Going through the 11+ this year with my eldest and it is a real pain. Without training I would say it is virtually impossible to compete against an average kid who has been trained; unfortunately that is the simple truth of the matter.
My daughter excels in school, but I have doubts she will make it into grammar school because we live in a highly competitive area where several boroughs target 5 grammar schools. Something like 5000 kids will vie for 1000 places.
It's been difficult studying through summer and putting the kid through tests and her confidence has taken a hit after some less than average mock test results. Ultimately, however, I know she has learned a great deal - her English and Maths is now very strong, albeit perhaps not in grammar school exam environment. The education will put her in a strong position going forward, regardless of whether she makes it into grammar school.
We've only "trained" for around 6 months (part-time of course) but I know of people who begin when their kid is very young, even at 5 or 6 years old, which is ridiculous. Some of my daughter's classmates know only of study and nothing else, so they have no personality and have few or no friends. Frankly I think it is pathetic the extent to which some parents will go: they will put their kids through hell, destroy their social skills and lie to other parents so throw them off-track – such is the competitiveness.
I’d rather have a well-rounded child, and of course would provide the best facilities for education I could.
My gripe now is that we don’t have a decent free schooling system where I live and I can't afford to move; the local comprehensives border on ‘needing improvement’. So the alternative to grammar is private schooling… for the next 5 years… at £15k a year. And then I have 2 more kids to put through high-school soon! Considering that I wanted to semi-retire next year, this is not an ideal shift in my life-plan.
My daughter excels in school, but I have doubts she will make it into grammar school because we live in a highly competitive area where several boroughs target 5 grammar schools. Something like 5000 kids will vie for 1000 places.
It's been difficult studying through summer and putting the kid through tests and her confidence has taken a hit after some less than average mock test results. Ultimately, however, I know she has learned a great deal - her English and Maths is now very strong, albeit perhaps not in grammar school exam environment. The education will put her in a strong position going forward, regardless of whether she makes it into grammar school.
We've only "trained" for around 6 months (part-time of course) but I know of people who begin when their kid is very young, even at 5 or 6 years old, which is ridiculous. Some of my daughter's classmates know only of study and nothing else, so they have no personality and have few or no friends. Frankly I think it is pathetic the extent to which some parents will go: they will put their kids through hell, destroy their social skills and lie to other parents so throw them off-track – such is the competitiveness.
I’d rather have a well-rounded child, and of course would provide the best facilities for education I could.
My gripe now is that we don’t have a decent free schooling system where I live and I can't afford to move; the local comprehensives border on ‘needing improvement’. So the alternative to grammar is private schooling… for the next 5 years… at £15k a year. And then I have 2 more kids to put through high-school soon! Considering that I wanted to semi-retire next year, this is not an ideal shift in my life-plan.
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