Just a few days now - strictly stick to usual routine?

[Aethel]

My DS has been mostly laid back until the first day of school when some kids apparently told him that he will "surely pass" as he had some tutoring over the summer. I enrolled him on a week-long half day summer preparation course (three hours a day) to keep his mind working over the summer bust mostly because I needed to be at work. He was very upset about the comments as he is a naturally hard working boy who I've never seen work as hard as he has the last few months. So now he said he is feeling pressured to pass, my heart broke when I saw his little face coming out of school that day

Urgh, what a horrible system....

[tropicmama]

Indeed Just this morning I woke up with a start from a horrible nightmare where my DS just crossed out mistakes and not completely rubbed them off! He does this for everything else so I had to remind him this morning not to do that this time around. I can't believe I've actually started dreaming about this....

[Aethel]

Hang in there tropicmama, this time tomorrow it will all be done and we can breathe collective sighs of relief!

[BB-8]

My ds did the familiarisation test on Tuesday. He was so upset as he found it hard and every one else coming out said it was easy. He's been above the average in his flying starts mocks....I'm feeling very worried for him now if tomorrow's is harder. What is harder the content or the timings?

[tropicmama]

My DS said it had challenging sections, particularly the reading comprehension but I expected that as it had always been his weakness. However, he did mention that a lot of kids who he knew weren't that interested in getting into grammar and had histories of "being silly" were being vocal about the practice test being easy so he reckons some kids might be playing psychological games or just hiding the fact that they found it quite difficult. I heard the content of the actual test is harder than the practice test but also that CEM is the test where DCs need to get used to the timings as it can be tricky. Your DS sounds like he will be fine - mine consistently gets borderline marks in practice tests so I really can't tell whether he will pass or not.

[BB-8]

I guess there is not a lot more we can do to help them now. A little annoyed if the mocks are so much easier than the real thing. I was hoping it would be the other way around - practice to a high standard and then find the real test well within limits.

Poor kids...let's hope they all achieve their goals x. Good luck all x

[streathammum]

a lot of kids who he knew weren't that interested in getting into grammar and had histories of "being silly" were being vocal about the practice test being easy

Kids are notoriously unreliable reporters of how difficult tests actually are. My DS was the only one in his class to pass the Sutton SET - he was also the only one who came out of it distraught because he thought he'd done really badly.

Also with something like comprehension, the less able children are likely to think an answer is easy when in fact they've missed the nuance and won't get full marks.

So hang on in there. I was very disheartened by my DS's reports of his first test, but have now learned not to put too much weight on his views - you'll find out the actual results very soon.

[tropicmama]

Thank you so much streathammum, just what I needed to hear this week. Although I know that nothing is certain until the results on Friday, your post has lifted my spirits up. This week has been dragging for me, and mostly because I feel for my DS. I think he is subtly prepping me for the worst - every so often he will make a comment about how the real test was more difficult than any of the mock or practice test he took, etc. He said he is quite worried as he was the only one who admitted that it was quite challenging, everyone apparently said it was fine (also despite him being the only one in his class who was vocal and honest about preparing for the test). I have my fingers (and toes) crossed that hopefully that he will be the same as your DS. I did tell him repeatedly that not qualifying will not result in "devastation" (how word, not mine. He must have retained some vocab after all! ). If anything, I really hope he qualifies as I've never seen him work so hard in his life over a goal.

[Smiley :)]

Hi there,
I just read your post and it really did sadden me. To think we have 10/11 year olds with the weight of the world on their shoulders at the moment, waiting for that piece of paper which will prove they are "good enough".
Please tell your son that he will be amazing wherever he is destined to study, and that I am sure he will do. And explain that not every amazing, pioneering, dedicated, determined individual went to grammar school. He will be amazing and he will go on to do amazing things.
I really do hope he qualifies if his heart is yearning for that place... but more often than not, I think it's the idea of letting mum or dad down that drives them to their goals of doing anything to pass.
Well done to your son for going through this whole experience. Imagine how you feel as a mum. Now multiply that by about a million and that's every boy and girl who has sat the 11+.
Take care and don't stress too much!

[Aethel]

To be honest smiley, this forum is a place where caring mums and dads can vent in a safe(ish) space AWAY from their children.

Feel free to be sad that there undoubtedly *are* children who are pressured in a negative way, but the whole point of posting on here under a pseudenom is that we can share our feelings with parents in similar situations and get some positive support and information in what can be a very impersonal and competetive system. Someone who is DIY-ing their child can find it hard to talk to other parents in real life about this exam as they know their child will be overhearing them. At this point we are all bolstering up our DC to get on with the rest of life as irrespective of the result they will all
Be fine, but the fact is their peers are banging on about the wait (and will ruthlessly compare scores when the results do come out.)

Of course there is life beyond eleven plus, but be kind to us as many of us have not got there yet...