11 Plus Exams Forum

Following a conversation recently with another Mum, I was wondering whether teachers actually know the full extent of tutoring that goes on with their pupils. The Mum commented that the teacher was surprised when she said alot of pupils are tutored in year 5 - I think the teacher assumed only a few were. (In our school, discussions about tutors are all abit clandestine and hush hush).

That made me wonder whether when teachers say that child x would easily pass the 11+, they base their assumptions on school work only, assuming that this is what previous pupils suceeded on. However, some of these earlier pupils may have be tutored (or home-coached) and that helped them through the 11+.

I hope the above makes sense and is not too rambling. I definitely feel a bit post World-Cup lethargy this morning.

from my experience teachers do not know about tutoring, unless the parent tells them. When I taught year 5 I based my opinion on suitability for grammar school on school work only and as fr as I know my colleagues did the same.

I had no idea about the actual content of the Kent Test until I discovered this forum and judging by some of the info I get from parents not al tutors seem to know what it entails either

Yes, I would say that teachers have no real idea of the extent of tutoring at some schools and this may have an intentionally misleading affect on parents.

For instance we have several local independent primary schools, which are often chosen by parents as a means of improving their prospects of selective education. It isn't until year 4 or 5 the parents discover that most successful children are privately tutored as well so it is almost impossible to tell whether it is the school or the tutor who was the deciding factor for entry.

Certainly I regularly disagree with the indpendents' verdict on a child, both feeling a child could make grammar school when the school has dismissed it out of hand and a child is in danger of not making it even though school has suggested otherwise. I have at least a couple of pupils who did not make the grammar school of their choice because parents didn't feel the work I was suggesting was necessary, as the schools had give a much more upbeat message.

Our local state primary schools usually refuse to be drawn on any direct questions such as 'do you think my child will make grammar school entry?' because they know the exams are looking at an entirely different set of skills than the ones they see in primary school. I know parents get cross by the lack of comment and sometimes take it as hostility towards grammar school, but it is really a wise move on the teacher's part. Not only is it not part of their remit to predict grammar school success, but most teachers just don't have the necessary knowledge to make definitive statements on 11 plus.

Even as a tutor, one can assess children and take them on , believing they have a chance of entry, but what you can't predict at that point is how hard they are prepared to work for the place.

Or how they will perform on the day/cope with the pressure etc.
DD's teacher in Yr 4 advised that we should get a tutor lined up if we wanted to try for the selective schools near us (North London). In Yr 5 DD's teacher told another mum that approx 50% of the class will be sitting these entrance tests (although only a handful get in). So I think that in our case the teachers are well aware that tutoring takes place for NVR, VR, English and maths but I don't know if they are aware of the specific topics covered by the various tutors in the area. As the class teacher changes with each year, it must be difficult for them to see how much improvement int he DCs is down to the tutor?
I'm not sure if I've helped...