Anyone else here for the 2019 test (Entry 2020)

[tabbycat]

Both DDs started their tutoring from November. That was long enough for both of them! Both started as 1 to 1 then swiftly matched up with a similar leveled partner. Having a partner was really good in stimulating each other, I think. With DD1, I had no idea about the 11 plus and largely left with the tutor and the homework the tutor assigned but with DD2, we had wised up to it and sat with her going through any mistakes she made on her homeworks and utilised the 10 minutes workbook pretty regularly (particularly during the summer holiday every day for 10 minutes each for her weaker subjects at least). We always encouraged reading good books though as vocabs are something we thought impossible to teach! DD1 scraped into Ribston and DD2 top 150 for three schools so we did better at the second time around. Good luck!!

[Bambi 175]

We will be sitting the 2019 test - feel at a distinct disadvantage as it's our first time. Don't really know what we should be concentrating on as I've read it's literacy-heavy. Would appreciate any top tips, work book recommendations, things you have learnt from doing it once or twice already, things you wish you had done different etc! Currently we have a tutor and trying to DIY it as well but concerned about peaking too soon!

[Brackenboo]

Had parents evening this week and in greater depth across the board, so feeling confident with that. Now trying to work out what won't be covered at school and the teacher recommended concentrating on exam technique.

We will be sitting the 2019 test - feel at a distinct disadvantage as it's our first time. Don't really know what we should be concentrating on as I've read it's literacy-heavy. Would appreciate any top tips, work book recommendations, things you have learnt from doing it once or twice already, things you wish you had done different etc! Currently we have a tutor and trying to DIY it as well but concerned about peaking too soon!

We're just mostly relying on the tutor for now and will probably try to add in a little bit of noticeable DIY after christmas as also don't want to peak too soon, or over do it.

[Choccy74]

Hi, another first timer here...my daughter will be taking the test in September, which seems to be approaching quite fast now!

She's having one hour tuition each week, as well as trying to work through various books at home, but without any real structure so far...I need to put some sort of plan in place to remedy this.

I've just booked her in for a mock exam at the beginning of May - her tutor said he'll do two mocks, in early June and late August, but I suspect doing one elsewhere, out of her comfort zone, would be beneficial for her before doing the real thing!!

[Octsmum]

Hi

My daughter sat the test in 2017 & is now in yr 7 at SHS.

There are 3 elements to the Glos 11+ - Verbal Reasoning, Non Verbal reasoning & Maths. The other big element to the Gloucestershire 11+ is the very tight timed element - so don't forget to work on doing stuff in tight timed conditions. I'd start with working out where you have gaps in subject coverage as the children are only in YR5 and might not have covered everything / where your DC is weaker. We worked on timed times tables exercises to help with the speed and tried to make it fun to beat previous records. I'd recommend CGP 11+ books. We used these for all 3 areas. It will be beneficial to do some test papers along the way - initially non timed & then timed. A mock later on is a big help as it helps them cope in unfamiliar surroundings, ignore everyone else & just work. And reading!

The only 'app' we used was quizlet where we input vocabulary /synonyms & antonyms.

Good luck to you all!

[Phoenix-Mum]

Also here for the September test.

Reading Ribston's draft admissions policy for 2020/2021 it looks as though although they have increased the PAN to 150, those extra 30 places are to reserved for Pupil Premium pupils
15 places for PP in Gloucester City and 15 PP for outside the City centre.
The extra 30 places for this year's entry do not have this policy applied to them.

[Brackenboo]

That's interesting about Ribston, I wonder if any of the others will do the same.

We attempted our first properly timed exercises today and it's definitely an area we need to work on as after not finishing the first section, she rushed lots of others much to the detriment of accuracy.

[cazien]

Also here for the September test.

Reading Ribston's draft admissions policy for 2020/2021 it looks as though although they have increased the PAN to 150, those extra 30 places are to reserved for Pupil Premium pupils
15 places for PP in Gloucester City and 15 PP for outside the City centre.
The extra 30 places for this year's entry do not have this policy applied to them.

I think you may be reading this incorrectly.

It is included in their "oversubscription" section of the policy, (numbered 2 and 3) which states " During the normal admissions round, where applications for admission exceed the number of places available, the following criteria will be applied, in the order set out below, to decide which students to admit".

Even though it is their draft proposal at the moment, Ribston already have a number of PP pupils per year already. A number of schools are now specifying how many PP places they are to offer (to qualified children) in revised policies.

[Mamaofthree]

Hello,

I'm new here! My son is in year 5, we were looking at local schools when his teacher recommended he sit the 11+ as he thinks there is potential. So we've not been through this before, I didn't grow up in this area so it's all very new. We have found a tutor and I've ordered practice papers- some of which he has done really well on and some he is struggling with. I don't want to push or "over tutor" him so having a read on here about what to expect etc about the process.

[Pinkoddy]

We are on our fourth and final time here. We have a y6 going to Pates September and a y5 who would like to join him but has send. He really wants to do the test and give it a go - they are both home educated