11 Plus Exams Forum

If you follow the link:

http://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-ch ... /kent-test" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You get to the place where it says you can find out more in May. If you click on the sad face at the bottom you get a chance to give your feedback on how unclear this is and ask for a response. How about all of us doing this? It might hasten a response.

It would seem fair too if KCC writes to schools and asks them to inform parents about the May announcement. Not everyone will have found this page on the website or keep on clicking on it to see if it has changed yet during the months of May as it is too early to register.

Hi Mystery,

Even though it is now May, I don't expect to hear anything until around two weeks before registration opens. That would make it the last week of this term and seems to make sense to me. It would be lovely to hear something sooner but I can't see it happening.
I think they want us kept in the dark as much as possible and suspect the 'further information' will not help us a great deal. I'm expecting to hear number of questions and length of each paper but not a great deal else, although anything extra would be lovely.
I'm feeling really fed up with waiting and being kept in the dark is extremely frustrating.

So are you going to click the sad face and ask them to be clearer what they mean by May etc? I can't see the point in publishing a web page that doesn't tell you anything. It's tax payers' money - you do have a right to ask.

The contract specification asked the bidders for familiarisation papers. I am expecting those. Last week of term is a rubbish time to expect schools to communicate well with parents. It's also silly to expect your average parent to keep on peering on the KCC website. A lot of people won't find their way to the page that link takes you to - and if you don't have the internet at home you're a bit stuck aren't you? So much for trying to make the test fairer for all.

Definitely not fairer to all!
A year 5 mother at the school recently asked me about the 11+, she had no idea what it was (other than a test for Grammar School) and she had only just heard of it.
She thought all the children sit the test like they do for Sats and had no idea of what's tested.
I've offered some guidance and pointed her in the right direction but sadly her Dc is already disadvantaged
This reminds me of my position many years ago with Dc1.

No I won't be making a complaint. What's done is done and its only a matter of days left until we find out. By the time they have bothered to read them, we will already know.

I've already done it, Mystery.

It's important to let elected politicians know how they're doing.

Great. Let us know if you get a response saying when they are going to make the announcement. That sentence on the website is so vague it had to be written by a politician!

They've updated the page! Now says "towards the end of May" ... so in time for the half term, I guess.

http://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-ch ... /kent-test

They are obviously very busy arguing over what to say and not say! 30 May perhaps rather than 31 May?

Doubtless it will be 29th May to keep us on our toes

At least the Indies are in the same position, desperately looking for positives here.