How much tutoring ?

[Daogroupie]

Queen Mary's Grammar School perhaps?

[Hopefuldad]

diseyp

You have been fortunate to have children that can cruise though on 1hr/week, well done

However, here in Redbridge it is very competitive, as shown by the league tables:

2012 - 5 GCSE A*-C including maths and english National 59% Redbridge 71%

Due to this a certain amount of preparation is required to give yourself a chance. Then if you don't get in, there are no regrets. Also the comps benifit with all these kids that have done a certain amount of extra work.

HD

[Jiff]

Hallo diseyp

I read your original post briefly this afternoon, and I am sorry that you felt you needed to remove it. I thought it was useful to have another perspective on how much work is involved for the 11 plus. Everyone's experience of this difficult time is unique.

I only discovered this website when my third DS was sitting for his 11 plus. Over the years I have found much of the information to be very useful. But in some ways I am quite glad I didn't discover it when my first two DSs were sitting their exams as when I saw how much preparation some children did, I can honestly say that it might well have put me off applying.

All advice is potentially useful, in context, and as parents we can only try and work out what is the best way to support our children.

[diseyp]

Hallo diseyp

I read your original post briefly this afternoon, and I am sorry that you felt you needed to remove it. I thought it was useful to have another perspective on how much work is involved for the 11 plus. Everyone's experience of this difficult time is unique.

I only discovered this website when my third DS was sitting for his 11 plus. Over the years I have found much of the information to be very useful. But in some ways I am quite glad I didn't discover it when my first two DSs were sitting their exams as when I saw how much preparation some children did, I can honestly say that it might well have put me off applying.

All advice is potentially useful, in context, and as parents we can only try and work out what is the best way to support our children.

Thank you so much Jiff- I really did think I had slipped into another (rather unwelcome) universe - as you say we can only do what we see fit, and what is actually necessary, you have cheered me up !!

[mystery]

Oh diseyp, why did you wipe it all? I know plenty of people around the country who did less than that. Why did you feel you had to expunge your experience?

[silverysea]

I'm sure that DCs exist who are both very bright and really love doing the sort of puzzles and problems posed by these tests. Thus some will pass with little formal prep. Unfortunately for parents, we find it hard to judge this in our own DCs. So it is only possible to answer the question of tutoring for the theoretical average healthy and quite compliant child-the answer is, as much as you can fit in. Or, a LOT.

And if you really want them to go to a certain school, you should err on the side of caution and make sure they have the skills, speed and practice tests under their belt. If they are getting high scores in timed mock tests, you are in a good place.

Maybe some parents are less blinkered than myself, and can really judge their DCs strengths and weaknesses clearly without formal testing- I admire them!

[Minesatea]

Absolutely, peoples experiences and preparation for the 11 plus vary alot. Because alot of people on this site talk about the huge number of hours preparation they did with their DC's, those of us who prepared in a relataively small way often feel unable to discuss it. There can be the implication that either you are boasting that your DC's are brilliant or that you are diliberately underestimating the amount of work you did.
For some grammar schools in this country it is definitely possible for DC's to secure a place with minimal home preparation. Many children who were extensively tutored may have achieved the place without that tutoring but most parents are not prepared to take that risk. I fully accept that it varies from area to area, the 5:1 applicants to places in my area, is much easier than in places with 2000 plus children applying.
However I think it is good for this site for those whose experiences were different to post and not feel that they should have to remove them.

[Daogroupie]

I don't understand why they did remove it. This is a discussion forum, not a series of statements. DG

[mystery]

Yes - it's a shame if people feel they can't say what they think. At the end of the day it's all down to personal choice and no-one should feel bad about saying how much or how little they did.

How much we will do will very much depend on (a) how much moaning I can put up and (b) the alternatives. If I find some good alternatives which do not depend on a high score or a pass, and for which the journey is tolerable, then I'll be more relaxed about taking a chance on the 11plus exam.

If the alternatives do not strike me as fine then I'll put up with more moaning in the hopes of increasing the chances of a pass or high score on the day.

I'm still hoping that Kent might decide to move away from the grammar school system in time for 2015 entry.

[mad?]

Absolutely, peoples experiences and preparation for the 11 plus vary alot. Because alot of people on this site talk about the huge number of hours preparation they did with their DC's, those of us who prepared in a relataively small way often feel unable to discuss it. There can be the implication that either you are boasting that your DC's are brilliant or that you are diliberately underestimating the amount of work you did.

I think this is true. As this forum is self selecting to a degree and also has several tutors posting on it, I wonder if the perspective gets a little skewed at times.

This is a discussion forum, not a series of statements. DG

That's true, but I am sure those of us that are/have been on here a lot sometimes go straight to the point and make statements which appear to present themselves as fact rather than opinion. For example:

Diseyp, some of the schools that members are applying for really do require lots of preparation

My DDs got into a superselective with limited preparation, but I have become reluctant to post for the reasons above. Also, I would never want the responsibility of someone feeling falsely reassured and reducing their prep based on something I have said as ultimately there will always be more candidates who do not qualify than do and insufficient preparation, whether the reason or not, is usually the explanation that parents and DC use.