about which school your child will be going to. And for some, after March there can still be a waiting game - indeed Ricky74 just posted about one of his twin sons being offered a place at Handsworth this month.

Having been there and done that my advice is this:

You can't change the outcome but you can enjoy the last year of primary school with your child. It is hard - but try and be relaxed about the outcome - encourage yourself to be thinking: if it's meant to be....it's meant to be....

Make Year 6 and time together with a child who truly enjoys spending time with you and wider family/ friends really special. Go all out at half-term and longer breaks from school. Make special meals, have friends round, go on special outings - because in the blink of an eye the last thing your teenage child will want to do is spend extended time with their family (no matter how well adjusted).

Oh and be kind to pizza flyer delivery folk - Petitpois and I were a bit overexcited last time around (2015 exam round) Oops! The poor guy still crosses to the other side of the road when he sees me.

The good news is KS2 SATs will seem a breeze.

Best of luck everybody and I hope your kids have a wonderful time in Y6.

OT

[OldTrout]

Um:

I'm ever so sorry to hear about the chaotic scene at Camp Hill Boys after the 11+ exam. My advice is in addition to posting here (I believe we've discussed that the FO is watching this discussion list - in relation to sparkly ponies - still waiting for that emoticon!), you should consider contacting the FO and giving them some feedback on your experience. Our experience was not as fraught, but also chaotic when little fish took the exam at Fiveways in 2013 - although I went to the appointed place with our surname letter - she couldn't see over most of the kids and I couldn't see over most of the parents in the flat area they used. It wasn't raining - but I can imagine umbrellas only make a situation like that even worse.

Camp Hill Girls was well run in 2015 as well - and the exit procedure was with someone calling out names as kids left and the kids would stand to the side until parents waived/ hollered/ made their way to the front & then head off one by one. It worked really well - so if the FO is watching - perhaps this can be a template for other KE Grammars procedures on 11+ day. If time is of the issue - divide exits by surname letters - give parents a note saying your child will leave by door 1 if surname begins with A-H, door 2 - if surname begins I - P and door 3 if surname begins Q - Z - and include a little map for directions. Have signs up high that are visible at ground level for those of us gravitationally challenged (I am speaking for myself!).

I hope your DS is doing better and I'd contact the FO or KES and see if an arrangement couldn't be made for you to collect your child away from the hubbub on the day. For example he could wait in the exam room - and be one of the last to leave from the main exit when much of the crowd has died down.

[um]

Um:

I'm ever so sorry to hear about the chaotic scene at Camp Hill Boys after the 11+ exam. My advice is in addition to posting here (I believe we've discussed that the FO is watching this discussion list - in relation to sparkly ponies - still waiting for that emoticon!), you should consider contacting the FO and giving them some feedback on your experience. Our experience was not as fraught, but also chaotic when little fish took the exam at Fiveways in 2013 - although I went to the appointed place with our surname letter - she couldn't see over most of the kids and I couldn't see over most of the parents in the flat area they used. It wasn't raining - but I can imagine umbrellas only make a situation like that even worse.

Camp Hill Girls was well run in 2015 as well - and the exit procedure was with someone calling out names as kids left and the kids would stand to the side until parents waived/ hollered/ made their way to the front & then head off one by one. It worked really well - so if the FO is watching - perhaps this can be a template for other KE Grammars procedures on 11+ day. If time is of the issue - divide exits by surname letters - give parents a note saying your child will leave by door 1 if surname begins with A-H, door 2 - if surname begins I - P and door 3 if surname begins Q - Z - and include a little map for directions. Have signs up high that are visible at ground level for those of us gravitationally challenged (I am speaking for myself!).

I hope your DS is doing better and I'd contact the FO or KES and see if an arrangement couldn't be made for you to collect your child away from the hubbub on the day. For example he could wait in the exam room - and be one of the last to leave from the main exit when much of the crowd has died down.

Surname letters
It is fair to say there were no such lofty levels of organisation there! It's hardly rocket science though, is it?
It amazes me that they put such effort into open days and then widely showcase their inability to manage children in front of hundreds of parents on exam day

And yes, I will write a letter for the sake not just of ASD children but frankly, all children, but I have to wait until my own annoyance dies down a bit or the envelope will begin to burn!

Also thank you Quasimodo for your lovely message

[helen0209]

Although I agree that it sounds like they could have managed it better, and I'm sorry for your and your son's experience, unfortunately it says a lot about some of the parents (not including you in that Um). If parents behaved in a more orderly fashion rather than pushing and shoving it would be easier to spot your own child. We should be setting an example

[um]

I agree.
I was quite shocked.
One teacher was asking parents to stand back but nobody took any notice.

[imranb]

My child attended the exam last year at Light Hall school in Shirley and it was fantastically managed. However I don’t give the credit of the good work to that school as they didn’t manage it, staff from CHB did. In similar vein, I wouldn’t blame CHB ‘School ’for the bad management as it must be the same template that is used across the board. In this case, it appears there were far more external factors that contributed to the chaos. Nevertheless, I am sure they would have noted what went wrong and hope that corrective action will be taken for the future. You should definitely express your displeasure to the FO in writing. Hope your son is better now and over the unfortunate experience.