Primary schools' attitude to 11+
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Guest
Well our small primary in mid Kent DOES support children sitting the 11+ and it does advise parents whether they think a child has a good chance of passing.
The school doesn't teach to the 11+ exams (in or out of curriculum time) as this would contravene KCC rules. It does, however, provide general encouragement for children sitting the test and makes sure that they are not overloaded with homework or other school commitments in the run up to the exams.
It's a genuinely caring school, I think, and they regard it as important to try and see that all their year 6 leavers are going to the secondary school where they are likely to be best suited. This goes equally for children with SNs seeking special schools, those trying for comprehensives or secondary moderns, and the academically able looking for grammars.
How can any school not care about one group?
The school doesn't teach to the 11+ exams (in or out of curriculum time) as this would contravene KCC rules. It does, however, provide general encouragement for children sitting the test and makes sure that they are not overloaded with homework or other school commitments in the run up to the exams.
It's a genuinely caring school, I think, and they regard it as important to try and see that all their year 6 leavers are going to the secondary school where they are likely to be best suited. This goes equally for children with SNs seeking special schools, those trying for comprehensives or secondary moderns, and the academically able looking for grammars.
How can any school not care about one group?
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Mr Singh
As a primary school teacher whose son is taking the 11+ test this year I can empathise with many of the comments made. However schools just don't have the scope to fit in verbal or non-verbal reasoning into the curriculum. National curriculum standards have no bearing on children's ability to pass 11 plus tests. I have taught children who attained level 5a in the core subjects but failed to go on to grammar schools. Conversely others with much lower levels of attainment have got through. Only if 11 plus tests match SATs tests will teachers be able to give an accurate prediction of a child's entry prospects. At our school we run an after school club teaching verbal and non verbal reasoning so rightly take some credit for the success of our children achieving 11 plus passes.
DDs's school is - err - ambivalent.
The Head is very anti grammar. He said to me 2 days ago when I was chatting about appeals in general "of course, then there's the question of should there be grammars at all".
I've noticed on appeals that the docs from this school vary... The head follows strictly a rule that says 'Heads shall not get involved in appeals' to the point that he will not write any reference for the pupils.
The three Y5/6 teachers are slightly different. Last year - 2 appeals for the school I sit for - 1 sent a lot of info (happens to be the deputy head, and her child took 11+ this year), the other just the briefest notes. But at least they're all good teachers who do extend the more able (unlike one teacher whose been there many, many years but is now happily leaving). Y5 & 6 are taught together in 3 classes, splitting into 3 mixed-year ability groups for maths & english.
I would recommend anyone appealing from this school to ask for written details of academic ability (under freedom of information / data protection act), etc a month or so before the appeal date, without saying what it's for - then send it to the appeal. I do say 'would', but only if it was not for an appeal for 'my' panel - I tend not to talk to said parents (most of them I don't talk to anyway) before the appeal.
The Head is very anti grammar. He said to me 2 days ago when I was chatting about appeals in general "of course, then there's the question of should there be grammars at all".
I've noticed on appeals that the docs from this school vary... The head follows strictly a rule that says 'Heads shall not get involved in appeals' to the point that he will not write any reference for the pupils.
The three Y5/6 teachers are slightly different. Last year - 2 appeals for the school I sit for - 1 sent a lot of info (happens to be the deputy head, and her child took 11+ this year), the other just the briefest notes. But at least they're all good teachers who do extend the more able (unlike one teacher whose been there many, many years but is now happily leaving). Y5 & 6 are taught together in 3 classes, splitting into 3 mixed-year ability groups for maths & english.
I would recommend anyone appealing from this school to ask for written details of academic ability (under freedom of information / data protection act), etc a month or so before the appeal date, without saying what it's for - then send it to the appeal. I do say 'would', but only if it was not for an appeal for 'my' panel - I tend not to talk to said parents (most of them I don't talk to anyway) before the appeal.
Capers
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denis denis
- Posts: 129
- Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:39 pm
Not in this part of south east Kent it's not! Our teachers look blankly at you and tell you they're not allowed to make any suggestions, and suggest we make our choices based on the CAT tests our kids do in September. Not being a qualified teacher, CAT scores don't mean a lot to me.yoyo123 wrote:Here in teh farthest deep and darkest south East Kent as far as I know teh year 6 parents evening is used to advise parents on what secondary school choice to make. All of teh schools I have been associated with will say whether or not a child is a likely candidate for teh Kent test.
However they are not allowed to practise for the test and only a few children tend to sit it. When my own children went through teh process it was very much a case of trial and error even though I am a primary teacher (but as a senco and y3 I was not often involved !)
I wish this site had been around then, they both passed but I would have liked to have known what I was aiming at. The only advice I ever received was to but the multiple choice papers
It makes people so mad. The teachers say they are not allowed to advise which school our kids should go to or whether they could cope at a grammar school. It just seems ridiculous. They teach our childrne, they know them and what they're capable of yet they can't tell us whether or not they're suited or not for a grammar school.
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MANDIS1966
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2007 9:48 pm
- Location: HERTS
Our sons school would not give us any details with regards to the 11plus they do not support grammar schools despite the fact that the headteachers two children both attend grammar schools. In fact the headteacher at my sons school did everything to persuade me not to let my son sit the 11plus. I think it is so unfair that parents are not given the information required to help their children excel.!!
MANDI