tag30 wrote:pettswoodfiona & Salsa
First off, thank you for your replies, i really appreciate it. I agree about giving it a go its just my daughter is quite an anxious person so i worry about the effect a fail will have on her. I have, of course, reassured her that its the taking part that is the main thing but shes so worried about explaining to her friends that she failed
. Hard knowing what to do for the best.
You're most welcome.
Well, we're all facing the same situation. I've been thinking what effect it would have on my son, especially if my eldest is already at a grammar school. To that effect, I was talking to a psychologist friend of mine who was saying that we all need to learn about failure. I then said that I'd rather he had that lesson when older and more mature, but her view is that you need to fail to learn about it. If you fail earlier then you mature in that sense earlier.
I don't know if that's what I wanted to hear, but all we can do is help him prepare for the exam. I've told him that if he does his best, he'll have no regrets regardless of the result. He could be very unlucky that day and not do very well. There are so many reasons why children do not pass.
Not attempting the exam is different and can also attract criticism from peers. When my eldest took the exam, one of his friends didn't go. He was also band 1a and was doing very well at school, but was finding the English part challenging at home. Now, he was sitting the Kent test which had no English and Bexley which averaged all the parts. So, he may have done well. Who knows?
The other children did comment that he didn't try. This was very obvious as there was an empty seat with his paper. (The exam paper has the child's name already printed and there was a label with the name of the child on the allocated seat) We are from out of county and all children take the exam together with children from their school.
tag30 wrote:
That aside, i would consider myself very knowledgeable on the 11 plus tests as ive spent hours researching it all and studying it but i didnt know that the Bexley test was an overall mark compared to Kent's individual marks! Ive explained this to her and she is happy to do the Bexley test knowing that so thank you for making me aware of this. Her report from the tutor puts her at, or above average, of the rest of the class for her English verbal reasoning and comprehension etc so she may have a chance.
Now, I'm glad you bring this up. This boy I was telling about also had a tutor. A brilliant teacher with many years of experience, but who was not that well informed about the admin side of the tests. That's why I've found this forum invaluable as there are lots of knowledgeable people willing to share their knowledge.
I'm glad you have discussed it with your daughter and she's willing to have a go. You can praise her for this and say you are also working on plan B, that she's already achieved band 1 and that she will have other opportunities. I'm sure you are praising her efforts and then try to seek advice with regards to her anxiety. One thing I would say is that most children would be understandably nervous and that this is perfectly normal. Mine is nervous too!
tag30 wrote:
I dont know how they do the school banding so cant comment on the weighting of it but getting a band 1 must give her a chance at the tests surely
Greenwich council have left banding to be up to the schools. Tests are no longer being sent to be marked externally, so I don't know if all schools will be consistent in their marking. What is true is that going from 5 bands to 3 will change catchment areas. In the past, the top band 1a had a greater catchment area.
If you live in Greenwich, you'll be able to put 6 choices plus the new International School which opens this September. I'll definitely be going to have a look.
Salsa