How can parents try to ensure that their child is being
offered effective eleven plus teaching? In one sense it is easy for parents –
the outcome they want is for their child to pass the eleven plus. The bar is
raised even higher in some areas – where children have to pass the eleven plus
and be offered a place in the grammar school of choice.
Parents have to try to gauge whether their child is being
attentive and receptive to eleven plus work – and to work out in their own
minds if their eleven plus teacher is pursuing an appropriate course of action.
When the child ends the lesson it would an ideal scenario if
the candidate could turn to the `eleven plus parent’ and say: “That was
wonderful, I learnt so much.” The cynic would argue that the statement would
need to be backed up by a range of `wonderful’ eleven plus work.
The eleven plus, as countless parents no doubt have found, is
far more than the physical resources of books, papers, tests, internet based
exercises and other equipment. Parents may well have found that they need to
plan and help their child prepare for the examination. Some parents may even have
found themselves being caught up in a setting where large demands are made on the
family.
If, however, parents can feel that they are part of mutually
supportive team – with the eleven plus teacher, friends, family, other eleven
plus parents and siblings all working together – then it may be easier to
determine the effectiveness of the eleven plus teacher.
