10+

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fatbananas
Posts: 1411
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:03 pm

Re: 10+

Post by fatbananas »

Thanks will take a look at your other thread. We will be in a similar position as our DS's birthday is Christmas as well! Whitgift looks like a lovely school; shame it's a tiny bit far out for us. Good luck to your DS!
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
flicka
Posts: 79
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2010 6:53 pm

Re: 10+

Post by flicka »

Hi, My DD did the entrance exam for her independent school at ten, as her birthday was end of October, so she was quite old for her year. She was only in Year 5, but she was one of four children in with the Year 6 class so she had done the work.
I thought it would be good for her to try the exam as if she failed she would have experience the following year and could do it again.
No need, she passed with flying colours, got a place, and was even setted in top sets. She did her GCSE's at 15 and went to uni at 17.
Never did her any harm.
The school did say we could defer her place, but we thought long and hard about it, decided it would be bad for her to be bored in school for another year doing work she could plainly already do, and we let her go.
She was fine.
Missed Year 6 altogether.
Flicka
dearcoty
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2009 10:42 pm

Re: 10+

Post by dearcoty »

The other reason I have heard for sitting the 10+ is that the school will generally give you some useful feedback. This seems to be split into 3 sections (after those offered a place):

1. those that are very likely to be offered a place at 11+ but weren't this time as only a tiny number of offers made

2. those who could be offered a place a 11+ but need to improve in particular areas

3. those who, realistically and based on this performance, should be thinking of alternatives

Wish we had tried it with my dc's!
flicka
Posts: 79
Joined: Thu Dec 16, 2010 6:53 pm

Re: 10+

Post by flicka »

Beware in case the school only lets you have one go at it. I recently enquired with the school my daughter went to for my much younger son. Was told they now discouraged children coming at ten, a year early, but he could do the exam early if I wanted. BUT if he failed, he could not come back to do it again the following year.
We had to decide well in advance about this. We decided to leave it to the proper year, but now, in the light of his grades etc, I think he might well have got in a year earlier like his sister.
Oh well.
His English is not as good as his Maths, but his Maths is pretty top notch. Hers obviously was as she was in the top set as soon as she got there, a year younger than the other kids. I think there were four like her, on early entry.
So just make sure you read the small print and don't mistakenly exclude your child from doing the test the proper year!!! That would be an awful mistake to make.
I am thinking that my DS will have the best chance possible now, as he has nearly a year to improve already pretty good grades. Luckily for me I home educate, so we don't have to stick to KS2 work, and can leap ahead at our own pace, doing just what he and I want. Hence we are now working on Year 7 work, and have nearly finished it, ready to go on to Year 8.
Flicka
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