Do you think the 11 plus is a good thing?
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Hippo
Do you think the 11 plus is a good thing?
Hello Medway parents.
How do you feel about the whole selection issue? We are one of a small number of areas in the country still to have the eleven plus. Am I alone in finiding the whole system archaic, exclusive and unfair? I do not believe that it is currently working the way it was intented to and that for many children it is a great injustice.
My daughter was at her test centre for five and a half hours on the day of the test...is this an apprpriate way to treat 10 and 11 year olds? I feel that the whole system is flawed and that the methods Medway use to administer the test put finance and red tape well above the needs of children.
I would be very interested to hear your views and also good / bad experiences of your children who sat the test this November.
Many thanks,
Helen
How do you feel about the whole selection issue? We are one of a small number of areas in the country still to have the eleven plus. Am I alone in finiding the whole system archaic, exclusive and unfair? I do not believe that it is currently working the way it was intented to and that for many children it is a great injustice.
My daughter was at her test centre for five and a half hours on the day of the test...is this an apprpriate way to treat 10 and 11 year olds? I feel that the whole system is flawed and that the methods Medway use to administer the test put finance and red tape well above the needs of children.
I would be very interested to hear your views and also good / bad experiences of your children who sat the test this November.
Many thanks,
Helen
I agree with teh original concept of grammar schools.
They were a great way of getting bright working class children to achieve their potential. Millions of people benefitted, me included.
HOWEVER I am not sure I agree with where they have gone. I had no preparation for teh elevenplus (1968 it was on of teh first years of the nvr and vr type 11+) but now it seems to overshadow everything and the pressure on th echildren is tremendous.
There are horror stories on here and the papers of tutors claiming you need to start in year3 or even 2!
My sister and I both went to Pates (Girls Grammar as it was then) but now she has not even entered her bright daughters for teh test. There are anecdotes of people coming from Birmingham 40 plus mmiles away and she feels teh pressure is too much for her girls. The bright children who would really benefit from a good old fashioned grammar education are missing out again.
The flip side. My son attends a Kent grammar, I feel they just cruise because the boys are bright. He is in year 10 and has only had homework in 2 subjects this half term. Some have not set any since September
They were a great way of getting bright working class children to achieve their potential. Millions of people benefitted, me included.
HOWEVER I am not sure I agree with where they have gone. I had no preparation for teh elevenplus (1968 it was on of teh first years of the nvr and vr type 11+) but now it seems to overshadow everything and the pressure on th echildren is tremendous.
There are horror stories on here and the papers of tutors claiming you need to start in year3 or even 2!
My sister and I both went to Pates (Girls Grammar as it was then) but now she has not even entered her bright daughters for teh test. There are anecdotes of people coming from Birmingham 40 plus mmiles away and she feels teh pressure is too much for her girls. The bright children who would really benefit from a good old fashioned grammar education are missing out again.
The flip side. My son attends a Kent grammar, I feel they just cruise because the boys are bright. He is in year 10 and has only had homework in 2 subjects this half term. Some have not set any since September
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PJL
Do you think the 11+ is a good thing?
Earlier this year I based the dissertation for my BSc degree on selective education in Medway. Basically my findings were that whilst the majority of both parents and teachers agree with selective education, they also do not agree with the way in which the pupils are selected. Many (well, most) thought that the system was far too stressful; that it was unfair when pupils were 'coached' to pass the test etc etc. I am now one of those parents as my daughter sat her 11+ on Nov 3rd and we are now waiting for the result! As parents it felt so 'wrong' leaving her in a strange place for what was a fairly substantial amount of time. She said that the man who was invigilating was so scary that her hands were shaking! Luckily for us she is a fairly laid back child, but I think that for some - more sensitive kids - it could all be too much. Certainly no way to decide on their education for the next 7 years!
have your say!
I had avery long conversation wih the head of medway admissions on Friday that included my thoughts about the test day, the length of time with limited and restricted breaks, unfamiliar surroundings, lots of strange faces etc. He was prepared to listen to listen but I am 1 voice only.
Please if any one else feels strongly that the present strucute of testing is not good enough then please can you tell them as no changes will be made if no feedbak is given to them.
Also yoyo123 am interested in your comments re year 10 son as mine too is lacking in homework from his Kent grammar school - to the extent I am going to call them to discuss as I am concerned that there will be a time when he will be working flat out to catch up. Would be interested to know sons location. Please PM me if you would like to discuss more.
reddebs
Please if any one else feels strongly that the present strucute of testing is not good enough then please can you tell them as no changes will be made if no feedbak is given to them.
Also yoyo123 am interested in your comments re year 10 son as mine too is lacking in homework from his Kent grammar school - to the extent I am going to call them to discuss as I am concerned that there will be a time when he will be working flat out to catch up. Would be interested to know sons location. Please PM me if you would like to discuss more.
reddebs
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Hippo
Eleven Plus
Thank you for all of your comments so far. As an former primary school deputy head and now a mother of a child going through the selection process, I have grave concerns and have had these for some time. When the test moved to a Saturday morning a couple of years ago I wrote to Rose Collinson, the admissions team, all 3 local MP's and as many councillors as I thought appropraite. I also presented a petition from parents who were concerned with the way the test had been administered. It certainly stirred things up a little, but it brushed over my main concern that the good of the child was placed at the bottom of the pile well below admin and finance requirements. As parents and citizens of Medway we do not have to accept the present situation. If all those who were concerned allowed their voice to be heard then it would have a much greater impact.
Once again this year I have heard stories of children sobbing throughout the exam, tears and tantrums (parents & children) in the time leading up to and following the test etc. Do we really want to put out children through this?
best wishes,
Helen
Once again this year I have heard stories of children sobbing throughout the exam, tears and tantrums (parents & children) in the time leading up to and following the test etc. Do we really want to put out children through this?
best wishes,
Helen
No. I think it's an awful system - particularly now that most of the places are taken up by middle class children and that a lot of parents use it as a free alternative to private school.
My daughter went to a very socially mixed primary school which was the catchment school for a large council estate. There were 62 children in year 6 - 38 took the 11+, 11 passed. 5 of those were tutored and their parents admitted it - another 3 were coached and their parents denied that they had been. ALL of the children who passed were the children of middle class professional parents. In my opinion it would be practically impossible for a child - however bright - from a disadvantaged background to pass the test.
My daughter went to a very socially mixed primary school which was the catchment school for a large council estate. There were 62 children in year 6 - 38 took the 11+, 11 passed. 5 of those were tutored and their parents admitted it - another 3 were coached and their parents denied that they had been. ALL of the children who passed were the children of middle class professional parents. In my opinion it would be practically impossible for a child - however bright - from a disadvantaged background to pass the test.
I have just heard that some poor child in a test centre wet themselves during the exam as they had not been allowed to leave. I know there is a thin line on this one as a constant stream of children leaving and returning to a test room can be distracting (something my daughter experienced this year) but this news has really shocked me. How can we allow this to happen to our 10 year olds! Had the test been held in the child’s primary school or in a small class setting as I suggested to the Medway then this probably would not have happened.
If I were the parent of this child I would be considering my legal rights at this moment.
reddebs
If I were the parent of this child I would be considering my legal rights at this moment.
reddebs
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Hippo
Thank you
Thanks for that. Please keep the good / bad experience stories coming. I fully intend to communicate at length with the council on children's experiences this year.
Not to be able to use the toilet is against human rights! I agree that it would be disruptive to allow children to meander in and out, but these children are only 10 and 11 and are in a stressful and alien situation....nerves play havoc with my 42 year old bladder never mind a child's. One other contributer noted that her daughter was beside a door and disturbed by the traffic of children being ferried back and forward to the toilet, this highlights once again the lack of consistency across test centres. One argumet for moving the test to a Saturday was to ensure that all children had the same experience, this has not been the case.
Not to be able to use the toilet is against human rights! I agree that it would be disruptive to allow children to meander in and out, but these children are only 10 and 11 and are in a stressful and alien situation....nerves play havoc with my 42 year old bladder never mind a child's. One other contributer noted that her daughter was beside a door and disturbed by the traffic of children being ferried back and forward to the toilet, this highlights once again the lack of consistency across test centres. One argumet for moving the test to a Saturday was to ensure that all children had the same experience, this has not been the case.
