Is My Child Right for the 11+?
Towards the end of this blog, I have summarised some “recommended criteria” (for want of a better phrase) for those children who I feel would have the best chance of being successful in the 11+. The rest of this blog explains my thinking behind this list, and shares some experiences and useful information which may help you understand this process a little better.
It’s been a very busy summer! After what seems like an eternity, I finally have the time once again to sit down and write our next blog. As I was trying to think about which subject to tackle, it occurred to me that I have been approached by many parents in the last month asking me whether their child could be a good fit for the 11+ exam, either now or in the future. For the children I know personally, I have been able to offer some crumb of opinion, but the simple truth is that it’s quite a difficult question to answer.
There are many variables that come into play with the 11+, chief amongst which is the fact that it is now fiercely competitive. Last academic year, I was reporting that around 3,000 children take the 11+ exam in Warwickshire in an attempt to gain one of the (approximately) 600 available grammar school spaces - a success rate of one in five. However, rumours are already beginning to surface that around 3,500-4,000 children took the latest exam, which would mean that success rate has now become one in six/seven children.
So what does this mean? Well, I have always advised that if a child scores 80% on the test, then it would be a pretty safe bet that they would be offered at least one grammar school place. Now, I would say that score would need to be comfortably between 80-85%, and even that wouldn’t be enough to get a place at one of the most selective grammar schools, which currently only offer between 80-100 places each year. If this wasn’t enough, the test is incredibly challenging. The level of questions is pitched at Year 6/7 standard, and there are so many within each section that children would have (on average) around 30 seconds to answer each one. I’m not going to spend a huge amount of time describing the test and its challenges much further, but if you would like further information, you can find it on some of our previous Facebook videos and other blog posts.
With all this to contend with, it adds up to a lot of extra work for children to go through when preparing for the test, which in turn can lead to a lot of additional pressure. Now some children enjoy the challenge of such academic study and love taking tests (though heaven knows why!), and it is these children who come out with the very best marks. Some children are so motivated to get into grammar school (normally because they have already been to visit one) that they are happy to give up various other out-of-school activities in order to achieve their goal. Then there are those children who are just blessed with an incredible gift for knowledge and being able to take tests with such a cool head that they always come out with top marks (lets be honest, most of us remember someone like from our own class when we were at school).
The test day itself is also an important factor. I have heard of many very able children who you would expect to get the best marks who simply can’t cope with the pressure and just crack. Sometimes children are worried about letting their parents down, others are thrown by a series of questions which they weren’t expecting and can’t answer, and some just feel totally out of their depth. It’s important to have many conversations with your child in the build up to the test to ensure they know that all you want is for them to try their best, that they won’t ruin their life by not getting into grammar school and you will be proud of them regardless of how their fare.
So now I come to the title question: is my child right for the 11+? Well, with so many factors to consider, you may now understand why that isn’t as easy a question to answer as it may appear. However, to summarise the points I have made above, I shall outline some criteria which I would highly recommend in children who are going to go through this process. Of course, there are many children who have passed the test who haven’t shown all of these, so please take it as a very rough guide.
Children should:
be at the greater depth level in English and Maths (your child’s teacher should be able to tell you this)
be skilled readers and happy to read a range of different books (this will help them develop and improve their vocabulary, which is an essential part of the test)
have a genuine desire to go to a grammar school (taking them on open evenings in Year 4 or Year 5 is highly advised)
show an aptitude towards taking tests and remaining calm under pressure
understand and be prepared to potentially give up some out-of-school activities in order to make some time for extra work to help them prepare for the test
One final piece of advice I can offer is to speak to people who have been through this process with their own children. Shared experience is invaluable, and it may help give you that final piece of information that helps you make the decision. To assist with this, we have set up a Facebook group (11+ Warwickshire Discussion Group) for parents to ask questions to other parents about anything related to the 11+ in Warwickshire. You could also speak to your child’s teacher to get their opinion, but in the end I would always trust your gut on whether you feel it is right for your child.
Remember, no one knows them better than you.
If you would like more information on the 11+, SATS or any other aspects of primary education, please contact us and we would love to help you. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and you can learn more about our company or purchase our 11+ practice materials at www.ingenia-education.co.uk.
