11+ exam changes due to COVID

[Saintrockz]

i guess every one is in this boat! with the ever changing covid guidelines i wanted to ask have any of you reduced the amount of schools your DS/DD will be sitting this Jan? I am struggling with the pressure of thinking that as with my eldest we sat five schools, MTS, HABS, St Albans, john lyons and City of London. I do not think i will sit that many this time around but i have heard that schools may be offering online option to allow for what is loosely a pre test, with verbal and non verbal sat online in present schools and then subsequently english and maths begin sat later?

I was hoping the wealth of in depth specialist knowledge someone else may have more knowledge on this? and also if you have been thinking the same that you would reduce the amount of exams your son sits. i know i will sit HABS and MTS but i am unsure about the back up.

I live in harrow and all the schools mentioned bar City of London have a coach which allow my son to reach school within half and hour so i am not pushing for something unrealistic.

I have been on the haileybury virtual tour( dont ask! it was the only virtual tour I could get on that was live! both MTS and HABS have no live virtual open morning with a live session) and they have done away with their English and maths exam and are simply having a online administered verbal and non verbal and an interview and the reference. i know they are boarding and their intake is a different catchment but i know that schools must be thinking of plan B and if it is online than i would sit more.

i have picked up the phone and asked MTS ( they didn't entertain the conversation!) and HABS alluded to the fact they have a plan B if needed. I guess i know that i have to register for all and just wait for them to announce but i wanted to save some money and know before i register.

if anyone has any information on exam changes for girl school that would be insightful, as i think all independents are going to follow the same path

please feel free to PM me i am really feeling anxious and i am ready for the brick bats from all about my choices! i know each school is different and each have their plus points.


thanking you all!!!

[Daogroupie]

Mill Hill County has just finished 4 days of exams which have all gone smoothly and QE boys will be starting 4 days on Thursday.

Their numbers are far beyond any private school so I am expecting the private schools to be able to manage, as the state schools are doing, unless things get a lot worse by January.

It will not be possible for state school students to sit pretests in their school so the schools will have to offer another option if that goes ahead.

I should imagine the private schools are watching closely the decisions that are being made by the state schools.

QE boys and HBS, which both have in excess of 3 thousand candidates, are in the next two weeks.

If they can manage then others should be able to.

This is the fourth year that Haileybury has used online CEM so this is not new. DG

[Saintrockz]

thank you so much for your knowledgeable response DG. I already understood that state and the independent sector would be very different not only because of numbers but because of the time of year they are taking place.

I know I am anxious, as i think many parents will be reducing the amount of exams that they sit. I guess i am simply speculating but schools would be thinking of a plan B.

What do you think the other option would be? an online GL assessment?

thank you!

[Daogroupie]

QE has its first batch of three thousand students in now so no online for them!

Online testing would be at supervised centres just like the driving test theory.

But I am very hopeful that it will not come to that.

The A levels are going ahead in October and the GCSEs in November.

Private schools have already opened their applications, Highgate will be in early December.

If QE can manage three thousand on 4 separate days, private schools can manage with their numbers which are usually only a few hundred.

Highest private school applications I know of is 600 for HABS boys. DG