11 Plus Exams Forum

I gather that Head teacher's reports are important in the selection process. However, how does it work with children from state primaries who are not used to doing these (since very few in DS's inner city primary ever go to indies)?

Got worried when a friend of mine (whose son goes to a proper "prep") told me all about how the head is going to mention this achievement, that achievement and so on.

Pretty sure that DS's head will just do the minimum: answer questions put in a factual manner not knowing "how to play the game".

Am assuming the indies will make allowance for this (and of course there will be other children from similar state primaries applying as well as from the indie section).

Anyone else worried about this?

Am I over-worrying?

I worried about this at the time, particularly during the open days where some prep parents seemed to make a point of braying about how glad they were about the support and expertise they got from their heads. Fear not, IME schools know not to expect anything from a primary report and that the game is not being played or is being played by someone who doesn't know the rules . Both my DDs got offers from all indies applied to, this despite DD2 having to fill in the form herself (Y6 teacher said it was not her job) and having several of her hobbies crossed out by the teacher becasue 'they will think you are not going to work hard enough, they don't want you to be doing clubs and things all the time'. Utter tosh of course but it appeared to make no difference . Good luck.

I was quite worried about this, as I have moved my DD to an embassy-run primary school and the headteacher has not done this before (most children continue at the embassy-run high school). I spoke to the independent school that I am interested in about this, the reply was that they are used to receiving both "elaborate" and "basic" head teachers' reports. The main thing is to do well in the exam, they interview all the girls and then it is my understanding that all they want to check is that there has been no serious issues with the DC during primary school.

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IME state primaries are not always very willing to provide reports. With both DSs I had to pester the school about getting the reports done: DS1's seemed to keep getting 'lost' until I calked up the HT and complained. With DS2 his teacher appeared willing but too busy with Christmas prep to get around to it and was rather laid back about it in January - it really annoyed me because we had a scholarship hanging in the balance I pestered him until he did it.

I would give them a warning that it is going to be requested from now and ask them to return it slightly earlier than the required date.

I had to ask for such a letter for DS last year.

His head was fine to give such a letter- the local consortium of primary schools have an agreed format for secondary school transfer letters/ appeal letters which would include CAT scores, current working levels and SATS prediction plus a sentence on behavior and attitude to learning which would reflect comments made in previous school reports.

I think the CAT test results and the SAT level will be the most critical bit of information and should be on file. A few numbers thats all in the first instance.

Mad! What an absolutely fabulous word to describe boastful parents. "braying" Straight to the top of the creative writing class for you! I shall think of that word every time I hear them going on and on and on now! DG

Thank you all. Glad to hear the schools are used to receiving "basic" reports from some HTs. I decided to give my HT a heads-up that these requests would be arriving. Let see he does the job. He is busy, but hopefully he will put himself to it at the right time (and not begrudge us for not going the local state route for which he is a keen advocate).

Whitgift is on our list - and yes, they asked us for 3 last termly reports - which we duly provided.

Does anybody know if attendance is reported on in the Headteachers report from a state primary? My Dd with have 5 days unauthorised absence this year (Year 5). Will this count against her?