Left it too late?

[countrymum]

Hi, well after popping on here since my DD was in yr four, the time has come for her to take the exam for AGGS in September. I had it all planned out, thinking about contacting one or two Tutors that were kindly recommended here by pm ( which I think are now all booked up ) and felt had all the time in the world! Well here I am, life whizzed by and feel I have now left it too late. She is already comfortably working at yr 6 level though would ideally like some tutoring before she takes the exam. Have thought of DIY but don't feel have the right skills and just feel I have let her down somewhat.

[PlutoMum]

Hi countrymum,

My advice would be to find out straight away which tests you need to prepare (look at school website, admissions page and also on this forum), order the most suitable practice papers and start DIYing this week. Don't put it off any longer and don't underestimate how much difference you can make even with the DIY route. You could continue to look for a tutor at the same time. You can get a good feel for weaker areas by doing practice papers with your DD. Then if and when you find a tutor he/she can focus on those areas.

This comes from a Mum who deeply regrets not being aware of the system. I have a bright DS in state primary and ignorantly thought there was some kind of transition for kids like mine. I was so wrong. We started prepping only a couple of months before the tests (DIY plus 6 x 1 hr tutor sessions to focus on English technique). Although he has an offer from a great selective Indie we did not get the scholarship we needed to make it feasible - no chance unless you're heavily prepped or come from a prep school I think. We got through to final round of super selective but no offer on 1 March. Again no chance without thorough prepping.

If you start now and have a bright child then you have got time. Go for it now and then you won't have the regrets that I do. Good luck!!

[PlutoMum]

BTW, I'm not from your region but I guess it's the same everywhere.

[Cupcake]

Hi country mum, don't worry too much just do what you can to prepare her now. Always worth trying a tutor for back up, you never know and they can sometimes be most useful for targeting specific areas that come up when you are working through papers with her yourself. In the meantime check out the books you can buy especially the 'How to do...' ones that guide you through each question type and the Parent's Guide to the 11+ which give you guidance on what and how to plan the work. Use the Bond books at the right level for her (the parent's guide has test papers designed to find out what the starting point would be) and work through methodically to give her experience of the different question types and, most importantly, build up her confidence.

I am from Trafford and have one at AGSB and one taking this September and I can assure you that not all the children that pass have been tutored and not all the tutored children pass. It is true to say though that most will have been prepared in some way. The key is giving them confidence and support and knowing your own child's abilities as a start point.

Good luck with everything.

[countrymum]

Hi countrymum,

My advice would be to find out straight away which tests you need to prepare (look at school website, admissions page and also on this forum), order the most suitable practice papers and start DIYing this week. Don't put it off any longer and don't underestimate how much difference you can make even with the DIY route. You could continue to look for a tutor at the same time. You can get a good feel for weaker areas by doing practice papers with your DD. Then if and when you find a tutor he/she can focus on those areas.

This comes from a Mum who deeply regrets not being aware of the system. I have a bright DS in state primary and ignorantly thought there was some kind of transition for kids like mine. I was so wrong. We started prepping only a couple of months before the tests (DIY plus 6 x 1 hr tutor sessions to focus on English technique). Although he has an offer from a great selective Indie we did not get the scholarship we needed to make it feasible - no chance unless you're heavily prepped or come from a prep school I think. We got through to final round of super selective but no offer on 1 March. Again no chance without thorough prepping.

If you start now and have a bright child then you have got time. Go for it now and then you won't have the regrets that I do. Good luck!!

Thank you so much for your reply and much appreciate your comments and advice. What hit home is I now know of yr 4s starting the tutoring path and here I am way way behind where I wanted her to be. I have a little boy too and busy with him, am cross with myself for not being more on the ball. In all honesty she is probably brighter than me and the literally one or two goes we have had at practice papers she gets the NVR so much more than me and as I have mentioned on here before I just don't think I am upto it, though super advice, I shall pull my finger out and get cracking! Thanks again.

[countrymum]

Hi country mum, don't worry too much just do what you can to prepare her now. Always worth trying a tutor for back up, you never know and they can sometimes be most useful for targeting specific areas that come up when you are working through papers with her yourself. In the meantime check out the books you can buy especially the 'How to do...' ones that guide you through each question type and the Parent's Guide to the 11+ which give you guidance on what and how to plan the work. Use the Bond books at the right level for her (the parent's guide has test papers designed to find out what the starting point would be) and work through methodically to give her experience of the different question types and, most importantly, build up her confidence.

I am from Trafford and have one at AGSB and one taking this September and I can assure you that not all the children that pass have been tutored and not all the tutored children pass. It is true to say though that most will have been prepared in some way. The key is giving them confidence and support and knowing your own child's abilities as a start point.

Good luck with everything.

Thank you so much! Sums me up really, always leave everything till last minute. I shall have another go at the tutor thing whilst going over the limited book resources we have at home, have the bond how to's which hopefully are a good start. I really do think she would flourish at this particular school and hopefully is what shall motivate me to progress with the leading up to it. I have teachers telling me she shall do well where ever she goes so try not to get too bogged down with it but is hard. Thanks so much, your comments have really helped me put things into perspective, hopefully with a bit of hard graft, numerous cups of tea and breaks in the garden for play we shall get there. I guess we can only do so much then is over to them. Thanks again!

[JennyJack]

Dont be so harsh upon yourself. Do what you are able to and as mentioned by other replies it is not late to start. All the best!

Hi country mum, don't worry too much just do what you can to prepare her now. Always worth trying a tutor for back up, you never know and they can sometimes be most useful for targeting specific areas that come up when you are working through papers with her yourself. In the meantime check out the books you can buy especially the 'How to do...' ones that guide you through each question type and the Parent's Guide to the 11+ which give you guidance on what and how to plan the work. Use the Bond books at the right level for her (the parent's guide has test papers designed to find out what the starting point would be) and work through methodically to give her experience of the different question types and, most importantly, build up her confidence.

I am from Trafford and have one at AGSB and one taking this September and I can assure you that not all the children that pass have been tutored and not all the tutored children pass. It is true to say though that most will have been prepared in some way. The key is giving them confidence and support and knowing your own child's abilities as a start point.

Good luck with everything.

Thank you so much! Sums me up really, always leave everything till last minute. I shall have another go at the tutor thing whilst going over the limited book resources we have at home, have the bond how to's which hopefully are a good start. I really do think she would flourish at this particular school and hopefully is what shall motivate me to progress with the leading up to it. I have teachers telling me she shall do well where ever she goes so try not to get too bogged down with it but is hard. Thanks so much, your comments have really helped me put things into perspective, hopefully with a bit of hard graft, numerous cups of tea and breaks in the garden for play we shall get there. I guess we can only do so much then is over to them. Thanks again!

[Munchkins]

Hey, it's never too late! My son took an 11 plus exam last year and the only prep he had was a VR practise booklet on the Monday before the test the following Saturday. So he did a little each evening the week before the exam. He passed and is doing brilliantly at his new school. I think if you have a bright child then they will be successful. The headmaster at my DS new school told us not to WASTE money with private tutors, and I agree totally. I would suggest you buy some practise material and work through that. Wishing her all the best, and don't worry!

[countrymum]

Thanks so much for all the advice munchkins, really helpful. Having thought long and hard, have come to the conclusion myself with help from the DH wanted some more support , so she is now getting a little top up tutoring ( not one to one ) from elsewhere and that she actually quite enjoys. TBH it probably shall be us doing the topping up I have left the DH to concentrate on the Maths and I shall do the NVR and V with her. I have found she is up against lots of privately educated kids who are probably stretched a little more at school, and prepped for the exam and then also have tutoring ontop of that, although she is a bright spark and on the YG&T register thingy in her little primary, I just want to give her the very best chance. I have very kindly been given some work books for home and so begins our learning journey ready for her to take the Exam in September. Eeeeeek!!

She has matured so much since beginning this journey, from not wanting to talk about exams/11 plus etc, she SO wants to go to the school and can really see why we ( and others ) think a school very much suited to her.