11 Plus Exams Forum

Thinking about the maths paper ...... your children would have done the new national curriculum in year 5. Did you think that the Kent paper included material which went beyond year 5 of the new national curriculum?

Yes, definitely. If we hadn't used a tutor there was plenty not covered by the school. We are in East Sussex, not Kent, but that shouldn't make a difference.

Ah thank you - are you basing that response on the maths your daughter encountered in the actual 11 plus test or on what the GL practice papers give the impression one needs to know?

My DD stated she would have struggled had she not had extra lessons. There were definitely subjects being taught by the tutor (very well respected OOC East Sussex tutor) that she hadn't covered at school. Her actual maths score on the day was on the lower end of what she is capable of (14/25 125 standardised) as she often made a lot of silly errors on past papers.

Also, Mystery, DD is considered by school to excel at maths above other subjects - she was sent on a gifted & talented Maths day at the local secondary school, and still she didn't excel at the maths test, whereas she scored the max in English (138).

Anecdotal evidence from friends in another 11+ area with a DS academically on par with our DD - they didn't tutor, just a little home practice and he sadly didn't pass, with maths being one of the issues (areas not covered by NC at school). These 2 kids have known each other for 10 years, and he is definitely bright and a diligent worker.

Thanks for that - it certainly is how it seemed to be in the past and from what children are saying still seems to be the case - except of course if it is restricted to year 5 work but some schools are not covering that in its entirety. I wonder if Kent will give more detail as to how the paper is framed relative to the new curriculum year 5 programme.

The familiarisation paper for kent 2015 for English and maths says " it draws upon what you have been taught in lessons" so, if this is true, it certainly should not go beyond what you can solve if you have been taught the work in the year 5 maths programme from the new curriculum document as that is the minimum entitlement delivered in all kent state primary schools ( apart from academies perhaps) ..... But even that is complicated as schools could choose not to follow that year by year programme and cover some topics late in year 6 if they wanted.

Ds scored 125 maths with no tutoring at all. All (mainstream) school learnt, in a school that doesn't prepare for 11+. I daresay he could have been a high scorer with tutoring but he proves that tutoring is not always necessary.

Bounce wrote:Ds scored 125 maths with no tutoring at all. All (mainstream) school learnt, in a school that doesn't prepare for 11+. I daresay he could have been a high scorer with tutoring but he proves that tutoring is not always necessary.

No parental help either so he turned up on test day never having seen an 11+ paper or practiced for 11+ at all? If so, well done! If not then in my book its tutoring whether you are paying for it or are DIY tutoring.

chimneys wrote:

Bounce wrote:Ds scored 125 maths with no tutoring at all. All (mainstream) school learnt, in a school that doesn't prepare for 11+. I daresay he could have been a high scorer with tutoring but he proves that tutoring is not always necessary.

No parental help either so he turned up on test day never having seen an 11+ paper or practiced for 11+ at all? If so, well done! If not then in my book its tutoring whether you are paying for it or are DIY tutoring.

I was referring to the curriculum provision referred to in the op. Yes he saw 2x papers of each subject prior to the test. He was shown. Not taught.

Useful to know. Dio you know if your primary school just taught them the year 5 programme and absolutely nothing more?