HELP - INFO RE TEST DAY SEPT 2012

Eleven Plus (11+) in Essex

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now
JWMUM
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 11:59 am

HELP - INFO RE TEST DAY SEPT 2012

Post by JWMUM »

Hi. First time posting although have been following for a while. My DS wants to go to CRGS. Sorry if this is all covered elsewhere but just WHEN are we likely to know - Oct 15/16 should give a rough indication based on v high score / low score. But then we just wait......is that right....?
When do we find out time / venue for test?
What do they take in with them? Pencil, pen, rubber, ruler - no protractor, ink eraser etc?
Sorry if I'm repeating info that is elsewhere. I have trawled through but honestly could spend hours on here and don't think my nerves are up to it now.
I did the 11+ 100 years ago - how on earth did our parents cope without this forum? I would ask them but I suspect it was doing the 11+ with 3 children that drove them to early graves!!

JWMUM
Manana
Posts: 710
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 3:22 pm

Re: HELP - INFO RE TEST DAY SEPT 2012

Post by Manana »

JWMUM wrote:Hi. First time posting although have been following for a while. My DS wants to go to CRGS. Sorry if this is all covered elsewhere but just WHEN are we likely to know - Oct 15/16 should give a rough indication based on v high score / low score. But then we just wait......is that right....?
When do we find out time / venue for test?
What do they take in with them? Pencil, pen, rubber, ruler - no protractor, ink eraser etc?
Sorry if I'm repeating info that is elsewhere. I have trawled through but honestly could spend hours on here and don't think my nerves are up to it now.
I did the 11+ 100 years ago - how on earth did our parents cope without this forum? I would ask them but I suspect it was doing the 11+ with 3 children that drove them to early graves!!

JWMUM
I think the actual school allocations are on the 1st March, but I don't know really what October 15th will bring-lots of people saying 'I got 305, what did you get?!' It would be useful if they told us how many people had sat the 11+ at the school? Or would that not be useful-do people sit the 11+ at a school they don't want to go to????

Have you looked on the CSSE website; that's quite informative.

When we did our 11+ hundreds of years ago-I don't think our parents had half the worry we have!!
JWMUM
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 11:59 am

Re: HELP - INFO RE TEST DAY SEPT 2012

Post by JWMUM »

Thanks Manana. Yes certainly at my DS's school there are a number of boys sitting the exam 'for practice' - in other words exam practice for the Indie schools. Although it will be interesting to see, given the tough economic climate, how many of those choose the GS if they get in!
We have a very poor State option and I am crossing everything I can. DS is unaware I hope of all of the pressure but we can't afford to go the Indie senior route.
How i wish we had a good state option so the pressure wasn't on...DS is a July boy. Bright but young...has anyone ever posted stats on summer v autumn success rates?

JWMUM
Minesatea
Posts: 1234
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:08 am

Re: HELP - INFO RE TEST DAY SEPT 2012

Post by Minesatea »

It would be useful if they told us how many people had sat the 11+ at the school? Or would that not be useful-do people sit the 11+ at a school they don't want to go to????
A few sit the 11 plus at a different school, but the main problem is that lots of children apply for more than one selective school so the total number sitting is not the same as the total number of applications. With the change of system this year I would expect most to sit the exam at their nearest school and then once the results come out apply to those schools they think they stand a chance of getting a place at / are prepared for their DC to travel to.
What do they take in with them? Pencil, pen, rubber, ruler
Yes that's all mine took, in a clear pencil case. I would send several pens and pencils though as they don't want the hassle of a pencil sharpener!

The time/venue/ instructions are posted out to you after the closing date for applications.

JWMUM - not sure re the stats but my older DC's have plenty of Summer birthday friends at grammar school. DD has a friend with a birthday of 31/8.

Good luck.
moved
Posts: 3826
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: HELP - INFO RE TEST DAY SEPT 2012

Post by moved »

Neither of my DC sat the test in their first choice school; they sat it in the geographically nearest school. We did not want to add traffic to the exam morning.
Manana
Posts: 710
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 3:22 pm

Re: HELP - INFO RE TEST DAY SEPT 2012

Post by Manana »

Arghh-only two weeks to go now! I feel nervous now; I don't know what I'm going to do with myself on the actual day!

What time do the tests start at SHSB and when is a good time to arrive? We only live a short walk from the school so don't need to worry about traffic jams, but equally don't want to get there too early (and risk standing about for ages with lots of scared-looking boys) or too late and be in a rush! When is a good time to arrive-will we be queuing no matter when we get there?
thankgoditsover
Posts: 60
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2012 2:51 pm

Re: HELP - INFO RE TEST DAY SEPT 2012

Post by thankgoditsover »

We were at WHSG last year and got there early, i think 30 minutes beforehand (its all a blur now), we still joined a huge queue though. It was well organised and the queue moved quite quickly. I felt physically sick but we chatted about everything but the exam while waiting and DD appeared to be quite calm by time we left her. We followed a friend's advice of not going back home to watch the clock but drove into leigh for some breakfast and window shopping.

Good luck to everyone for this year, not long to go now :D , its a nice feeling afterwards knowing you can put if all behind you and enjoy their last year at primary school.
Manana
Posts: 710
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 3:22 pm

Re: HELP - INFO RE TEST DAY SEPT 2012

Post by Manana »

thankgoditsover wrote:We were at WHSG last year and got there early, i think 30 minutes beforehand (its all a blur now), we still joined a huge queue though. It was well organised and the queue moved quite quickly. I felt physically sick but we chatted about everything but the exam while waiting and DD appeared to be quite calm by time we left her. We followed a friend's advice of not going back home to watch the clock but drove into leigh for some breakfast and window shopping.

Good luck to everyone for this year, not long to go now :D , its a nice feeling afterwards knowing you can put if all behind you and enjoy their last year at primary school.
I felt sick just reading your post; I don't think I'm ready for all this!!
thankgoditsover
Posts: 60
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2012 2:51 pm

Re: HELP - INFO RE TEST DAY SEPT 2012

Post by thankgoditsover »

Manana i know exactly how you feel. Cool calm and collected infront of your dc and a nervous wreck inside, well thats how i tried to be anyway :D . Something to bear in mind though a friends dc came out of last year's exam saying she had missed 9 questions completely, guessed a few and also found the maths paper very hard (they all did so a level playing field for all i felt). My friend was very worried, however her dc passed and was accepted to her first choice gs. So if your dc comes out saying the same or something similar try not to worry.

I admire those parents who have been on this journey before and still have a younger ds/dd to go through the process in the future, I don't think my nerves could handle it again.

Incidentally my dd passed and started gs last tuesday, she loves it.

I will be thinking of you all on the 22nd xxxxx
JWMUM
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2012 11:59 am

Re: HELP - INFO RE TEST DAY SEPT 2012

Post by JWMUM »

2 weeks today it'll all be over. Not even 50 Shades can distract me now! :roll:
Hopefully we will hear this week what time etc...
Feel sick....
Post Reply
11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now