11 Plus Exams Forum

My DD is in love with Nonsuch and she prays everyday that she will get in and she is working hard for it.

I will also be putting her forward to take the Wallington and Tiffin exams, 3 independent schools and two other selective schools and I'm thinking the 8 exams maybe too much any genuie advice will be appreciated.

thanks amen

Has similar concern too and got varied replies.

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... hp?t=13522

In and around London, people seem to do quite a few because of the competition to get places. 8 seem on the high end but the exams might be fairly spread out. Here is Kent 11+ is in September and then indies in January so thats a nice breathing gap.

I do think that 8 exams is a high number - even for London/home counties - and to keep momentum going for what will inevitably be a few months will be difficult.

However, I think you should really consider which schools you are looking at. I don't know where you live, but even if you live right in the middle of Tiffins and Wallington, your DD is going to be looking at a considerable commute every morning. If you are also looking at two other state selective schools, these are definitely not in Kingston or Sutton and so will be travelling in completely another direction. Don't underestimate the importance of a reasonable journey to and from school and living close enough to friends to have a semblance of social life.

The choice of school is hugely important, but commuting for more than an hour twice a day for the next 7 years is pretty tough!

Nonsuch is fab by the way - good luck

Eight exams sounds daunting, but don't forget they are likely to be spread out over a period of months. My son also took eight last year (six selective state schools and two independent schools). I was concerned about placing so much pressure on him, but he coped surprisingly well, passed the lot and he got his first choice.

We did lots of practice in test conditions - little and often, every day, and I'm convinced that helped him the most. The Bond 10 minute test papers were brilliant, so any odd moments or when he was at a loose end or waiting around for something he did a quick test. A reward system worked well too - every 10-minute test he scored 100% on earned him £1 towards a new skateboard (that got him begging to do another test!)

The thing about the tests is not necessarily the difficulty of the questions but the speed in which the children are required to answer them. That can be demanding, so the little-and-often system keeps their speed up.

Good luck Amen! When does your daughter start her exams?