11 Plus Exams Forum

Was wondering how anyone felt after yesterday? Were the tests particularly difficult this year? My DS managed to finish and coped, but thought they were extremely hard. Had a bit of a panic attack halfway though and was also slightly intimidated by the sheer volume of entrants...

I don't know about the boys but I was overwhelmed by the numbers there yesterday. Very daunting, and in a way I was quite appalled by the lengths we have gone to to attempt to go to a grammar school. Boys looking like rabbits caught in headlights- and sitting 3 papers on the trot.How many entrants were there ? Does anyone have the figure?
Yesterday reinforced for me the suspicion I have had for a while that I don't want my son travelling 6 miles to school, however wonderful. Spending 3 hours in Sutton was one of the worst afternoons of my life, and though he came out saying he did ok, yesterday really clarified things in my mind.
For us it would be wrong to travel out of borough- I enjoy being part of a community and want my son to be local. Yesterday felt just WRONG.

You've summed it up so well... my feelings exactly - felt very wrong! I really felt for the boys (we were in the morning session and it felt a bit like a cattle market - so many people). I agree regards the travel and wonder if we would be going to such lengths if Kingston actually offered better schools or if Tiffins had a percentage allocation for catchment area like other grammar schools (giving local boys more of a chance). In North Kingston we are VERY limited in secondary school choice.

Yes North Kingston is a bit of a problem.
We have an up and coming boys school where I would be very happy for him to go. And equally he will be very happy. We can afford private, but will not go down that route.
I totally agree with you about Tiffin having a percentage for Kingston children- other boroughs do it. I want his friends to be in a reasonable radius- not bussed in from Ascot at 7.15 in the morning.

I'm relunctant to feedback until the tests are complete; i.e. after those ill on the day have had a chance to re-sit the test.

On the subject of a catchment for Kingson Schools... this has been considered and never implemented; in fact one proposal to set a catchment based on the schools themselves concluded it would reduce the intake to include less Kingston residents since the schools are located so far north; i.e. the catchment would favour Ealing etc, another proposal to center it on Tolworth was also considered, which wouldn't help those actually near to the school.

In any case I think TGS now has such a status that the LEA could not impose any such criteria.

We just keep our fingers crossed for 8th!

Regards
SVE

DS also feeling that it went OK, He thought the VR got very hard towards the end though.

I think Kingston back away from demanding Tiffin to have any catchment in case they decide to become independent. That would screw Kingston's league table places! Am also in North Kingston btw

whichwitch wrote:DS also feeling that it went OK, He thought the VR got very hard towards the end though.

I think Kingston back away from demanding Tiffin to have any catchment in case they decide to become independent. That would screw Kingston's league table places! Am also in North Kingston btw

MY DS had it in the afternoon. It was a long queue of parents in dark and cold winter night with umbrellas switched on. My DS came back tired and did not speak much, except he said he managed to finish all the papers.
I was told by the school teacher on duty about 1550 took the test for 120 places. The test went on for three hours ( 1:45 to 5:00 pm) with small breaks in between, it is very tough on our 11+ boys.
Not sure how the degree of difficulty compares with WGS. We are prepared for the worst. Our local comprehensive over the years have been doing well, so it is not a do or die.

13 applicants per place

Thea wrote:13 applicants per place

not quite, one can 13 applicant for 3 places, the same set takes the exam in WGS, Wilson as well. There are about 390 places ( 120 SGS, 120 WGS, 150 Wilson). so 390 places for about 1600 children. last year 395 children qualified in SGS ( 326 pass marks) and this year 485 passed in WGS.

... and there are those that are using Sutton as a backup so hopefully will not be taking a place...