Last minute 11 plus GL Preparation

[m_patel]

Hi all
New to forums posting
My son is taking the GL exam in Bucks this year - was a last minute decision. His maths and NVR seems fine. What I am most concerned about is the vocabulary. There are so many different sites with so many different vocab words for the 11 plus and the 10 week course I bought from ***** has a lot of different vocab to the vocab on the 11 plus list of vocab (which is made up from past papers). So I am confused as to which is the best way forward with vocab in such a short time?
Are there any GL vocab packs you could recommend?
Also where and which are the best GL exam books to purchase? .. I read here CGP but they were all sold out on the Amazon site.
Grateful for any advice for last minute preparation.
Thank you

[scary mum]

Unfortunately vocabulary is something best built up over time but I'm sure practice, reading & talking about new words will help. Have you looked in the forum shop for books?
Where are you based? Are you close enough to get a place at a Bucks grammar school? Admission is mainly based on distance once a score of 121 has been achieved.

[m_patel]

We are looking to move to Bucks in the next few months.. That's why last minute preparation
We have been working on vocab but want to make sure we are concentrating on the right vocab for GL 11 plus - though I know it is hard to know what the "right" list is. Is there a list you guys followed? Thanks

[scary mum]

You will need to move by the end of October for that address to be considered for the first round of allocations. That is about 2 weeks after the results are received. If you are moving to Bucks whether your child passes or not, you need to consider the local Upper Schools as well. These vary quite a bit.

I don't have a list, I'm afraid, someone else may have one, but I don't think lists are generally recommended, wide reading is better.

[m_patel]

Thank you. I have viewed Waddesdon c of e school and very impressed with it and it is the only outstanding non-grammar school in Bucks. So would be moving to one of the Aylesbury villages there. I am aware of the tight time frame thanks, it's such a shame there is only a 2 week gap between receiving results and deadline for applying for high schools.

[scary mum]

it's such a shame there is only a 2 week gap between receiving results and deadline for applying for high schools

I imagine it's a deliberate ploy to avoid people moving into Bucks simply for the grammar schools, and trying to keep spaces for children who have lived in Bucks for a long time, have done all their schooling there & will stay whatever school they are allocated.

[Deb70]

I imagine it's a deliberate ploy to avoid people moving into Bucks simply for the grammar schools, and trying to keep spaces for children who have lived in Bucks for a long time, have done all their schooling there & will stay whatever school they are allocated.

Yikes. That's loud and clear!

[Aethel]

It is, of course, possible that the Op has been offered a job near Aylesbury, is moving to be near this new position, and has only just found out Bucks is a grammar/Upper area...

Waddeston is very highly thought of by the parent I’ve spoken to who has a (very happy) child there, and I’m glad you’ve actually visited (you’d be surprised just how many parents don’t bother) but don’t discount other schools
simply because they are ofted GOOD rather than outstanding. The criteria changed in recent years so many schools which would have been rated outstanding ten years ago are now “good with outstanding features”. and the ones which WERE graded outstanding on the old (easier) criteria, some as much as FIFTEEN YEARS AGO have not been re-inspected since getting that grade! which is why it’s doubly important to visit them and see what you really think, don’t just look at the number.

Burnham Grammar got as good A level result % scores this year as Langley Grammar, and better than Upton Grammar, yet the other two are both Ofsted 1 and BGS is still (just) Ofsted 2..... so it’s not just about Ofsted ranking!

[greengekho]

Wow - do we really have to jump on every person who indicates they may be currently out of area? The guy asked for word lists for vocab. Perhaps we should stick to answering his question instead of making him feel bad for being a late applicant/not having schooled in Bucks. Who are we to judge? There could be any number of reasons why a family moves here late. They shouldn't have to justify themselves to the forum. A note to prompt them to check out their eligibility is helpful. Steering entire threads away from the original question to make a point about exam tourism is not helpful.