Who's coming along for the ride? Sept 2017 Bucks test?

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Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Who's coming along for the ride? Sept 2017 Bucks test?

Post by Guest55 »

If people are spending 10 to 15 hours then they are crazy - there is an upper limit to how much difference this will be making. Quality not quantity - ditto with revision for any test.

Also, just what message are they giving to their child? What will the child feel like if they don't qualify? It's a far from perfect test which sometimes gets it wrong ...
loobylou
Posts: 2032
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 5:04 pm

Re: Who's coming along for the ride? Sept 2017 Bucks test?

Post by loobylou »

Guest55 wrote:If people are spending 10 to 15 hours then they are crazy - there is an upper limit to how much difference this will be making. Quality not quantity - ditto with revision for any test.

Also, just what message are they giving to their child? What will the child feel like if they don't qualify? It's a far from perfect test which sometimes gets it wrong ...
++++
I am not in your area but I have told this story before.
A few weeks before the exams in N London I was helping out in Sunday School. We were in small groups and supposed to be discussing what everyone had done that week. One little boy had been to Peppa Pig World. My children (dd was sitting the exams that year) had had the holiday of a lifetime in S Africa. Another child had been swimming etc. One girl said to me "please don't ask me". Stupidly I didn't listen - I knew her mum had had a new baby - I thought she was comparing a less glamorous summer so I pushed her (stupid me) and said "Oh have you had some lovely cuddles with the baby? Or have you got to bath the baby?" trying to talk up having a younger sibling. She said "I can't do anything. I can only do homework". It turned out she was literally doing 12 hours a day, stopping only to eat and sleep throughout the whole holidays - and for months beforehand she'd been working all evenings and weekends.
I felt so sad for this girl. She was so sad herself.
She did not pass any of the exams. I have no idea what her ability/academic levels were like but I do know that her brain cannot have been functioning well putting in that number of hours.
Ignore the crazies and just do what feels right for you and your child.
2littleboys
Posts: 274
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2011 5:42 pm

Re: Who's coming along for the ride? Sept 2017 Bucks test?

Post by 2littleboys »

I totally agree with you Guest55.

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: That is awful loobylou-really heartbreaking. Even if the poor girl had passed/qualified I still think that having no childhood for that amount of time is too high a price to pay. You wonder what mental health problems some parents are storing up for their children down the line :(
anotherdad
Posts: 1763
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 5:33 pm

Re: Who's coming along for the ride? Sept 2017 Bucks test?

Post by anotherdad »

2littleboys wrote: It makes me feel like throwing in the towel now to be honest because how can my son spending 2-3 hours a week (max) on 11+ prep compare with children spending 10-15 hours a week? :(
As others have said, I doubt the effectiveness of 10-15 hours a week. Actually, I doubt the 10-15 hours a week stated by some. There are two sorts of parent at either end of the scale. Some will downplay what they're doing or say nothing at all because they don't want others to do the levels of coaching and practice they are pursuing. Others will overstate their regime because it makes them feel good about the sacrifices they are making for their child and they want everyone else to know what a brilliant parent they are. You're hearing a skewed sample.

Be one of the quiet, considered majority in the middle, just getting on with what you think is the manageable, sensible amount for your child and don't get drawn into school gate one-upmanship about it.
Minniemooface
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2016 4:09 pm

Re: Who's coming along for the ride? Sept 2017 Bucks test?

Post by Minniemooface »

I am not in your area, but dc did the 11 plus last year and passed (GL tests Vr and Nvr).

My child did an hour a week in school term times only, with a tutor. Dc was not really showing any interest in the lessons and had a couldn't really be bothered, not interested mode. It wasn't until we actually went to view the school in May/June , and really liked it, that dc suddenly started to show interest.

At home , I bought the GL test papers for VR and NVR, 2 pks for VR and 2 pks for NVR (8 tests in total for each subject). In the month of June, for about 4-6 weeks, we did 2 tests per week, or a few 10 min tests, throughout the week. When we had got to the point that each test, dc was consistently producing the same percentage scores, within 1 or 2 marks, then we stopped. In fact the 2nd pack for NVR tests, we didn't even open. Dc was as ready as they could be, and we didn't see the point of constantly doing tests day after day, right up until the actual exams. In fact, our tutor said to stop as well, as children will just burn out, if too much pressure is put on them. About a week before the exams, we did one more test for each subject, of which they were still producing the same scores, and then we left it. Dc had several weeks of relaxing from July to Sept, with no pressure or worry or even any mention of the tests.

Dc walked into the exams excited and relaxed, with the attitude that they could only do their best.

I wouldn,t worry about the 10 -15 hours per week, no child should have to be put through that. Just do what you feel your child is comfortable with, and as people have said, the more tests you do, it doesn't mean the better they will get. I think once children are familiar with the test questions and formats, they get to a certain level/plateau and that is that. Exam technique and timing are equally important as well.
2littleboys
Posts: 274
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2011 5:42 pm

Re: Who's coming along for the ride? Sept 2017 Bucks test?

Post by 2littleboys »

Thank you anotherdad and Minnie-I know that you are both right.

We aren't doing any 11+ prep today as my son is going paintballing which I'm sure he will enjoy :)

We will spend an hour or so tomo on 11+ work (obviously he has got school homework to do too)

What's everyone else up to this weekend?
Dev1
Posts: 122
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2017 8:20 pm

Re: Who's coming along for the ride? Sept 2017 Bucks test?

Post by Dev1 »

Hi 12th September test (preparation) is compulsory test - correct ?

Thanks in advance
scary mum
Posts: 8840
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Who's coming along for the ride? Sept 2017 Bucks test?

Post by scary mum »

If your child is at a Bucks primary or a partner school it will happen automatically. I don't imagine it is sat by those coming from other schools - Bucks CC have no way of administering it & they are interested in the Bucks cohort, not an 11 plus tourist from Timbuktu (not saying you are, just an example), but I could be wrong (someone else will know). I don't imagine it is compulsory, but if offered the opportunity it would be foolish not to take it. is your child at a Bucks school or a partnership school?
scary mum
Aethel
Posts: 1190
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 6:24 pm

Re: Who's coming along for the ride? Sept 2017 Bucks test?

Post by Aethel »

Dev1, out of cachement candidates do always get offered the prep test. I don't know how local (or distant) you are, but if you are putting your DC in for the Bucks transfer test because you genuinely want a place at a Bucks grammar and have checked the past allocation distances for your child, then you'd be daft not to do the prep test (I'll explain why in a second). If you *haven't* checked the distances, then look at the top of the Bucks section for past offer information: ALL Bucks places are offered purely by cachement/distance/sibling criteria (slightly different for each school) but NONE of them will offer based on a high score to a far-distant applicant. I repeat, unlike Slough and Reading, for Bucks the score (as long as over 121) is completely irrelevent.

If you are in-county or a "linked partner school" eg a Bucks prep school, then the prep test and the real test are both sat in familiar classrooms as part of a "normal"
School day. No fuss, no new location.

If you are out-of county or at a non partner school your DC has to trek miles to a "test centre" grammar (we live in Slough and went over to Becky high) and sit in a large hapl with a hundred or so other external candidates. Which seems a bit unfair to those children in terms of being more stressful and unfamiliar , but hey, that's the system.
The prep test is a "dry run" for your child, of both the test material/style, and the venue/large size of the exam room. So the one that is actually marked two days later is at least not the frst time they have seen the room and worked under the correct exam conditions. Can you see the advantage to your child of doing that?

So check the entry email when it comes through confirming your date and time of the two tests. Last year, we were told it is not compulsory to go to the prep test, but as I said, you'd be putting your child at a disadvantage not to. And they may change instructions this year. I hope that is helpful?
Dev1
Posts: 122
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2017 8:20 pm

Re: Who's coming along for the ride? Sept 2017 Bucks test?

Post by Dev1 »

Thanks both of you .. We are not in same county but seriously thinking to perm move, Planning to visit upcoming open days and area to get more idea ..
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