It is a pity that the eleven plus has evolved into a race
for time through sets of papers. Few children have the luxury of being able to
reflect and think during the test. The clock ticks remorselessly.
There has been much recent discussion about GCSE and A Level
examinations. Eleven plus parents and schools do not seem to have same opportunities.
Is this a case of: “Be thankful for the mark you are given. There are plenty
more who would like your place!”?
Not all children who are bright and intelligent find
themselves able to do justice to demands of the examination. There could be a
select few who may benefit from a different type of eleven plus. Why can’t some
children enjoy an eleven plus where the ability to think and come to conclusions
is venerated?
What about the barber paradox?
“In the village there lives a barber who shaves all and only
the people who do not shave themselves. So who shaves the barber? If he shaves
himself, he does not; if he does not shave himself, he does.”
Would a group of nine or ten potential eleven plus children enjoy
debating this paradox? Would leaders and the truly `grammar stream material’
emerge?
