Anyone fancy a 2016 support thread for Berkshire CEM?

Eleven Plus (11+) in Berkshire (Berks)

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Aethel
Posts: 1190
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 6:24 pm

Anyone fancy a 2016 support thread for Berkshire CEM?

Post by Aethel »

There aren't any new threads on here!

Is anyone on here putting their DC in for Berkshire CEM in 2016? (DC in year 5 now)
sonasona
Posts: 869
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:51 am

Re: Anyone fancy a 2016 support thread for Berkshire CEM?

Post by sonasona »

Sounds like a great idea :) I know a few sitting the Berks exam.

Remember too Reading exams are likely to be first up this year.

Sona
semb
Posts: 123
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 10:41 pm

Re: Anyone fancy a 2016 support thread for Berkshire CEM?

Post by semb »

Is anyone on here putting their DC in for Berkshire CEM in 2016? (DC in year 5 now)
Dd2 will be taking it, (I'm feeling the stress already...)

Definitely need a support thread, thanks for starting it Aethel!

Hi Sona, good to see you!
tbaby21
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2013 4:20 pm

Re: Anyone fancy a 2016 support thread for Berkshire CEM?

Post by tbaby21 »

Yes please. Great idea.
Aethel
Posts: 1190
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 6:24 pm

Re: Anyone fancy a 2016 support thread for Berkshire CEM?

Post by Aethel »

Hi girls.... Are you girls?

I'll start the ball rolling: my DD is 10 already (old for the school year) and will be sitting The Slough consortium exam (and possibly the Bucks too though the only practical GS there would be Burnham as we are Slough based so I guess she could go on the train).

I just can't get over some of the crazy commutes that people seem to discuss on here: we looked around the Slough grammars in September to get an idea and in one, the girls who showed us around were from Southall, Reading and Twickenham :shock:

We're DIY'ing, with possibly one of those one week summer courses for a bit of exam technique/mock confidence. There are lots of kids at school who seem to be going to tuition centre type things and then discussing it +++ at school. DD is not finding this helpful!

I just want the whole process to be as painless as possible....
semb
Posts: 123
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 10:41 pm

Re: Anyone fancy a 2016 support thread for Berkshire CEM?

Post by semb »

Hi again,
My Dd is summer born and we're just going for the Berks exam, as we also wouldn't want Dd having to travel too far to school.

We are using a tutor as I'm not confident about doing the prep myself after previous experience, although I haven't been impressed so far.

Like you, I want this to be as painless and stress-free as possible, but it is hard with the things they hear at school. I have tried to be low-key with Dd, but then she told me the other day that another child in her class has been told by her parents that she will be sent to live with family in a different country if she doesn't qualify! I was stunned that anyone would think this an appropriate pressure to place on a child! It's the kind of comment that makes me want to run a mile from all thoughts of the 11+ !! My Dd was just completely bemused that a parent would say something like that.

I have to say that I will be very pleased when September has been and gone...
emma2312
Posts: 27
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 9:12 pm

Re: Anyone fancy a 2016 support thread for Berkshire CEM?

Post by emma2312 »

Hi all
Oh yes, I would so like a support thread for Berkshire CEM. This 11+ lark is so stressful, already been through 3 tutors and not impressed, so I am now home tutoring, or nagging. Why is the verbal reasoning so difficult???? I mean does a 10 year old really need to know taciturn!!! Need to try and stay sane. :lol:
Aethel
Posts: 1190
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 6:24 pm

Re: Anyone fancy a 2016 support thread for Berkshire CEM?

Post by Aethel »

I hear you, Emma. I think the stress for me lies with the fact it's a cohort exam, and the secondary fact that out-of-area multiple appliers then skew the stats (most of whom will be both high achievers and hype-tutored). So it stops becoming a genuine way to let the brightest get a grammar opportunity where the schools are keen for them to have a rich learning experience irrespective of background, and starts to be a question of can my relatively normal child outperform Mrs High-Octane-From-Twickers kids, who *actually* want to go to Godolphin/St Pauls, but we'll have a little try at that Slough/Kendrick just as a back-up, you know....

So the normal state school kids around our way have a <20% pass rate because each out-of-area pass place is at the expense of two in-area children who might score lower due to being less intensely prepped. Sorry if I sound bitter, I just think it's a bit skewed as a system and more stressful a system for all our kids as a result.... And this year the Bucks exam is early, which is great for the Bucks mums who have previously been plagued by many many "it's-a-free-mock" reducing their places, but I'm a little worried this will encourage more way-out-of-area applications for Slough.....

Ah, nuts. What a daft system!
Aethel
Posts: 1190
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2015 6:24 pm

Re: Anyone fancy a 2016 support thread for Berkshire CEM?

Post by Aethel »

Oh and today dd said that one of the girls in dd's class told her mum she didn't want to go to tutoring as she liked the sound of the local comp (which is pretty OK) and her mum replied that if she took the exam anyway and passed she would buy her an iPhone!......
It's looking more pricey by the minute....
Reading Mum
Posts: 1841
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2011 9:44 am
Location: Reading

Re: Anyone fancy a 2016 support thread for Berkshire CEM?

Post by Reading Mum »

back when my DD sat the Kendrick exam I knew of a school friend who had been offered a holiday in Barbados for getting in, and another was offered a puppy, which was wrong on so many levels.
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