Eleven Plus Nattering

This is an eleven plus conversation between a group of Year 5 girls preparing for the eleven plus. The girls are standing outside the dining room waiting to go into `dinner’. The teacher is about to hand over to the dining room supervisor. The girls have been together since Reception. Two are best friends – but all are school friends.

Eleven Plus Conversation – Four Girls

A. It is a pity that we are expected to pass the eleven plus. It would make a much easier year if we did not have to work so hard.

B. Mrs. J. expects us to do all our homework and attend the extra study class. It is not fair – because my mother just wants me to work every day. There are three months to the examination and I am getting bored.

C. I don’t think that we need to be pushed. We know we need to pass.

A. Yes, but my dad says that I have to pass because he does not want me to go to `that school down the road’.

B. Some of the boys will pass because the pass mark at the boys’ school is much lower than that at the school we want to go to.

C. Where do you hear that?

D. My sister says that girls are much brighter than boys so the pass rate has to be higher.

B. My brother is at grammar – but my dad says that he has never thought at all.

A. No one is very bright in our family.

B. I hate working on papers in mathematics. We are all in the top set so we know all this stuff. Papers are so boring.


“Come along girls. Don’t stand there chatting. Move into the dining room please.”

Eleven plus Conversation Four Mothers.

A. I’m not going to the gym today. I have to go and buy some more papers.

B. Do you actually go shopping – why not by them from the net?

C. I much prefer to handle the books before I buy. Don’t get me wrong = I do buy off the net but there is nothing really like the smell of a new book or paper.

D. Please let me know what you decide to buy. I have just got started on this lark and would like to know what to do.


C. It does not really matter actually – what does matter is that your child does some extra work. See you later at lunch time.