Tutors seem to have upped the ante

[Amber]

Good luck
We've applied for selection review now, but if I could go back I would have booked him in for some Mock exams over summer, and probably a transfer test in another area before he took the important one.

While I am really sorry your son was so close and wish you all the luck for the selection review, the last part of your post suggests you would be happy to do for your son precisely what others did in helping to displace him from reaching 121 - use a real test elsewhere as a mock for your son. This is exam tourism and it is one of the practices which makes the 11+ even more unfair. Perhaps I have misunderstood you but I don't think it is right to advocate that kind of thing to others reading the forum.

Don't forget that 'a transfer test in another area' is 'the important one' for children local to that area, and using it as a mock risks doing to another little boy or girl exactly what the presence of tourists has done to your son!

[scary mum]

I think the GL assesses speed and strategy, whereas the CEM just selected bright kids.

The main complaint about CEM is usually that it is in no way tutor proof and is far too much about speed!
I think you need to move on. You are in the same unfortunate position as many others who are on the cusp of qualifying, but you need to focus on what is to come rather than what might have been. And further exam tourism isn't the answer!

[Dollydripmat]

I think the parts that did follow the curriculum were easier than CEM, but the GL question bank reasoning types made it very biased in favour of tutored children. I think the GL assesses speed and strategy, whereas the CEM just selected bright kids.

Again I apologise but I completely don’t agree with your last analysis. I have been in your position with DD1 not qualifying and going to review . It’s hard to know what has gone wrong and try and blame the system. The system is rubbish. Many kids I know pass or miss it each year, and it’s especially hard when it’s the ones that are expected , it a lottery as it’s down to one day and how they fair under all the pressure . DD1 didn’t fair on the day DD2 did. For me I learned from my mistakes (which had nothing to do with test provider). I made sure I was much more calm and relaxed about the whole thing as I didn’t want to pass on any anxiety I might have had. DD2 seemed to grasp NVR very easily and the codes and her maths is really strong , but I feel this is down to her logical mind . In the run up she was scoring extremely high on all practice papers but this in no way gave me any confidence she would qualify as it’s extremely hard for a 10yr old to stay calm on the day. I do think this is why so many don’t make it. If I have any advice for anyone is to try not to put pressure on them especially in the summer just before the test. Dolly

[Deb70]

Yes the system isn't nice, happily this year was my last time having to do it
We did what you did, tried to relax over summer etc but just before the test many kids were revealing all the summer prep/mocks they'd done, which kind of freaked out my DS a bit. At the end of the day these are the lengths parents are going to ("tutors upped the ante" as in original question). I'm just saying, yes they have and in reality it does matter what other kids are doing since the whole thing is basically a competition. Good luck to everyone who's still got eleven plus in the future x

[Dollydripmat]

Yes the system isn't nice, happily this year was my last time having to do it
We did what you did, tried to relax over summer etc but just before the test many kids were revealing all the summer prep/mocks they'd done, which kind of freaked out my DS a bit. At the end of the day these are the lengths parents are going to ("tutors upped the ante" as in original question). I'm just saying, yes they have and in reality it does matter what other kids are doing since the whole thing is basically a competition. Good luck to everyone who's still got eleven plus in the future x

I do agree with you . I feel the competition has been fierce since CEM was introduced. I’m sure I read somewhere on here , sorry can’t remember which post it was but something like 27% of Bucks kids pass and 47% of OCC ( don’t shoot me if I’ve got that wrong ) . Glad you don’t have anymore 11+ , I hope your successful at review. Dolly x

[Deb70]

Thanks Dolly
Yes good luck to everyone for selection review. It's like waiting for results all over again!

[scary mum]

27% of Bucks kids pass and 47% of OCC

Dolly, the reason for that is that for in county applicants the test is "opt out", whereas OCC candidates opt in, so are less likely to sit it if they don't expect to qualify. Of course, yes, as well as that, highly tutored OCC candidates who are using Bucks as a mock will push the score needed for 121 up.

[Dollydripmat]

27% of Bucks kids pass and 47% of OCC

Dolly, the reason for that is that for in county applicants the test is "opt out", whereas OCC candidates opt in, so are less likely to sit it if they don't expect to qualify. Of course, yes, as well as that, highly tutored OCC candidates who are using Bucks as a mock will push the score needed for 121 up.

I know that , I didn’t think I needed to explain . However as you have mentioned it, most occ have been tutored as they are opting in , hence pushing up the quality of cohort. I was trying to explain most people that still believe they need minimal or no tutoring to compete are ill informed. It’s important to know what’s actually going on, as I mentioned at the beginning of this post. Many kids I know the parents are doing extra preparation earlier to give them a chance to compete , I’m not saying to pass just to give them a chance. Dolly x

[scary mum]

Dolly, my apologies if you thought I was patronising you, but every year there are excitable headlines in the Bucks Free Press stating that OCC candidates have a much higher pass rate than IC candidates, but it just doesn't make sense to quote the two together, they are completely different populations, one of which is self selecting. And yes, of course there is a lot of tutoring going on, made much worse by the influx of 11 plus tourists, many of who are aiming for super-selectives somewhere (anywhere) in the south east.

[Dollydripmat]

Dolly, my apologies if you thought I was patronising you, but every year there are excitable headlines in the Bucks Free Press stating that OCC candidates have a much higher pass rate than IC candidates, but it just doesn't make sense to quote the two together, they are completely different populations, one of which is self selecting. And yes, of course there is a lot of tutoring going on, made much worse by the influx of 11 plus tourists, many of who are aiming for super-selectives somewhere (anywhere) in the south east.

Don’t worry I fully understand and know what you mean about the Bucks free press. I completely agree with your post , much better put than mine ! For me it’s important for new 11+ parents to know what really is going on , and then it’s up them what they decide to do. The last 5yrs at our school the parents that have said “your mad to tutor “ none of their children have qualified sadly , and feel very angry they didn’t do more etc. I do believe whether you DIY or outsource is a personal preference . For many parents it can cause lots of stress trying to teach your own child and therefore choose to pay . Anyway this is all behind me thank goodness, my post was only to try and help parents new to the 11+. For me this website has been invaluable. Dolly xx