11 Plus Exams Forum

My DS is now in year 6. At the end of year 5, he was level 4a in Comprehension, 4b in writing and 5c in Maths. Since then he's made no progress. In fact he's regressed as he's now a level 4a in maths, and stayed at the same level in English. With grammar school looming in September, I'm extremely worried with these scores as I don't want him to be at the bottom of grammar school. Since passing the 11+, he has become so complacent and lazy.

Any suggestions as to what I can do to improve those scores for the forthcoming SATS in May?

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks

I wouldn't worry! If he has passed and has got into grammar school, the poor boy just needs a rest and is taking it easy. I would do the same in his position. All of my DD's class took a breather for a while after their 11 plus exams. If you like, you can crank it up a bit later on, maybe an hour or so every couple of days over the summer holidays. He will see this as more worthwhile and will be in a better frame of mind than he is right now.

But forget the SATs. If he is in, then they don't matter, except to the primary school. Don't put any more pressure on him. Who is going to ask him in 5 years time, "Oh, by the way - what did you get in your KS2 SATs?"

My DS has never applied himself, sadly! Many children are bored stupid in yr 6 and see no point in applying themselves.

If he doesn't apply himself between now and grammar, he won't be alone.

The sad thing about the SATs is that they are written for children and used to judge schools.

Thanks for your helpful comments. You've put my mind at rest. To be honest, I can do with a break myself as things will become intense again once he starts grammar in September, I'm sure.

Many thanks

I'm glad it's not just my dd. She has a place at the gs (I'm sure none of her teachers expected it, they were surprised we even bothered looking round the gs).

However, in the teachers' defence, dd is having extra English lessons with a few others at school, to pull her up to a level 5. I have also been thinking HELP how is she going to cope at a gs if her English is no good. She has changed from loving literacy to preferring maths, and whilst she won't get level 6 maths, she has been put in for it. I suppose not everybody can be good at everything.

Glad to know it's not me and no, despite all this, I'm not planning to do any extra work with her at all. She didn't do much for the 11+. If she "only" gets a 4a, well, it's not the end of the world - so long as she can cope at gs.

I don't think you should worry. Your DS will pick up the pace when he needs to (=when he starts at GS).

My anecdotal experience is that the children who struggle in Yr 7 seem to be from the group who thanks to excessive ltutoring passed 11+, not the ones who were slacking in Yr 6.

West Kent Mum, you're making me feel better.

My dd may well be on a level 4 for literacy, but she's working hard! Even her teacher said so (she isn't at home)!

Sorry WHY do people keep saying the KS2 test aren't important?

Targets will be set using the levels and so getting a low level is not a good idea!

Sorry, Guest55. I know getting a low level isn't a good idea, but if dd2 is on a level 4A and having extra help to be "dragged" up to a level 5, that's a good thing, surely? I didn't help much for the 11+ and I'm not planning on helping towards SATS as dd2 says that's pretty much all they do at school. Whilst dd2 does very little homework, apparently she works hard at school.

Didn't mean to offend you.

ginx - your post was fine - you didn't say the level wasn't important!