No Preparation-advice from primary school

scatshouse · Post by **scatshouse** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 11:02 am

Hi, just found this site yesterday and i didn't realise how soon people started preparing their children for 11+!! My childrens primary school never mentions the 11+ except to say you don't need to prepare! and we were told at a meeting last week not to let 11+ work interfere with SATS work.Ehh

SATS are in 7 months not 7 weeks

My daughter sat both the 11+ and Upton Hall 2 years ago and i only found a tutor for her (1 hour per week, and hardly anything at home) after she'd seen schools on open evenings and decided she'd like to try. which meant she only had about 7 weeks to prepare! Luckily she passed both and is now happy at Upton Hall as this was her first choice. My big problem now is that 2 years on it is my sons turn, and after the open evenings he has decided he'd like to try for Calday. He's had no tuition yet nor looked at any papers because I listened to their primary school again. Now i see that many people prepare a long time in advance. Has anybody else had this negativity from primary schools in Wirral?

frantic · Post by **frantic** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 12:09 pm

Hi Scatshouse, welcome to the site, we attended a meeting at our sons school last week and were told they are only allowed to do 6 hours of preparation for the 11+ including the mock test (which they don't mark!) and yes they are more concerned with the sats. My son is fairly borderline in english ok in maths, does ok in tests when there's no time limit, panics slightly when timed

take care
Frantic

Sally-Anne · Post by **Sally-Anne** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 12:16 pm

Hi Scatshouse

I just thought I'd let you know that here in Bucks, which like Wirral is one of the few remaining big Grammar school areas, the schools are required by County not to coach the children. They do a few official familiarisation sessions plus a few practice papers. The Heads sign a form to say that the children are not being coached beyond that.

I suspect that the negativity you have encountered is probably official policy.

The focus on SATs is of course driven by league tables.

Very best of luck to your son.

Sally-Anne

Appeal Mum · Post by **Appeal Mum** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 12:27 pm

The Heads sign a form to say that the children are not being coached beyond that.

I suspect that the negativity you have encountered is probably official policy.

The focus on SATs is of course driven by league tables.

Maybe Heads should be forced by the LEA to sign a form stating children are not being coached for the SATs.

AM

scatshouse · Post by **scatshouse** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 12:52 pm

Hi, thanks for your replies, I'm not aware of any heads signing forms saying they won't coach children, especially since i found out that at least two schools, less than 1.5 miles away, coach their children after school and the children get to sit the exams in their own hall amongst their friends, as opposed to my children having to attend the grammar school we put as 1st choice to sit them.(Alongside kids being sick and fainting my daughter tells me). Anyway I've now downloaded some papers and i'll test my son. He's quite competitive so anything his sister can do he can do better

HOPEFULLY

If not we were quite impressed at the open evening for Woodchurch High last night, at least we're not looking at a sink school for 2nd choice

Good Luck with your son Frantic.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 1:44 pm

We had woodchurch as our second choice last year. luckily he passed, but I would have been happy for my son to go to Woodchurch

We live about 2 miles from Woodchurch and were told not to bother as it's a very difficult school to get into if you

1. dont have siblings already there

2. Live within the Woodchurch area..

Don't know how true this was but I wouldn't guarentee you will get Woodchurch allocated.

How far are you from Woodchurch... It does seem a very nice school.

Pensby · Post by **Pensby** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 2:32 pm

Hiya I agree,
My son's school is also very unhelpful! They did 1 practice paper,and then they do the 6 hours they are allowed ,I know other schools do a lot more so you do feel let down,

Good luck with the preparation for Calday,thats where my son wants to go
keep posting
Pensby

scatshouse · Post by **scatshouse** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 5:46 pm

Hi,

Guest - We live Woodchurch so if, as i am led to believe, my son fails 11+ 2nd choice then becomes 1st choice so he should have a good chance of getting Woodchurch High.

Pensby - Does your son actually do 6 hours preparation in school? My son does absolutely nothing in school. One practice paper is sent home for him to do that's it!

Anyway it's up to son now, will crack on with practice papers and see how he does.

Sally-Anne · Post by **Sally-Anne** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 6:54 pm

scatshouse wrote:i found out that at least two schools, less than 1.5 miles away, coach their children after school

That is the loophole that some Bucks state schools are rumoured to employ - doing the coaching out of hours. I believe that there was recently an edict here that now prevents school premises being used for 11+ coaching, even when hired to an outsider.

Sally-Anne

Pensby · Post by **Pensby** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:16 pm

Hiya Scatshouse,
yes they do ,I though that was not much but fron what you say it's better than I thought!!

Where does your son go to school? mine's at Pensby Juniors,the head is very anti grammar but obviously there's worse out there!!

Pensby