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Eleven Plus (11+) in Wirral

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Pensby
Posts: 197
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 7:28 pm
Location: PENSBY

Post by Pensby »

Where are you Hopeful Den?

Worried that you've not posted since you went to parents evening! Hope everything went okay!

Pensby
HopefulDen
Posts: 149
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:02 pm
Location: Birkenhead

Den still here!

Post by HopefulDen »

Don't worry my friend Pensby-it's just taken me a few days to digest what was said to me!!!!
Saw the teacher first-she said that currently my son was getting around 84-88 on his tests at the moment (personally I don't think this is bad for May/June). Basically he said that with him having a November birthday he needs to start averaging 90+ to make him certain of passing because if he had a bad day he could end up just on the pass mark with the standardisation adjustments. As I haven't really started my full on tutoring I felt ok with this . Apparently I've got to slow him down as he is rushing and not checking his work-nothing new there as we've had this comment at every parent's evening!( Speaking to the other parents after it seems there is no child above this level at the moment and some below).
I plucked up courage and asked the BOND question. "I am aware that the bond materials you have used don't cover all of the question types?"
Answer: "Using a variety of test papers we cover as many question types as we can in case there is a new one on the test".Question"does this happen often?" Answer "no, last time was 10 years ago" Den thinks... "eh?"
Well at least I know about the 21 question types-The other day I identified that my son had so far not done type I at school-He seems to have done some of the other HIKNOS but I'll need to check this. I have told all of the other parents about this and about this website but no sign of everyone else yet-However I think they are all using tutors now so probably think it's not necessary
The head talked about choices of school-I don't know how true this is but they reckoned as I have family connections to Wirral grammar (brother and nephew) that may make it easier if it reached the appeal stage-However they said both wirral and calday are very good schools- They advised me to take my son to see all of the local schools before making a choice but said they'd help us with applications later on in the year.
They are expecting the dates to be
Practice tests 15th+23rd Nov
Actual tests 27th November 4th December
They haven't officially heard anything but nor have they heard of any changes in the pipeline either.
She then siad that my son was "grammar school material" which was all I wanted to hear really and now I know I'll give him the best chance.
I have now bought the books and learning materials needed for tuition and rerranged his bedroom to make it (and his desk) more welcoming.
On a positive note-I've noticed he's tackling the vocab questions quite well now and some of the words he learned from the list on this site have appeared in the occasional test papers/homework he's getting from school.
We've started playing games with the words now which he really likes

On a lighter note-I had to laugh when he got this question in his homework the other week.
Put the same word in both gaps to make the sentence,
The soldier decided to .... home before his .......finished

My son's answer was hobble- I laughed my head off

Den
Denise J
laid back son worried mum
Posts: 4083
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2007 1:18 am

Post by laid back son worried mum »

The soldier decided to .... home before his .......finished

My son's answer was hobble- I laughed my head off
Thanks Hopeful Den and son for a great laugh....that's the only laugh I got today but it is a be11yful!

I think that's a great answer!! He deserves a place at grammar! :lol:
Long Time Browser
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri May 11, 2007 10:57 am
Location: TW Kent

Post by Long Time Browser »

Errm.....
Now you'll know why I'm a browser not a poster.....

What should the answer be? :oops:
Suzie Q
Hopeful Den

Answer to Suzie Q

Post by Hopeful Den »

Don't worry-we had to think aout it as well
it's Leave
Den
Long Time Browser
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri May 11, 2007 10:57 am
Location: TW Kent

Post by Long Time Browser »

Doh.. silly me, course it is.
It must have been one of those 'I can't see it for looking' ones.
Come to think of it, I have quite a few of those.
Thanks Den
Suzie Q
Pensby
Posts: 197
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2007 7:28 pm
Location: PENSBY

Post by Pensby »

Den
Glad to hear everythings okay,my son's birthday in Nov 29th so I hope the dates you quote end up to be correct,he is dreading doing the exam on his birthday!!

I'm sure the scores he's getting are fine!I think the tutors papers and cd's on here are the best as they cover all 21 question types,thats what we've been using and he's scoring 90-95 .

I think all boys are prone to rushing and not reading the questions propertly I think they want to go and play the next game of footy or on the favourite games console game for that week!!

Would be great if you apply for Caldy ,a fellow ally,( 11+ is still not discussed at our school and most of my sons friends although lovely kids are not grammar school material) but I can see the advantages of Wirral for you,we can't as it's to far and not on abus route.

I laughed at your comment about your son's desk,mine uses his a dumping ground for books,pokemon cards etc and has to tidy it on Sundays for homework!

must go daughter due in now
keep in touch !!
Pensby
Mike
Posts: 625
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 4:29 pm

Post by Mike »

Hi Den

Why was your son given the question for homework?

Last year I had students from the same school who were given CGP material immediately before the test. An absolute waste of time.

But nice to see some humour on the site and to see more people from the Wirral getting involved in discussions. I often emigrate to Bucks to get some stimulating conversation.

If you look on www.heswall.com site there is a direct link to this site. We also promote www.elevenplusexams.co.uk in the Kids Direct magazine. I think that tutoring on the Wirral has been a secretive and mystical vocation for too long. Hopefully, through word of mouth and access to this site more parents can be better informed.

Regards

Mike
HopefulDen
Posts: 149
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 1:02 pm
Location: Birkenhead

Homework

Post by HopefulDen »

Hi Mike

They've started to give them a test paper for weekend homework-to be honest I've not been too impressed by the shorter ones. They are very old fashioned, obviously photocopies of one's they've had in stock with peculiar words on them (not in your lists) and with question types I didn't recognise as being in the exam e.g straightforward anagrams?
They finally gave him a multiple choice verbal reasoning one last weekend which I guessed may have been NFER and was better.
They intend giving us a bundle of test papers for use across the summer but as said I'm not sure of the quality or the point-would have been better if they'd given us practice papers on the individual question types but I wonder, with me not being a teacher, if I should replace some of the papers with my own acquired from this site and others. A lot of the parents of children in the same class are quite worried about the whole thing and are agrieved at having to pay independent school fees and then tutoring on top (lucky they can afford it)-I guess they feel it shouldn't be necessary and annoyed that the school then gains the credit- a moot point I think.There is a fault here somewhere with how 11+ preparation is taught and after reading your site I think it is the use of Bond right through the junior department, which they don't seem to know is out of date and broard teaching of many (and I mean many) question types rather than concentraing on the 21. The 11+ results were not what they wanted them to be at the school last year considering it's a small school and I think many parents had to use tutors last year as well. Outside of the 11+ the bigger educational picture is good at the school but as the 11+ is this particular school's bread and butter and as most of the pupil's hoped destination is grammar you'd think they'd be more clued up rather than resting on what they've done in the past. At least we all seem to be aware of something not quite right and have a bit of time to do something about it. Maybe it's paranoia setting in!!!!

Pensby-talking of desks this weekend I had to clear-watch, doctor who cards, pokemon, football cards and folder, football scarve, telescope, binoculars, 3 moneyboxes, 20Q game, 2 aeroplanes, travel pictionary and several paperbacks (unread) and a sock (used)
Den
Denise J
Mike
Posts: 625
Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 4:29 pm

Post by Mike »

Hi Den

Would suggest that you only work on the published material that contains the 21 question types, with the exception of holding back the NFER papers until closer to the test.

There is enough material available now to allow you to go over first batches of papers again.

Regards

Mike
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