2014 entry

[eastern]

It's time to use the Easter break now to step up workload and prepare by doing practice papers.
5 months will fly be and considering there are VR & NVR papers to complete the workload will seem daunting.

Set yourself realistic goals with your child and stick to them in what needs to be achieved.

The competition for the grammer schools in the area is intense and applications are increasing every year.

120 places with over 700 who applied for 2013 entry for Ilford County....you don't need to be a genius to work out that you will need to achieve well over 85% in papers to stand a chance to get in.

I have been going over the Bond papers VR which are 50mins and if DS gets less than 85% will repeat.

It gives us chance to look at his weak areas on both VR/NVR and go over again.

Good luck in preparation and we all want the best for our kids.....and i am sure with right approach and discipline they can achieve success.

[KhadijahA-R]

I am starting to wonder if maybe I am giving my ds practice stuff that is too easy...keep panicking that the actual test will be so much harder than I think it is.

I know that is mad, countless children have actually passed the 11+ using the available practice materials, but still there is that nagging feeling........
My ds definitely has some weak areas, matrices in NVR, and similar meanings in VR where he seems to miss subtleties. He also has a habit of rushing stuff if he thinks it is easy.
Part of me is petrified, but on the other hand, I look forward to September when it is all over.........ugh!

[KhadijahA-R]

How is everyone getting on now? The test is just a matter of weeks away now

[Fat pigeon]

Less than 3 months left now, time for a bit of the Mo Farah moment if our dc's have it in them

Our dd has just begun the SD Vr graded test papers book 1.
Results averaging around 92% so far & finishing in 75% of the total time required.

Same weakness as your dc Khadijah I.e. rushing stuff, but checking is non-existent, throwing away marks cheaply. On analysis, dd gets the answer right 50% of the time

[KhadijahA-R]

Less than 3 months left now, time for a bit of the Mo Farah moment if our dc's have it in them

Our dd has just begun the SD Vr graded test papers book 1.
Results averaging around 92% so far & finishing in 75% of the total time required.

Same weakness as your dc Khadijah I.e. rushing stuff, but checking is non-existent, throwing away marks cheaply. On analysis, dd gets the answer right 50% of the time

Wow pigeon, your dd is doing amazingly
Ds gets around 95% on the SD vr papers, but he doesn't finish as quickly as your daughter
I am more worried about my ds's nvr at the moment. He only got 80% in a CGP paper yesterday, so I might just spend this evening going through it with him. Hopefully yesterday was just an off day, and if not, at least we have a good 11 weeks to sort it out
Hope all is well with everyone else

[eastern]

Next Tuesday open evening for Ilford County so ideal opportunity to spur your Ds on.

This year it seems record numbers are applying so best of luck.
Whatever happens the experience will put them in good stead for the future ,and all the hardwork will not be wasted.

The competition is too intense and we are preparing as best we can and it all comes down on the day of the exam.
We have told our DS whatever happens we are proud of him and since he started in Sept he has been focused and shown right attitudes.

Currently VR strong average scores on Bond mock papers 92% but I got my work cut out with NVR as a struggle hitting around 75-80%

He loves his reading and the ipad comes in useful doing all his word searches on dictionary.

[Fat pigeon]

Yes eastern, the positive attitudes & hard work, not from adults, but little children is inspiring & I wish everybody well in future, especially those who contribute to the community, on this forum & in wider society

We must have a sense of perspective, if you look at the past, it is rarely the case that anyone has NVR marks exceeding VR. I am talking about "successful" entrants into the 2 gs.

P.s. WCHS has an open evening next Thursday too

[KhadijahA-R]

Well, it seems ds is having problems with analogies, so that is quite a major issue I think.
Spent some time going over it with him and there has been some improvement.
He is doing a practice paper tomorrow so will see how he does on that. I was going to do one today but we are all tired, and well, sometimes Mummy needs a little R and R too

[KhadijahA-R]

Ds is very excited about the open day
I did one of his practice papers, just an ordinary Letts NVR one and I only got 80%, I don't know how the children that get 90+ do it at all. Just goes to show, tutoring or not, the 11+ is a valid measure to sort out those children who will do well in a grammar. If my ds does not get in, I intend to take the point of view that he probably would not have coped well there, and would have not been happy at all..

[eastern]

That's still a good score and if you can get him up towards 85% mark then always a chance.

My Ds friend who did exams last year didn't do too well on nvr paper but still got a place as ranked 150 and was on waiting list.
He achieved overall score 224 but got low mark in nvr around 75%

Tutor said always a chance if you in top 150 and on waiting list.