Maidstone Schools 11+ Success

Eleven Plus (11+) in Kent

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now
infomum3
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:49 am
Location: Kent

Maidstone Schools 11+ Success

Post by infomum3 »

Dont know if i am allowed to ask this as i am new to this site our local primary school had 22 children take the test and only 8 passed is this a poor result? as there is a lot of rumbling in the playground! The playground gossip is that it is really a poor show and that the school will not like it as it reflects badly on them. Especially as it has been doing so well in the past on ks2 sats. Is this the case i was under the impression that schools are more interested in getting everyone through ks2 at government standard and that this particular school is a feeder school for nll.
Are you allowed to mention on this site how many children passed at certain schools or is that not allowed?
It would just be interesting to see if i should move and get my dd into a school that has a higher percentage pass rate for the 11+ or if the result is in fact a good result and i should stay put and not sell my house!!!! Lol
Any views on this. :D
jacko
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:38 am
Location: Kent

Post by jacko »

That's a really hard one to answer! How many of those 22 did the school feel were capable of passing and how many were put in against the school's advice? How many were just sitting the 11+ as they had nothing to lose? How much outside help did the ones who passed have? Were all of their hopes raised unrealistically? Did the school encourage everyone to have a go in which case the pass rate may be as expected? Without knowing all the ins and outs of each child it is very hard to allocate any blame onto the school for not getting more pupils through.
You need to speak to the parents involved and find out if they seriously thought they would get their children through the 11+ and if the school had told them they would. You also need to find out exactly what the school's policy on the 11+ is - do they recommend everyone to go for it? do they lay on extra tuition? how much guidance do they give the parents and the children?
From the other end - how difficult is it to get a grammar school place where you are? have the 14 children not passed the test or have some passed but not been given a place - that is beyond your school's control?
Sorry to raise so many questions, but this really is a difficult one to come to any firm decision on - there are so many factors involved.
Goood luck with your investigating!!
Kent99

Post by Kent99 »

The Kent Messenger publishs tables showing each school's success rate. If you search this forum you should be able to find the date it came out last year and keep an eye out for this year's version.

Bear in mind that the overall pass rate is about 25% of the total year group (after HT appeals), but that individual schools will have year groups of varying ability. If your school is AVERAGING above 25% it is doing well. If they have a less than usually able class one year they will get a lower than usual result however good a school they are.

The number sitting the test is down to parental choice, not the school's decision, so it isn't much use looking at how many sat the exam. The school would have done no better or worse if 8 out of 8 had sat and passed!
infomum3
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:49 am
Location: Kent

Post by infomum3 »

Hi thanks for the quick response this site is fantastic and i can see myself getting very addicted!!! lol
In response to jacko's post quite alot of the children were tutored i believe 4 of the children that passed were not tutored which is fab for them. the school as a rule do not lay on extra tuition, and they do say well if you want to have a go fine but try not to raise expectations however had one parent whose child has a while to go before 11+ told that he was defo 11+ material.
As to how difficult it is to get into grammer from our school cannot say and dont really want to give out name of school let us just say we live in an affluent village with a bridge in it! and thus the majority of parents that live hear want a gs education for their children as they are worried by horror stories about nll no matter what the gcse results are, which incidentally where can these scores be found?
The 14 children that failed all failed so it wasnt a case of passing and not getting into the school. But i will get my spy glasses and listening devices out in the playground later.
In response to Kent99 i really cant wait for the km to come out! Nothing like a good old nose! Also you are probably right with the 25% thing as last year 22 sat exam and 11 passed. This year and last year it appears it is the children that are more able in the class have passed it.
Although two mums going on about getting their children to do the 12+ or 13+? What is the 12+ and 13+ and do they do that in Maidstone then?
Can anyone advise how many places are generally available for boys and girls at grammer schools in Maidstone?
infomum3
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2008 10:49 am
Location: Kent

Post by infomum3 »

Apologies for my awful spelling perhaps i need an decent education as well! lol
Kent99

Post by Kent99 »

Infomum
I suggest that you log on to the Kent CC website and follow the links to the 2008 secondary schools admissions booklet. This lists the admission numbers for each grammar school in Kent, together with their oversubscription criteria. (There are 4 grammar schools in Maidstone admitting nearly 700 children a year between them.)
Post Reply
11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now