Partner & I have different ideas about how much study time

[Snowdrops]

so true!

[watfordmum66]

thankyou

[katel]

Somewhere along the line (I must have missed it) the OP's daughter's proposed schedule went from 30 to 10 hours a week. I still think 10 is too much - seriously, if a child really needs 60 hours of coaching over the summer to pass the test then EITHER the pupil and teacher are working hard not smart OR the pupil's perfect school is not a highly selective grammar school, and he or she will do much better and be much happier elsewhere.

[SSM]

I agree with you katel, but I don't think in this case the child needs it. I think it is more of a case of the parents being worried that they haven't done as much as they could have done. Also, the OP's DD seems to enjoy doing it and so why not. Not all children are the same, some prefer studying to being out playing.

The OP has also said that they will have holidays when they won't be doing work, so it would probably be more like 40 hours over 6 weeks.

You are right that the first post was talking about 30 hours a week but 2girlsmum did think that this was way too much and that is why she posted.

I know when my DS1 first started on the road to 11+ it was very stressful and I didn't know how much work he should be doing, however when you have come out of the other side with a good school, you do wonder what all the stress was about.

[Villagedad]

Hi everyone

I have just read this thread and wanted to clarify what levels of summer tutoring most people are doing (ie including those not on this forum) to ensure their DC passes the exam e.g. an hours tutoring each week plus homework?

Then what do people think the maximum should be to ensure success (and sanity)?

We live in Kent so its Maths, VR, and NVR.

If someone was preparing for the Kent test how would you structure FM's 1 hour a day for 5 days per week? Would you split it evenly each day between the 3 subjects, or do some require more intense work e.g. maths?

Many thanks all
Villagedad

[First-timer]

Hi Villagedad,

I'd say it depends on the child's strengths and weaknesses together with whether you believe substantial improvement can be made in a given subject. I wouldn't feel obliged to devote an equal amount of time to each. A plan is great, but has to keep changing according to how much progress is being made. Let DC decide which subect is to be studied - sometimes! The only times I would spend more than an hour a day on 11+ would be the practice runs/mocks on the weekends just before the exam. There should be days when you do no work whatsoever. I found the Bond 10 minute test books to be invaluable as they allow you to keep DC on the boil without sickening them (and you)!

Good luck!

[2Girlsmum]

Can I ask Katel what sort of numbers and scores were required at DDs Grammar? I know that it varies throughout England depending on the numbers of Schools and their reputation. In St Michael's a score of 330+/400 is required to more or less quarantee a place, and with the credit crunch all schools have been losing very few children from their initial acceptance lists this year so the score might well be higher. Also DD was born in 2000, and there was a mini baby-boom that year. The other schools pass marks are at least the same or higher and the number of applicants per place was:

St Michael's - 469 applications for 96 places (2009) (lower than the others as to apply the girl must be a practicing Catholic who has been baptised AND confirmed)
Latymer - 1778 applications were received for 180 places (2008)

The following are either too far to travel, wrong sex or out of catchment
DAO - 835 applications for 65 places (2008)
HBS - 1301 applications for 93 places (2009)
QE Boys - 1242 applications were received for 180 places (2009)

So only a handful of non-Independent selectives for half of London. The reason acheiving a place is so tough is because children are tutored for 1+ years, and in some case several years. It doesn't mean that they are brighter, but they are trained like atheletes for the test. One girl in DD's class has been working at home throughout her primary years, as has her brother, because her (working class black) parents want to send both to Latymer. A friend teaches Maths at Latymer and is amazed every year by some of the children whose parents have trained them for the test which they have done well in, but struggle once accepted as they aren't actually academically bright. She jokes that they paid someone to sit the test for them!

Just had a look at the Fortismere website code of behaviour and:

Pupils are required to 'Attend school regularly, on time, suitably dressed and properly equipped'. LOL- the girls were properly equipped from what I saw through strategically ripped t-shirts with coloured underwired bras and shorts showing pants. I was a punk at a London art college in the '80s so have no problem with unusual or revealing dress, but it probably doen't help the teenage boys in the class to concentrate during lessons:)

[tense]

(a little late to reply watfordmum66, but yes, a SMOG is a St Michael's Old Girl although I thought pheasantchick's suggestions were more interesting! We used to get called "the purple virgins" too due to colour of uniform / being catholics but SMOG is the official name )

I love that school rule "to attend regularly"

[Josa]

Just to add, I think the question how much study time a child should have will always get differing opinions/views as everyone's answers is based on their own experiences and what worked for them. What I've realised is no one knows my child as much as I do and what works for another child might not necessary work for him or vice versa and this is what I've advised friends who have dcs sitting the 11+ exams.

At the end of the day we are all aiming for the same goal and whichever way we decide to go about it is entirely up to us as long as we are comfortable with it.

[mystery]

Just go for whatever works for you this summer 2 girls mum. I think that Katel has always been blessed with great primary and grammar schools so she feels (rightly) that extra work is an unnecessary burden for the child.