12 plus advice

[Ellebee]

Hi has anyone has experience with late transfer testing? Is it the same as 11plus? I see some schools do their own testing and of course space is not guaranteed. Has anyone had experience of such tests? Thanks in advance.

[heartmum]

12+/13+ Late Transfer test: I can only comment on my experience. DC took both tests, failed to qualify for 12+ but qualified (with a strong score) for 13+. These were CEM tests, Verbal - Maths - Non Verbal, and computer based. DC said the timings were a lot tighter for these two tests and found it strange (although loves computers generally) to get used to answering on the screen. They do have paper/pencil for working out for some sections but not all, maths was definitely one of those and DC in the 13+ made use of it - actually filled the whole paper up with workings out, didn't want any silly mistakes this time!

We were lucky, DC qualified and was allocated a place at their chosen grammar school, initially the only one for Y9 entry, however another child (who'd qualified) got in by an oversubscription appeal. So just two entrants for that year. It is a risk on availability, however if you are happy to take that chance ... good luck in whatever decision you make

[scary mum]

Have you looked here https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/schoo ... -procedure" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It doesn't look as though it's been updated since June, but I'm sure most things will be the same/similar.

[Guest55]

https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/services/edu ... admission/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Places are very limited though - see last year's allocations.

[anotherdad]

My experience was several years ago, so any advice I could give on the content or type of test is outdated. What I can suggest is an approach. We kept my daughter in the dark about the 12+. We didn't tell her we'd registered her for it because we didn't want her to think her time at her upper school might only be temporary, which could lead to her not taking it seriously or not throwing herself completely into school life, friends, etc. We told her about the test a few weeks beforehand and we did some DIY practice to get her back into the test routine. We didn't tell her the date of the test either, so one Saturday morning in February we headed for a day out in London and on the way, called in at the school that was hosting the 12+ test. She was completely relaxed about it, as opposed to lots of children we saw in their cars in the car park with their parents, last-minute cramming! She qualified but even then we advised her that places were unlikely to become available - again, so she didn't get distracted from her year seven work and life. We were fortunate that a place was available and we live a mile away so she was able to accept the place.

It worked for our daughter and I understand it might not work for everyone, but I think it's important that kids don't start year seven with the thought that they're "just visiting". Places are always limited now, so qualification is only the first hurdle and doesn't guarantee a place. If you're a long way down the allocation criteria, gaining one of the very rare spaces that can come up would be unlikely.

As others will tell you, don't entertain thoughts that those entering the GS in year eight or nine will somehow be at a disadvantage or be inherently behind their peers. It's nonsense. My daughter was one of several who joined in year eight, all of whom have done very well and many of whom got some of the best GCSE results in the year group. Just as there is no correlation in the GSs between 11+ score and ultimate secondary results, it is also impossible to pick out those who joined the cohort at 12+ or 13+.

[Ellebee]

Thanks everyone. Has anyone done the gs own exams as I notice o my
some of the schools use the late transfer test?

[buzzybee]

Similar experience to anotherdad. We kept the 12 plus exam very low key with dd. We did no prep (wise or not I'm not sure!), but it worked for her. She did the exam at the school that was her first choice GS on a Saturday morning. Her relaxed attitude about it I think certainly took the stresses off her unlike the 11 plus.

She passed and was lucky enough to attend chosen GS. In that particular year the GS added a whole new class to Year 8 so she started in a class where all the students had passed by taking the 12 plus. You would not know that the class started GS a year late!

If you truly believe your child will thrive at GS, go for it

[neo1232]

You can see place availability here

https://www.buckscc.gov.uk/media/4509991/171115.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[scary mum]

Burnham Grammar takes an extra class in year 8 each year, so a good chance of a place with a pass if that is your local school.