Date of October 2010 exam

Tessiebear · Post by **Tessiebear** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 11:17 pm

Hi,
Have been told by reliable sources that the eleven plus exam will be brought forward to October this year.
Does anyone, possibly Capers, who might have more information on this have any idea of a date or what sort of time in October it is likely to be please, as trying to decide if we can go away for a half-term holiday if all finished which would be great to relax after the exam?
Many thanks

pixiequeen · Post by **pixiequeen** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 11:50 pm

I heard something similar - but very third hand. Can't find any mention of it on any of the Grammar Schools' websites or on County Council website, but I suppose they don't mention anything about this years test until they've finished dealing with this years secondary school placings.

I also heard that the system was going to be changed so that you had to fill in your CAF form BEFORE the test. Can't see any logical reason for that - surely the system has only just been changed so that we know our DC's results before we waste one of our choices on a grammar school we might not get.

Love to know if anyone has any more info!

pixiequeen · Post by **pixiequeen** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:24 am

I found it!!! Aarrgghh!

Test is on 9th October!!! CAF form has to be in by 31st October.

This is the link to the info. I found (hopefully - I've never tried to post a link before.)
http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index ... leid=96074

I gather from the link that this is not yet a definite but would imagine it's pretty likely to go ahead.

This is important info for anyone with DC taking the test this year. Could someone make it a sticky???

Burneth · Post by **Burneth** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:05 am

on the plus side, it appears the results will be received within a week after the exam, so less waiting time for that.

Milla · Post by **Milla** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:46 am

yes, only a week to wait - a long week but at least just the one.
Feeling all sick and nervy on your behalf already!

pixiequeen · Post by **pixiequeen** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 10:50 am

Yes, only a weeks wait is definitely better. Wonder what they will do about the late test for children who are ill? I suppose they will still do the test the following weekend and get their results later than everyone else. Can't quite get my head round that, since I thought the initial scores were standardised against the cohort sitting the test for each school. That would presumably mean the children who sat the test late would not have their scores included in the initial calculations.

Not that I feel any of this will make any particular difference. In a way its good to think the whole thing will be over sooner rather than later. I feel sick (look what you've started, Milla!) just thinking about it! Only 9 months to go not 10!!

Milla · Post by **Milla** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:00 pm

Def think a better time to take it, it can dominate that term otherwise and you get fully sick and tired of VR. This way (you'll still get sick and tired but) it's only a month into starting back - presumably schools such as Tommy's will have to have earlier "look round" evenings, they've tended to be getting on for mid Oct sometimes. One year, I think the year DS1 took the test, we had to register BEFORE looking round, but luckily we'd looked round in year 5.
Our tutor used to see the Year 6s on a saturday morning, and really start on the papers then (prior to that was a lot of preparation rather than actual papers) so presumably planning such as that will have to change to accommodate the new structure.
Dare I say that a tiny bit of me misses it???

Tessiebear · Post by **Tessiebear** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:10 pm

Wow! Thanks for the superquick answer pixiequeen.

I didn't think any other sad people like me would be on so late on a Sunday night.

Having been watching last year's exam postings as a "lurker" on this site in preparation for this year's exam, it's nice to know there must be other nervous parents awaiting this year's exam already on here!
Glad that we will have one less week to wait for the results! Watching with everyone this year whose children had sat the exam over the 2 weeks it seemed such a long time.

Also starting to feel sick already, particularly on days when daft spelling mistakes appear and DD is unaware of them

, but trying to do what my daughter does, an impression of Sharpay's breathing techniques to calm my nerves and remind myself we still have some time to go!
Why do DH's never get so caught up in the nerves thing?

pixiequeen · Post by **pixiequeen** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 12:34 pm

Ditto everything you've just said Tessiebear!

Think my DH is so 'unbothered' by all of this because 1. He has no idea how fierce the competition for grammar school places is in Glos. 2. He thinks DD will be fine if she has to go to local comp. 3. He dare not interfere in case I ask him to help DD and he's rubbish at VR!

Which School/s is your DD hoping for Tessie? Breathe in...count to 10....Breathe out.......

Tessiebear · Post by **Tessiebear** » Mon Jan 18, 2010 1:04 pm

Hi Pixiequeen,
Have decided to put all the dates from the admissions timetable onto my kitchen calendar today in red so we don't miss any. How sad is that!

Luckily they won't be in full view for a while as all the other months pages are on top so shouldn't cause my DD any stressy problems yet!

She is trying for Denmark Road and Ribston with a hope that if she does really well she may get into Pates. Stroud is too far for us to go.

Did you go round the schools this year?

It will be a bit of a rush for them to do the evenings this autumn. I wonder if some will put some on at the end of the summer term?