Timing the run

Eleven Plus (11+) in Gloucestershire (Glos)

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Northernexile
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:56 pm

Timing the run

Post by Northernexile »

Hi - have just found the site and in good time. Our son is about to enter Y4 at a good local state primary. Obviously there is two years to go until the actual exams. I have been doing Bond papers for the last 6 months with him and he enjoys these - I want to perhaps look at tutoring during Year 4 - to build a routine and a rapport with a tutor and then go for it in Y5. Has anyone else tried this - and how serious should the prep be in y4?

I have been given the name of a tutor in Chelt by one of the regular posters here - but if anyone else has the name of someone with a proven track record - please would you let me have details, ideally by PM.

What is the going rate for tuition?

What is a reasonable weekly commitment in each year?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
gloucestermum
Posts: 739
Joined: Sat Feb 03, 2007 5:14 pm
Location: Gloucester

Post by gloucestermum »

Welcome to the forum!

As you are mentioning Cheltenham,are you intending to try for Pates grammar? Or will you look at the Gloucester grammars too?
Year 4 seems to me to be a tad early to be thinking about tutoring-instead try and encourage lots of reading to develop an excellent vocabulary,and a good grasp of the four maths question types.Tables also need to be up to scratch.

We paid £16 an hour but I know that was reasonable-some are as much as £30 an hour-even more reason not to commit in year 4!

You will probably need to register for a good turor now for year 5 as they do tend to get booked up fast! My DS had tutoring in year 5 and peaked at the right time-you may run the risk of boredom and burnout if you start doing papers in year 4-only my opinion but it does seem to be backed up by numerous posters on the forum.

Please ask if you have any other questions,we try to be a welcoming a friendly bunch!!!

Regards,
Gloucestermum
Northernexile
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:56 pm

Post by Northernexile »

Thank you - that mirrors my thinking. I was hoping to use some low level tutoring in Y4 mainly to establish a relationship with a tutor and to try a couple out - so that when the unseemly rush starts in Y5 we are ready to go!
Burneth
Posts: 903
Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2007 6:20 pm
Location: On another planet called Gloucester!

Post by Burneth »

Hi Northernexile and welcome to the madness of the Eleven Plus.

I can only echo what Gloucestermum said, a wide vocabulary really helps so encouraging your DS to read anything he enjoys at this point is a bonus.

It's pleasing to see he enjoys the Bond papers - making learning enjoyable and fun for him at this stage is the most important thing in my opinion. It's really a matter of practice makes perfect when it comes to verbal reasoning.

There are plenty of helpful hints in the other sections of this forum, so please stick around, have a browse and don't hesitate to post if you have any other questions.

Good luck!
[img]http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/4;51;459/st/20080902/e/DS%27s+1st+day+at+senior/k/f5bf/event.png[/img]

PS I am Burneth and I am a lady....!
proud mum x2
Posts: 609
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 7:35 pm

tutors

Post by proud mum x2 »

Hi Northernexile, I am the poster who gave you the contact for a tutor, I think,for what it's worth, the earlier the better.

The tutor I know would get to know your child, find their strengths and weaknesses and will gradually build to VR.She tutored my DD for 3 years before the test, so there was never a time when the actual tutoring for the test started; it just became a welcome routine,and the focus gradually changed,without anyone really noticing.

My DD enjoyed every single session, she was given homework which was pitched exactly to her abilities, they marked it together,from comprehension to maths. It was challenging but never tedious.

Best of all this lady loves children,and loves to see "normal " kids doing well and getting the places they deserve in our grammar schools.She is honest and charges a very nominal fee (£5 per hour a year ago)

So, don't be afraid that it is "too early" your child will benefit from just knowing this caring and gifted lady, nothing to lose;lots to gain.
Best of luck, proud mum x2
proud mum x2
Posts: 609
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 7:35 pm

Post by proud mum x2 »

Sorry, I meant to mention, the small amount of homework that this lady gives to the children is optional, with my DD her school h/work took all of 10 mins to complete a week!

As she is a girl who has always liked to do h/work it was quite frustrating that it was never anything that she could spend time on, she loved having her own special folder and spending time on her individual h/work.

No pressure is put on the children at any time, there is a lovely friendly atmosphere at her house,and,as a bonus,the children get to meet other children they may end up going to senior school with.

Best wishes

proud mum x2
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Post by capers123 »

Hi,

I'm afraid I'm of the 'don't tutor until Y5' camp - certainly my soon-to-be-Y5 won't start until Easter, and to be honest, probably doesn't need that.

I've seen children who have had a lot of tutoring sail through the first paper (which tends to have the same question types that they learn with their tutor), then totally flunk the second paper because they come across questions that they don't know instantly how to answer and their confidence goes.

If you think your child needs tutoring from Y4 to pass the exam, then I feel you should consider how they will cope once they're at the school competing with children who have passed the exam with absolutely no tutoring. There are quite a few of them out there. Interestingly, when it comes to appeals, we see far more children who were tutored than not tutored.

It's a case of 'grammar at all costs' vs. 'the most appropriate school for my child'!
Capers
Tolstoy
Posts: 2755
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:25 pm

Post by Tolstoy »

I started with DS2, he will sit his this Nov, in January but knew there would be interruptions and wanted to take it easy. We have now shut up shop until September when we will spend the last two months doing papers on the weekend. He did one trail for me this weekend and his timing was spot on and he scored well for first go.

I did something simular last year with DS1 but started in the summer term so had to do work over the summer holiday, he also had mitigating factors that DS2 hasn't got but still only just missed a Pates pass. DS1's friend who had a very high pass, easily enough for Pates, didn't start until the September just before sitting.

Okay we are only aimig for Tommies but I do feel 3 years tuition is a long haul for just one exam even though it is an important exam.
Tracy
Posts: 1123
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:28 am
Location: Bexley

Post by Tracy »

My dd will have had 2 yrs tutoring by the time she sits her 11+.
However, the yr 4 tutoring was forced upon us as the primary school was having problems and the standards were dire. We had to do something about providing a decent education. We were shocked by the amount of kids that were 'behind'.
DD started dedicated 11+ tuition last Sep for the exam this Sep. Not doing too much during the hols but enough to keep ticking over.
BTW dd left yr5 having moved to the top set and regularly coming top of the top set!
Tolstoy
Posts: 2755
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:25 pm

Post by Tolstoy »

I was in a similar position with DS1 Tracy. He sat his 11+ this year but had been taught in welsh until y4 and on moving to Gloucester wasn't given any extra support to fill the massive gap in his english. He loves writing but has only succeeded in gaining a level 4 in his Key stage 2 SATs whilst getting 5s in everything else.

I panicked alot when I first started working with him for his 11+ as he had serious spelling problems and I actually thought we would have to resort to appealing to get him into the grammar school he wanted. He struggled with compound words, hidden words and missing words constantly.

I was absolutely amazed with the score he finally got and can only think that because it is a VR test the gap in his education did not have the sort of impact I thought it was going to. Possibly he would have picked up a couple of extra marks if I had noticed sooner but not enough to justify 3 years of tutoring.

In areas where they test maths and english as well as VR then it may be worth starting earlier but I truly believe that is not necessary in this county.
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