Is the pass mark as high as 11+?
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PrettyWoman
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Is the pass mark as high as 11+?
Just a quickie - what is the general pass mark on independent entrance exams?
I know they differ for each school but would a child be expected to have passed the 11+ or is the standard a little lower in independents?
DS1 should get 11+ results tomorrow but is sitting entrance exam for RGS Worcester in Feb. If his 11+ results are not good then do not want to put him through the stress of more exams if he doesn't have a chance of gaining a place, if you see what I mean!
I know they differ for each school but would a child be expected to have passed the 11+ or is the standard a little lower in independents?
DS1 should get 11+ results tomorrow but is sitting entrance exam for RGS Worcester in Feb. If his 11+ results are not good then do not want to put him through the stress of more exams if he doesn't have a chance of gaining a place, if you see what I mean!
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Chelmsford mum
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Re: Is the pass mark as high as 11+?
Hi perhaps you might get a more specific answer in your region.PrettyWoman wrote:Just a quickie - what is the general pass mark on independent entrance exams?
I know they differ for each school but would a child be expected to have passed the 11+ or is the standard a little lower in independents?
DS1 should get 11+ results tomorrow but is sitting entrance exam for RGS Worcester in Feb. If his 11+ results are not good then do not want to put him through the stress of more exams if he doesn't have a chance of gaining a place, if you see what I mean!
For what it is worth, in the two areas that I have experience of, Surrey and Essex, the standard for the grammmar schools is significantly higher.I know of many children who did not make it into grammar but are happy now at selective indep schools where they did pass, and are likely to do just as well as their grammar counterparts.
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PrettyWoman
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It does vary by region and by school. To some extent you can gauge the relative academic nature of an independent school by its results at 16/18.
The second point is that most independent schools employ a different (and they would say superior) selection process to the 11+ and so it is possible to do well in one and not the other.
Finally the 11+ is arguably distorted by tutoring so that some marginal candidates with substantial cramming jump the selection queue. Again good independent schools look to separate those with true academic potential from those where is illusory and this would be reflected in their selection.
The second point is that most independent schools employ a different (and they would say superior) selection process to the 11+ and so it is possible to do well in one and not the other.
Finally the 11+ is arguably distorted by tutoring so that some marginal candidates with substantial cramming jump the selection queue. Again good independent schools look to separate those with true academic potential from those where is illusory and this would be reflected in their selection.
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hermanmunster
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Hi
totally depends on the school - around the country there are a fair few kids who do not get the 11 plus but get into indie (as has been said the exams are often very different) , if the indie set the level too high there wouldn't be many kids as they would all be at the GS.
Remember of the 100 taking it there are a number who will still be taking the 11 plus and might like the choice - they may also be taking several indie exams, depends on the local prep schools - some of them seem to produce long list of exam passes to different schools, with the same kids names appearing for multiple schools! My daughter's school did max 3 each (unless they had other options eg GS and guaranteed place, or non selective) - even then the list was long. Upshot is that I am sure that those who really want to go there will have a much better than 35/100 chance!
Good luck with the tests
H
x
totally depends on the school - around the country there are a fair few kids who do not get the 11 plus but get into indie (as has been said the exams are often very different) , if the indie set the level too high there wouldn't be many kids as they would all be at the GS.
Remember of the 100 taking it there are a number who will still be taking the 11 plus and might like the choice - they may also be taking several indie exams, depends on the local prep schools - some of them seem to produce long list of exam passes to different schools, with the same kids names appearing for multiple schools! My daughter's school did max 3 each (unless they had other options eg GS and guaranteed place, or non selective) - even then the list was long. Upshot is that I am sure that those who really want to go there will have a much better than 35/100 chance!
Good luck with the tests
H
x
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PrettyWoman
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Thank you , thank you , thank you!
DS1 completed 5 years at prep school but unfortunatley we had to move him to a local primary last year so his last 2 years of primary have been state. It's a fantastic school but very much geared to sending all children to the local comprehensive.
Our circumstances have now changed again so we are able to move back to indie and just hope his 2 years in the state school won't affect his performance, or his chances.
The school are writing to his current school and his teacher is pleased with him. He works hard, and is not one of the messers. But he is generally middle ability in everything. I just want him to have a better opportunity for a good education and he won't get that at the local comp.
DS1 completed 5 years at prep school but unfortunatley we had to move him to a local primary last year so his last 2 years of primary have been state. It's a fantastic school but very much geared to sending all children to the local comprehensive.
Our circumstances have now changed again so we are able to move back to indie and just hope his 2 years in the state school won't affect his performance, or his chances.
The school are writing to his current school and his teacher is pleased with him. He works hard, and is not one of the messers. But he is generally middle ability in everything. I just want him to have a better opportunity for a good education and he won't get that at the local comp.
My DD Headmaster is always extoling the virtues of his pupils who failed 11+ who achieved Oxbridge. Apart from obviously demonstrating the value of the education at the school he is pointing out that the 11+ is a strange beast which arguably does not select the top proportion in anything and certainly doesn't in 2009 given the distortion caused by the widespread use of cramming. (The techniques my DD and I learnt enabled her to rattle through much of the paper without a braincell being employed!)
