how do booster children cope at a grammer?

fluff · Post by **fluff** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 12:04 pm

I am very curious as to how children that have needed booster lessons to reach a level 5 cope at a grammer school.

I know children due to start in september that have passed the 11+,however at the end of year 5 were reaching only a 4c,and in some cases a 3a.Needless to say they are in booster classes and hope to scrape a level5.

Will these children struggle?

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 4:12 pm

In my experience as a GS teacher we get the KS2 marks as well as the levels so we can see who has just scraped a level 5.

The 'strugglers' usually only have level 4 even after 'boosting' - they often have Year 10 or Year 12 mentors to support them - in my opinion it's not much fun being at the bottom of a GS -

katel · Post by **katel** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 6:17 pm

My dd didn't get 3 5s in year 6 - but she is, so far, doing fine at grammar school.

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 6:34 pm

5,4,5 (or similar) is usually OK - it's the 4,4,4 children that struggle.

Bexley Mum 2 · Post by **Bexley Mum 2** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 6:56 pm

Guest 55 - do many 444 children actually pass the 11+? My impression from the Bexley and Kent tests is that they are heavily weighted towards maths and I'd be surprised if anyone passed who wasn't capable of getting a level 5 in maths at the end of year 6. Having said that, I have heard that, at my sons' school, lots of the boys are good at maths and science, but not so hot on English.

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 7:14 pm

In Bucks there is only VR tests at 11+ so some with 3 level 4s do get through - about two thirds have three level 5s.

Bexley Mum 2 · Post by **Bexley Mum 2** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:39 pm

Guest 55 - that's really interesting. Is there only one paper then in Bucks or more than one VR paper? It intrigues me the way different selective areas administer such different tests. Here in Bexley we've always had maths, english, vr and nvr, but from this september we are changing to just maths and vr. This is, I understand, to reduce the marking workload so that parents can be told before they submit their CAF in October whether or not their children have passed the 11+.

katel · Post by **katel** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:46 pm

0y dd got a level 4 in maths in year 6 and passed the 11+ and, as I said before, is doing well at grammar school.

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:00 pm

Yes Katel but level 4 in Maths is not 3 level 4s. I've taught quite a few with level 4 in Maths - they are usually OK unless they are 4c - ie just got a 4.

In Bucks there are 2 VR papers - you qualify if you get 121+ on either (or both!) - the 11+ aims to select the top third.

Bexley Mum 2 · Post by **Bexley Mum 2** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:51 pm

Guest 55 - interesting to hear that Bucks selects the top third. Here in Bexley it's something like the top 20-25% so it probably is the case here that children who pass the 11+ are likely to be able to achieve a level 5 in maths at KS2.