The Cream of the Eleven Plus

My grandparents farmed in Zimbabwe for many years. My grandfather, Mr W.G. Hamman, believed in diversification. The farm had horses, cattle, maize, tobacco, vegetables, fruit orchards and a wide variety of pigs, sheep, goats, ducks, geese and chickens.

I was a small boy when a large covered truck arrived on the farm. Planks were carefully attached to the rear and a massive bull strode majestically onto the African soil. It was the first Friesland bull to be introduced into the district. Rhodesian cattle were traditionally small boned – and remarkably mobile. The bull was there to build a dairy herd.

Farmers and their families came from all over to see the bull arrive. It had travelled from England, on a boat and then by train. Government vets also came to wonder at the size of the bull.

A two hundred strong party took place in the tobacco barns and outside under the trees. My grandparents supplied pig, sheep and a young bullock for food. The rest of the produce came from the farm. Naturally every family brought food and drink. I have an idea that most people seemed to go home the next morning.

The milk yield grew year after year. The farm supplied fresh milk to the local town and made cream and butter. The cream was rich and plentiful. The first batch was usually `creamed’ off for use by the family.

`Creaming’ is a term usually supplied to highly selective schools. These are the schools that attract the most able pupils – leaving the other children to be shared among the rest of the schools in the vicinity.

The phrase the `cream will rise to the top’ can be defended, by some, on the grounds that the country needs bright, well taught children.

Much more attention should be given to children who just fail the Eleven Plus. Over and over we hear of children who could have benefited from a grammar education but failed for the want of one or two marks. Thank goodness for the `grammar’ stream in so many non selective schools.

A Second Chance at the Eleven Plus

In 1938 the Spens Report looked at the organisation and interrelation of schools. The report rejected the idea of multilateral schools and felt that grammar school and modern schools should be separate institutions.

The essence of the forward looking plan was that there should be three types of schools:

Grammar
Technical
Modern.

It was felt then that because there could possibly be mistakes at the age of 11, the same work should be taught to grammar school children as that taught to children in the modern schools. This gave children another chance for grammar school at the age of 13.

Some parents on hearing that their child did not pass the Eleven Plus will need to dream again.

Dream about an education system where children are given a second chance. Think how hard your child would have to work, however, in Years 7 and 8 if he or she had to write another entrance test at 13.

Think of how many times you would have remind your child the need to keep focused.

Think of all the arguments and heated discussions that you would need to with-stand over the two years.

But think of the deep pleasure you would feel if it actually happened. You have to dream about a second chance, don’t you?

Eleven Plus Conversations

One of the planks of selection and the Eleven Plus examination must be that there is a degree of correlation between the Eleven Plus and future academic success.

Correlation between two sets of marks is the extent to which they are similar – or the extent to which they agree. The precise extent of agreement is measured by means of a coefficient of correlation. A Coefficient of Correlation is shown in a range between -1 and +1. The extreme of +1 is perfect correlation while -1 is the opposite. If there is 0 correlation then there is a complete absence of either positive or negative correlation.

We could try to establish a degree of correlation between girls who pass the eleven plus and girls who take science at university. Are girls who pass the Eleven Plus more likely to go on to university to read science?

A different approach could try to establish the correlation between children who read widely and scores on verbal reasoning tests. Does lots of reading really have an impact on good scores in tests? We would need to investigate if good readers are able to cope with verbal reasoning papers.

To obtain a result of `0’ we would to investigate the correlation between two different events. We could look at height and the passing the Eleven Plus. We would need to hope that the height of a child is completely unrelated ability in competitive examinations. We would need to think that most children are fairly near to average in height. We would also need to think most children are fairly near to average in height. We can not predict that only tall children will pass the eleven plus.

Key playground conversations:

“I was looking into correlation last night. We think that there is a good chance of our child passing.”

“Look at those Year 5 children. They are so tall. I wonder how many will pass the Eleven Plus?”

“Every year our school gets 23 around out of 26 into grammar. My boy is in the top group. I think that it is likely that he will pass.”

Understanding the Eleven Plus Child

We would need a strong and powerful leader to have the presence and power to change the nature and content of the Eleven Plus examinations. We have had leaders in the past who were ahead of their time and had the ability to embrace the future.

Many of us will have a great respect for Boudica. She was a war leader who fought the Romans. She was against the laws, taxes and slavery. She would have been a person who would have carried all before her and would have been able to talk to the `Eleven Plus Test Writers’ and demanded that they change much more than the style of Eleven Plus questions. She would have forced the `experts’ to rethink the nature and the content of the Eleven Plus examinations.

The next person we would need would have to be Piaget. He was concerned with the way a child’s mind worked – both as a means of understanding and educating the child. He used two main methods in his research. In the first he recorded everything that was said by the child over a period of time. The other method was a series of standard questions or tasks. He was not concerned with age levels but with how the brain and intellect of a human unfolded.

There is another group of people that we would need to bring to the party. The Hadlow Report of 1926 stated:

“There is a tide which begins to rise in the veins of youth at the age of 11 or 12. It is called by the name of adolescence. If that tide can be taken at the flood, and a new voyage began in the strength and along the flow of its current, we think that it will move on to fortunate.” These words did so much to convince educators and administrators that transfer should take place at the age of eleven. At that time the school leaving age was fourteen so eleven was selected because it gave enough time for a form of senior education.

To make changes in the Eleven Plus we need people who can take up a cause, understand how children develop and have the authority to be able to force change.

There is no doubt that some parents will do their best to help their child towards the Eleven Plus examinations – but at the same time will offer a little prayer to Boudica, Piaget and the authors of the Hadlow Report. The reason for the prayers is that many parents will have experienced that `tide’ which just seems to rise in eleven year olds at time.

When the inevitable tide rises in their child, mothers and fathers will need to show the leadership of Boudica, the understanding of Piaget and the ability of Hadlow to recognise that if we go with the flow all will `move on to fortunate’.

Eleven Plus Maths

We needed extra milk in Stratford over the weekend. There was a very small parade of shops – made up of a news agent, hairdresser and a small general store. When we approached the counter the very obviously Italian owner offered us a slice of cheese called “Flowers of the milk.”

We complimented him on his initiative – and paid for a good hunk of cheese.

He went on to explain that he was really a chef – not a grocer. We learnt that he had cooked in a small hotel which had changed hands. His new ambition was to develop the off licence side of the store by offering fresh pizza. To do this he needed an Electric Pizza Oven. After a full and impassioned discussion we decided that we liked this one as it cooked 4 x 241mm. diameter pizzas:

“FED high output electric pizza ovens offer proven reliability and a classic smooth firebrick hearth design. A variable working temperature of 50-500 degrees centigrade makes these ovens useful for a variety of other applications.”

If we had had an Eleven Plus child with us we would have asked:

The oven cost £899 plus VAT. The delivery charge was £15.00 plus VAT.

How much did he have to pay for the oven to be delivered?

If he made a profit of £2.00 on each pizza, how many sets of four did he have to sell before he had earned enough to pay for the oven?

I hope he does open his dream pizza outlet. We all have to dream don’t we?

Changing the Eleven Plus

Vincent Van Gogh once worked at a small school in Ramsgate. He applied to become an evangelist among the miners. His application was rejected. He went back home for a spell and then went to join the miners. He slept on the floor, attended the sick - but was not all that successful.

He decided to try to paint so went back to school to study. After he left school he started on the studies of the poor - the weavers and the peasants.

He went on to paint pictures that were not only outstanding - but were painted with perfect simplicity and harmony.

If we could bring some of the bright colours and the vibrancy of his paintings into the Eleven Plus syllabus. Ideally we would like children writing Eleven Plus examinations to be stimulated and feel involved in what they are learning. The whole examination needs a radical rethink. Clever children all studying “If VXUDS STANDS FOR strap, what word would you choose for SDUXV?

A question like that may have thought to be of value 50 years ago - but for today’s children? We really do need a significant change for the better.

Eleven Plus Comment

Parents are always going to have difficulty in convincing their child that they will grow up one day. Parents can look back and say: "If only!" Adults can draw on experiences and reflect on decisions. Children can make decisions - but need to rely on their parents.

Eleven Plus Thoughts

We are in Stratford today.

I wonder what Shakespere would have thought about the Eleven Plus?

To talk and think about Shakespeare some of us may need to return to school days and the different works we were expected to study, learn and comment on.

Few of us will have difficulty in working out which play the following words come from:

When shall we three meet again?
In thunder, lightening or in rain?

We know that this comes from one of the witches in Macbeth. If one of the Eleven Plus question writers was allowed to dabble with Shakespeare wile writing an Eleven Plus question, the final question would probably look like:

Fill in the missing word:

When shall we three meet again?
In thunder, lightening or in rain?

a. heat b. rain c. depth d. funny

From Hamlet we could get a question:

Good night sweet prince,
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

The Eleven Plus question would be:

If the code for GOOD is hppe what is the code for REST?

If thousands of children writing Eleven Plus examinations across England were encouraged to learn Shakespeare in order to write the examinations, there would need to be a change of attitude towards Shakespeare.

Parents would buy books, CDs, DVDs and question papers. Mothers and fathers would discuss Shakespeare in the playground. Eleven Plus teachers would need to revisit Shakespeare and broaden their teaching. Children would be encouraged to learn quotes and passages. There would be a genuine air of excitement. It would all be spoiled, however, by the question writers who would not be able to resist setting some irrelevant questions.

Some of our youngsters may enjoy what Cornwall had to say to his servants in King Lear:

Turn out that eyeless villain. Throw this slave
Upon the dunghill.

Some may also tremble when they read about Cornwall pulling out Gloucester’s other eye:

Out, vile jelly!
Where is thy lustre now?

Normal Eleven Plus Work

The words of advice you pass on to your child as the examination approaches may need to be repeated. Start dripping the advice now – and hope that some it sinks in!

Explain why there is no substitute for sleep – and why you need sleep before an examination (SBE). Some of the family may not feel all that involved in the Eleven Plus examinations and may want to begin a new `agenda’. Somehow you will need to explain that peace and quiet – along with a normal routine – is an essential part of Eleven Plus preparation.

Some of the family also may want to be drinking fizzy drinks and eating junk food. Try to keep the peace – but try to ensure that what the candidate consumes is `legal and appropriate’. You will want your `much loved candidate’ (MLC), to eat pasta, rice or potatoes. There should, however, be no pizza and no treats. Make the point that the Eleven Plus preparation will have gone on for months before the real examination and there is no need to spoil everything by poor last minute eating and drinking habits. (NJF means no junk food!) Hamburgers, some nuggets, spicy foods and large servings are all to be avoided if possible. Some children may need to be very careful with dairy products.

Breakfast on the morning of the examination may be the most difficult meal. Naturally you want your child to eat a reasonably substantial meal – so that there are no hunger and fear pangs. Porridge, toast, cereal and juice are all good options.

Sitting the actual Eleven Plus examination may generate a fear and adrenalin so some parents may need to try to make sure that they have supplied an `after examination’ snack and drink.

And then that `Night Before Walk’ (KBW) needs to remembered. This is the gentle family walk where all concerned go for a little walk together. Only allow a simple family chat. If possible, there should be no discussion of the outcomes of the examination or the possible contents of papers. Where possible, apart from shouting at the dog, the discussion should be quiet and contemplative.

If you can maintain an interest in food and sleep you will be able to offer your child what he or she needs without any radical deviation from the `normal’.

Parents, therefore, need to remember MLC, NJF and KBW.

Ten Pre Eleven Plus Points

You want your child to work through a paper. You want to see “Where he is up to!”

To achieve an outcome you will need to try to replicate the day of the actual examination. You won’t always be able to create a similar examination environment if you expect your child to sit down to a full paper after school.

You will need to build up to your test. Warn your child three or four days ahead that he or she is going to be tested. After all you will let your child be aware of what is going on a few days ahead of the Eleven Plus examination.

Make sure that your child goes to bed at a reasonable time the night before.

Encourage a healthy breakfast on the day of the test.

Plan something fun to do after your test.

Talk about `not being nervous’ and `doing one’s best’.

Thirty minutes before the examination give the final `Ten Point Pep Talk’.

1. All you can do is your best.
2. Keep calm – even if you feel nervous sit up straight and take deep breaths.
3. Read the questions carefully. Read each question at least twice.
4. Keep looking at the clock. You don’t want to work too quickly and too slowly.
5. If you are doing multiple choice work cross out the answers that can not be correct. That makes your choice easier.
6. Be very careful with your answer – read your answer over when you have written it down to make sure that you have actually answered the question.
7. If the paper is not multiple choice then you will be able to show your working. Work neatly and logically.
8. If you get stuck then move on. You can always come back to the question if you leave enough time at the end of the paper.
9. Leave time at the end of the paper – so that you can check work over.
10. Enjoy the test as best you can. Be happy and cheerful to all concerned.

Eleven Plus Opportunities

Years ago the very wealthy used to employ a tutor to prepare their children. The tutor taught the necessary mathematics and English – along with Latin and Greek. Entry to the top private schools was through Common Entrance – which exists today.

As time marched by parents wanted their young children to attend preparatory schools. The children could mix with others of similar backgrounds – as well as have their horizons broadened by meeting children from all over the world.

Hill House School in London has a page with the results of entrance examinations and success in helping children reach the school of their choice.

http://www.hillhouseschool.co.uk/results07.htm

On the results page we see children winning places at St Pauls, Cheltenham College, Eton and Harrow.

Another fascinating page is the Diary for the year. The things these fortunate children get up to!

The pages of this school’s website paint a picture of extremely well taught children.

All of us would love to have the same for our children and grand children.

The children who pass the Eleven Plus examinations, along with bright children at other schools, will, however, have the opportunity of rubbing shoulders at university. There is hope yet!

Eleven Plus Assumptions

Many years ago Freud published the book “Psychopathology of Everyday Life”. He gave examples of how the mind makes connections that on the surface appear to be unrelated and highly superficial.

His idea was that certain operations in the mind produce a chain of associations.

Suppose your child is faced with an Eleven Plus question which asks:

Use the letters of the word in capital letters to make words which match the definition:

ADVERTISEMENT

A person who attends to teeth.

One kind of brain will read the definition fleetingly and then look hurriedly at the word in capital letters. For this child Grand Dad will whisper, “Tell him to slow down. He is always rushing.”

A different child could look carefully at the definition. The words person and teeth will stand out. The word dentist may spring to mind – because of the definition. The child will, we hope, then check the chosen solution against the word ADVERTISMENT.

A third group may employ yet another method. Once again the word dentist may spring to mind. The child will then test the hypothesis against other definitions of a person who attends to teeth. He or she may then try dental (as in dental surgeon) or horse-doctor.


We could be faced again with the word ADVERTISMENT.

The definition this time could be: To give helpful information.

The word ADVERT may spring to mind immediately. If the definition was, however, changed: `To give helpful and truthful information’, then some minds may immediately reject the word ADVERT, and look for a different word.

Some alternative associations could be:

`Notice, letter, mention and explain’.

Each of these would need to be tested against ADVERTISMENT.

If your child does not arrive at the answer in the same way that you did, then it could be that the two of you have developed different ways of forming associations.

The Eleven Plus and Listening to Your Child

If your child wants to become a plumber – then you will naturally applaud the intentions and try to make sure that he or she is the best possible plumber around.

A plumber has lots of learn – First Fix, Second Fix, soldering, measuring, bending pipes and dealing with `customers’. The First Fix is laying the pipes and preparing the site. The Second Fix is joining the pipes to the appliances and checking for leaks. Making sure that everything is on site at the right time is a major exercise. Very few plumbers today are going to be able to have a career in plumbing without superb Information Technology skills.

We all know of plumbers who carry a little computer with them and tap into the computer when parts are needed for a particular location. The next day the parts are there – delivered and on time. A different location will have posted an invoice which a third will have despatched the goods. If there any delays the plumber will have been informed – allowing him or her to make the necessary apologies and excuses. This would be information technology working to make life easier for all concerned.

An ambitious plumber will go on to try to win contracts – possibly even working for himself or herself. Skills like quoting and managing a work force will need to be honed and developed. The business could grow and grow and one day the plumber could be the head of a quoted company – rich beyond the widest dreams.

Who is to say that the route of 6th Form and University is better than becoming apprenticed and going to college on day release?

Some children, capable of passing the Eleven Plus, may decide very early on that study and university is not for them. It is possible, however, that they may land up with an employer who argues that all a plumber needs is the ability to solder and bend pipes. Other employers will recognise their ability and understand the role that Information Technology will play in the development of both the individual and the business.

A bright and ambitious young plumber will soon see through a reactionary and backward looking employer. What we hope is that the young plumber will join a concern where there a true circle of opportunity. Older people helping the young, and in time, the young helping the even younger. A young plumber can be happy and creative. A university student on the wrong course can be depressed and disillusioned. Listening skills are essential for parents and teachers alike.

Eleven Plus Logic

Parents some times have to adopt a rather philosophical approach to their child’s Eleven Plus chances.

We know that philosophy is a technique of thinking. It is to do with examining assumptions. Logic plays a big part in philosophy - because we use logic as a tool. The problem is a mother’s logic can be very different from a father’s. The assumptions made by an eleven year old may not always follow perceived logic. A child talking nonsense may possibly be thinking logically.

“I just don’t know what you are thinking about.”

“No, I am not judging you, I just feel that that you are not thinking logically. Listen to me.”

“We have to try to take emotion out of this discussion. We need to examine the facts.”

With these statements as a background what are some assumptions that could be examined?

Assumption 1

Any child who prepares for the Eleven Plus must automatically pass.

Assumption 2

A child’s dream of winning a place in grammar school is as powerful as the dream of the parents.

Assumption 3

Eleven year old children are ready to take on the responsibility of passing a competitive examination.

Assumption 4

Passing the Eleven Plus is an essential destination in a child’s education.

When your child shrugs his or her shoulders and walks away this may be attempt to be mature and philosophical.

When your partner shrugs his or her shoulders and avoids full blooded confrontation then he or she may be examining and acting on different assumptions.

“Oh yes, he is likely to make the grade,” is the very moment that parents have to accept that reason does not always play a logical part in the Eleven Plus journey.

Eleven Plus Ratios

The Ancient Greeks still have an influence over Eleven Plus mathematics today.

There is a legend that the Athenians sent a deputation to the oracle at Delos to inquire how they might save themselves from a plague that was ravaging the city. They were instructed to double the size of the altar of Apollo.

The altar, as you will recall from your studies of the Ancient Greeks at school, was cubical in shape. (A cube!)

So the Athenians built a new altar twice as large in each direction. The new altar was eight times the volume of the original.

The gods were un-amused. The plague continued.

Some good Eleven Plus candidates will be able to solve this problem.

A different sort of question could be put to an equally able Eleven Plus child:

“Which fits better, a round peg in a square hole or a square peg in a round hole?

Your bright Eleven Plus child will look forward to the `hard’ questions towards the end of the paper. You will have covered ratio, area of a circle, and possibly used the word `circumscribed’ at some stage.

Your bright and highly motivated child may be able to work out that the problem is actually asking the question:

Which is larger, the ratio of the area of a circle to a circumscribed square, or the area of a square to a circumscribed circle?

If you are working in two dimensions the ratio is π/4 and 2/ π.

Thus a round peg fits better into a square hole than a square peg fits into round hole.

I am not sure if questions on ratio will be expressed in terms of altars or round pegs – but surely it is better to be safe than sorry.

The Eleven Plus and the Apprentice

You want your child to be offered some specialised coaching just before the Eleven Plus examination.

You want to brief the final four candidates – and then select one of them to spend a few hours talking to your child about life, study and the universe. You want a motivated and interesting person to excite your child’s imagination.

Sadly the psychologist, Lucinda Ledgerwood, has gone. Sir Alan thought that she was too zany. It is possible, however, that your child would have benefited from her advice.

That leaves us with the final four:

Claire Young would talk and talk – and your child would need to listen carefully. There would be a lot of good sense.

Lee McQueen would amuse your child with his famous reverse pterodactyl impression. The time together would be light hearted and far ranging. You would, however, need to check his spelling and qualifications.

Alex Wotherspoon may be a little too young. After all he is only 24 and may not have the necessary experience to be able to offer rounded help to your child. He has, however, been at private school for fourteen years – if you think that would help.

Helene Speight would not try to sell anything to your child – but would be able to say what it like to work for an American owned multinational.

Invite the four round for a `nice little chat’. Let your child interview them – and then make his or her choice. After all this is rather like selecting a tutor to work with your child towards the Eleven Plus. You never quite know if your child is going to prefer one approach to another.

Please let me know your thoughts.

Eleven Plus English

What kind of questions could provoke an eleven year old to write a thoughtful answer to a written paper? Some authorities still use a written response as a method of selecting children – while others use the essay or story in the event of a difficult decision.

What about:

Discuss the effect of seasons on mankind.

Your child would need to be taught to recognise the need to define the word `mankind’. He or she would also need to establish that there are four seasons. The third element is to do with what the word `effect’ means in relation to the question. Finally the word `discuss’ needs to be looked at carefully.

There are three places left in a popular grammar school. Five children all have the same final scores. Only three children can be awarded a coveted place. All eyes turn to the Head of English.

The essays are marked carefully. Strengths and weaknesses are analysed and commented on. A table is drawn up with the children listed in order of merit.

The first account is well planned, carefully written with thoughtful paragraphs. There is a clear attempt at a discussion on how people react to the four seasons. The child brings in a surprising point that she has lived in another country where the seasons are not so well defined as in England.

The last essay is a spirited and imaginative description of how cave dwellers lived thousands of years ago. Changes in vegetation and food are examined. The role of hunting through the seasons is explored. The value of fire is discussed.

The Head of English has a clear mandate. The best possible candidate must be selected. The child who answered the question must win a place. The child who understood the question but chose to interpret how to answer the question in a different manner has to be penalised.

Is this fair?

Eleven Plus Games

“I try to make every session with my child into a game. I don’t want it to get all too serious. I know that I would really like my son to get in grammar – but I don’t want to push him. If he gets there he gets there. It is up to him.”

We can just visualise an Eleven Plus session in that house. Mum and her son mark out two lines on the carpet. Two verbal reasoning books are open behind one line while two separate sets of Eleven Plus mathematics questions are behind the other line.

Mum and son get down on their knees. Each has a large onion. The rules are simple. Push the onion with your nose over the line. Answer the question and turn around. This time push a cucumber back. Answer the mathematics question. The first person to complete the task wins.

A different type of Eleven Plus game could be `Woof Woof’. Sit the family and any friends in a big circle on the floor. The first player says: “One dog, two eyes, four legs, goes woof on a roof in Dulwich.”

The next player has to add another dog. “Two dogs, four eyes, eight legs, goes woof on a roof in Dulwich.”

Another dog is added: “Three dogs, six eyes, twelve legs, goes woof on a roof in Dulwich.” Anyone throwing scorn on this activity as an Eleven Plus game will need to play it to understand the value of the exercise.”

I am not sure what the mother had in mind when she talked about, “Making the Eleven Plus a game.”

I would, however, be grateful for any suggestions.

Eleven Plus Tests

A mother and I had a little chat today about how a test was standardised. She was concerned to know just how an organisation like NFER went about constructing a standardised test. After all, the tests that are commercially available to parents are not standardised.

Let us take the scenario of a Local Authority wanting to have a new verbal reasoning test to investigate the ability of the children within the borough. (This could be for selection purposes!) An authority like NFER is approached. NFER stands for National Foundation of Educational Research.

The test is written and a draft test is produced.

The draft test is then tested in schools. The length of the test would need to be about the same length as the test used in the final version. When the results come in, NFER would then be able to see how well children coped with the layout of the pages. A `final’ test is then developed.

The test is standardised. Table are drawn up which allow the test results to be compared with other tests within the same family.

There has been a rigorous and exacting examination of the questions within the test and the final scores. The results are either hands scored or machine marked. The results are fed into age-standardisation tables. It is these tables that are used for the Eleven Plus tests.

Try to help your children to understand where the test came from – and why the test was developed.

The Eleven Plus and the National Curriculum

We sometimes meet children who have been given the `4C' label. All that is needed, in Eleven Plus Terms, is to try to help the child to reach `Level 5'.

For some children this is a hard and tortuous journey. Other children relish the opportunity. How then can the magic wand be waved?

Support from the whole family.
A positive learning environment.
Strong self belief.
Good teaching at school.
Good teaching at home.
Access to the right materials.

Eleven Plus Fairy Tale

When you start worrying about the amount of work that needs to be done between now and the Eleven Plus examinations, just think back to the days when you were reading those `5 Minute Tales’. These were stories about giants, ogres and fairy tale castles. You will remember how you had to tell some of the same stories over and over.

Eager ears were listening. “Read it again, please. I’m not ready for bed. Please read it again.

With these words ringing in our ears we need to try to recreate the same mood and attitude towards Eleven Plus papers.

The Ugly Duckling

Five Minute Story: All about an ugly little duck with no confidence.

Eleven Plus Story: A child with no chance of passing the Eleven Plus, but hard work and dedication worked!

Jack and The Beanstalk

Five Minute Story: A boy who climbed a great big bean, too on a giant and won the gold.

Eleven Plus Story: A boy who was not very good at Verbal Reasoning, but did lots of reading and learnt many new words – and went on to pass!

Sleeping Beauty

Five Minute Story: A dreadful countess who placed a spell on a beautiful girl – who went to sleep – only to be wakened by the kiss of a prince!

Eleven Plus Story: A child who had never done much work at school. Started working through demanding mathematics and challenging non verbal reasoning exercises. Saw the light, worked hard, and passed with flying colours.

Five Minute Ending: The prince asked for the princess’s hand in marriage and they both lived happily ever after.

Eleven Plus Ending: Passed the examination and went to grammar school. Did well at university. Found a wonderful job, made lots of money and bought a fabulous house for parents (you!).

Eleven Plus Study

You face a real dilemma. The rest of the family want to be a family with lots of noise, hearty discussions and constant movement around the house. Where and how is your most precious Eleven Plus child going to be able to work?

The bed room is out because that particular room is next door to the neighbourhood’s favourite DJ. There will be constant music, loud noise and a pair of speakers that could be heard across the River Thames.

The lounge is out because this is TV territory. No arguments. No discussion. This is the one place in the house were TV can be watched peacefully. (The lounge also has the largest flat screen TV.)

The kitchen is out because quite simply there is too much going on.

Where else could Eleven Plus work take place? The second reception? The study? The spare bedroom? The garage? Where ever you suggest there will be some form of dissention.

The solution of course is easy. Buy and build a shed in the garden. The steps to success are easy.

The shed does not need to be too elaborate – a simple potting shed would do. Build a base. Buy the shed, construct the shed, put in lighting and heating. You only need to furnish the shed with a simple desk, two chairs, a book case and a little fridge. You will need the fridge for the bottled water.

Mount your telescope so that you have a good view of the door. Install the walkie talkie system – as this will save countless trips to the shed.

As a final defensive gesture build a little picket fence around the shed.

Throw an `Eleven Plus Shed Party’.

Pray that the novelty of visiting the shed will wear off the rest of the family.

Have that warm feeling in your heart that you have done everything possible for your child. Have that additional strength in your heart that once the Eleven Plus examinations are over, you will be able to claim the shed for yourself.

Eleven Plus Rhymes

One of our girls was doing a verbal reasoning exercise today. She had to find rhymes for words. Some of the words were a little obscure. Perhaps the whole point of doing some verbal reasoning exercises is to work through a flurry of words and come up with the right answer. The prize goes to the children who can hear sounds and rhyme words.

Suppose that verbal reasoning exercises had to take into account a second language. This would mean that the words would have to rhyme in English and simultaneously in a second language. These are the first and last verses of a little poem from my youth:

First Verse

On my little guitar
With only one string
I play in the moonlight
Any old thing.

Op my ou ramkietjie
Met nog net een snaar
Speel ek in the maanskyn,
Deurmekaar.

Last Verse

On my little guitar
One string to it now,
I play in the moonlight
Any old how.

Op my ou ramkietjie
Met nog net een snaar
Speel ek in the maanskyn,
Deurmekaar.

The English version changes the second line:
With only one string
One string to it now,

The final line is also changed:
Any old thing.
Any old how.

Paying close attention must be a vital part of Eleven Plus work – but so many papers and exercises cover the same ground again and again. Some times the only real difference between one Eleven Plus exercise and another is how the word order in key sentences has changed.

It must be a particularly English foible – where the ability to work through seemingly repetitive exercises to try to pass a competitive examination is deemed to be more relevant than that of curiosity and creativeness.

A child learns vocabulary in a variety of ways, such as poetry and rhyming words. If parents have spent a lot of time teaching their young child to learn nursery rhymes then it may be possible to argue that the child deserves a better chance in the Eleven Plus examinations. After all the amount of effort that a parent puts into the Eleven Plus preparation must be directly proportional to the chance of passing.

Two Tips for Parents:

Put up with rather inane and seemingly stupid questions.

Remind your eleven year old of all the rhymes you sang together when your child was just a year old.

Some amazingly sane and normal people have managed and built good lives without the benefit of passing the Eleven Plus. It is very sad to think that a grammar school place could depend on finding a pointless rhyme to some rather odd word. Adding a second language, however, would invigorate the examination.

Eleven Plus Dreams

Over the years many philosophers, psychologists and thinkers have analysed dreams.

What you think it means if you dream of jumping over a style?

Quite right. Passing the Eleven Plus.

If your dream has lots of horses jumping over hurdles - until a clear winner emerges - then your child will pass the Eleven Plus.

You could dream about Euro 2008 - and one country withdrawing. A country that plays in a white shirt emerges to take up the missing place. The white shirts go on to win. Your child will pass the Eleven Plus.

You could dream about a visit to the dentist. Your child comes out with a set of braces only costing £3000. Your child will pass the Eleven Plus.

Keep dreaming!

The Organic Eleven Plus

Most of us like to think that the argument for organic farming is very strong. The premise is that we should farm with nature rather than against it. Some organic farmers will opt to maintain the fertility of the soil through recycling manures, mulches and composts. Crop rotation is used to rest the soil and restore necessary nitrogen and minerals.

Crop rotation was introduced in England during the Middle Ages. This was the open field system with a different crop in two fields while the third field was fallow. This last field lay empty – and nothing grew these.

Organic farming reduces the need for fields to lie fallow. Farmers look for specific combinations of crops that will enhance productivity. Some farmers also argue that small labour intensive farms help to revive rural communities and curb rural depopulation.

A mother, today, related how her child was able to start working through Eleven Plus papers – but soon tired. She explained how her son had always struggled to maintain a balanced diet. On the occasions she could encourage her child to eat some of the `Five a Day’, she deemed it preferable to try to make sure that the food was wholesome, nutritious and organic.

Summer is approaching. Perhaps the mum can encourage her child to eat a wider selection of food if they work together in the kitchen. Breakfast could be a boiled egg and soldiers. Hens reared in the old fashioned way roam around all finding food. Free range hens lay between 180 and 300 eggs a year. Hens lay a lot more in the summer. Perhaps the family can find a local farm so that the `breakfast egg’ can come from an organic farm – with organic eggs.

I am no great cook – but I do know that if the egg has been kept in the refrigerator it has to be warmed up. Many cooks like to place the egg into cold water and then bring the egg to the boil. The Eleven Plus boy can easily time the egg for the regulatory four minutes – for a runny egg made especially for dipping soldiers. A hard boiled egg needs around seven minutes.

The soldier is made by putting the organic bread into the toaster – and cooking until a golden brown. Soldiers are traditionally made by cutting the bread into four long strips.

Scrambled and poached eggs can follow.

Then can come the culinary adventures with omelettes.

Perhaps the family can even follow some form of `Egg Rotation’. This could be a different egg on two days – with the third day offered as an `egg fallow’ day.

Back in the 1950s the catchy phrase: “Go to work on an egg” was used to promote the idea that it was sensible to eat an egg for breakfast.

Half a century on, we may need to develop an Eleven Plus slogan for picky eaters:

“Go to work on a free range, organic egg.”

This is not particularly catchy – so any suggestions?

Eleven Plus Morals

The Telegraph and the Guardian reported today on tactics suggested to try to catch children cheating in examinations – including CCTV, tagging with radio transmitters and microtexting papers during the printing process.

Graeme Paton, Education Editor of the Daily Telegraph, maintained that over four thousand children were caught cheating - out of over a million students taking GCSE and `A’ level examinations.

Apparently there was also an increase in the number of teachers coaching children to answer questions.

What a worrying time for parents. They would obviously be concerned if their own child was offered the opportunity to cheat – but naturally would hate the advantage some other child could gain by cheating.

Most of us will be able to remember the story of the American bank employee who programmed the bank’s computer to take 10 cents off every account – and add the money to the last account in the books. Of course all the bank’s customers were listed alphabetically – so the employee opened an account under an assumed name – starting with the letter `Z’.

Everything went very well until a Mr Zydel opened an account. He noticed that his bank account kept increasing. He was an honest man and reported the facts as he knew them.

Some major banks have schemes where eleven year olds can start saving. All the eleven year old needs is £1. (This varies from bank to bank.) The child is offered a cash card – with the ability to withdraw up to £50 a day.

Nearly every child would immediately notice if their bank account increased, on a regular basis, by mysterious lots of 10p. I am equally sure that nearly every child would mention this to someone in authority.

What happens in the examination if the self same child is able to see, by some chance, the multiple choice answers of the final three questions on the paper? Does the child avert his or her eyes? Should a hand be raised in the final moments of the examination and a statement made that he or she had seen the answers to the final three questions?

We saw an Eleven Plus boy last year who copied out the answers to a section of a verbal reasoning exercise. When he was collected after his lesson he explained excitedly that he had achieved ten out or ten. He was then asked, by the doting parent, if that was ALL the work he had done. This poor child was obviously under great pressure to do well academically. I wonder if the mother every realised that her pressure was forcing her child to behave in a highly inappropriate manner. If the boy felt he had to cheat in an ordinary lesson – he must have felt some strange urges as the day of the actual examination dawned.

Eleven Plus Tricks and Tips

We sometimes hear of children who have been taught the `tricks of the trade’.

If there is too much emphasis on the technique of answering Eleven Plus questions, then some children could possibly struggle when they have to think for themselves.

When a family works together towards the Eleven Plus examinations, most parents will expect, and demand, an all round approach.

All concerned will aim for a widened horizon – in the hope that the human part of the preparation is more important than instruction and rote learning. . Eleven Plus examinations, at the moment, try to assess intellectual progress.

Surely parents will want their child to learn that it is essential to study before an examination. Grammar schools, however, will hope that the content of the Eleven Plus examination will, in the end, bring out children with true intellectual ability.

Some children will always work to incentives with external rewards like:

Good marks at school
Prizes
Striving to climb ranking
Money
Clothes
Holidays.

Most Eleven Plus parents will hope that the discipline of that `little extra regular work’ will be of benefit in later life. Children will respond in different ways.

Some children, for example, love the discipline of homework and study. “Our daughter goes straight to her room after school and works on Eleven Plus papers.”

On the other hand:

“Our daughter refuses to do any work at home. She is always top of the class at school but she won’t do any papers or even any homework. The only thing she likes doing is her gymnastics and dance. She will work at these all day and night.”

For this `extra work refuser’ the incentive of trying to earn a grammar school place may not be as strong as the rewards she obtains by being a long term talented dancer and gymnast.

It is possible that both the girls mentioned above will pass the Eleven Plus. The first girl will not need any tricks. She will have approached the examination in the time honoured way of hard work, ambition and perseverance. The second girl may also reject any `tricks’ as she knows that to be an outstanding dancer and gymnast she needs more than natural ability. She will, by now, have learnt the hard way that there is: `No gain without pain.’

Eleven Plus Thoughts

“How is he doing?”

Many parents approach their child’s teacher or tutor with these words. This is a very complex question and very few professionals will give their opinion lightly. There are a number of variables that need to be taken into account. So when your child’s teacher or tutor answers you, then you can be sure that you have been offered a thoughtful reply

You could grade your question according to the following criteria:

The teacher may make a casual sounding observation: “Oh yes, he is doing well.”

The teacher, on the other hand, may make a more controlled and qualified answer: “In comparison to other children in the class, he is doing very well.”

Your teacher may go on the make a more clinical observation: “Well, your son achieved 93% - and no one else in the class reached over 72%. This means that in Eleven Plus terms he is doing well.”

You could hear: “We are working on an Eleven Plus paper – and 55% is very good – for your child.”

Then again you could be offered an opinion that you may not want to hear: “I think that you will need to give that cricket bat that you offered for progress. He has done very well.”

There was a famous American psychologist called Skinner. He had many theories on school and children. He wrote:

“In an American School if you ask for salt in good French, you get an `A’. In France you get the salt.”

Many parents are trying to enrich and enhance their child’s education by working as a part of an extended team towards the Eleven Plus. The goal of most parents, however, is not the `A’ grades, or `He is doing well,’ but the actual passing of the examination.

If you ask how your child is doing you may be given the answer that he or she is an `A’ grade pupil.

What you really want to know is if your child will pass the Eleven Plus.

Perhaps the questions should be: “How is he doing in his attempts to pass the Eleven Plus.” This way you may actually get the salt.

Eleven Plus Success

We went to Groombridge today. The history goes back to the Norman Conquest. The present house was built in 1662. The gardens were planted in 1674. They are a magical place to wander through.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used to visit Groombridge Place on a regular basis. His final book, `The Valley of Fear’, was written about and around Groombridge. The story is about Holmes investigating a murder and finding that the body belongs to another man.

Sir Arthur wrote:

About half a mile from the town, standing in an old park
famous for its huge beech trees, is the ancient Manor House of
Birlstone. Part of this venerable building dates back to the time
of the first crusade, when Hugo de Capus built a fortalice in the
centre of the estate, which had been granted to him by the Red
King. This was destroyed by fire in 1543, and some of its
smoke-blackened corner stones were used when, in Jacobean
times, a brick country house rose upon the ruins of the feudal
castle.

We watched hundreds of children playing in the garden and it was not difficult to imagine that one of them could one day become as famous as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Could one day one of the happy children pass the Eleven Plus and go on to become a famous and world renowned author?

Could one day one of the children pass their Eleven Plus and go on to amass a fortune and end up the proud owner of a significant part of history?

Grammar School children do tend to go on to become leaders in politics and the city.

Perhaps one day your child will also fulfill his or her early promise. After all: “It could be you!”

Eleven Plus Questions

It would save some of our Eleven Plus children a lot of time and effort if the answers were printed on the back of the answer sheet. We have been reading articles over the last few days how children writing a GCSE music examination were offered the answers. Some children, we are led to believe, did not turn over and see the final page.

Many years ago, when I was training to be a teacher, our RE lecturer called all the third year students into the hall. This was an unusual event – especially for a Thursday evening. Sheets of paper were handed out – with about ten questions on the page. There were bullet points with the answers under each question. We sat in increasing disbelief as he went through the questions. He avoided all discussion and spoke solidly for around thirty minutes.

We left the hall bemused. (This was not unusual in my case.)

The RE examination the following day had seven of the ten questions. The students that had listened must have done well.

It transpired that the questions were from a paper four years before – but the syllabus had changed. We had not covered the work.

There were heated debates about the ethics of the operation. Was it worse because it was an RE lecturer? Should the lecturer have simply written a new paper? Were the students who could not be bothered to listen disadvantaged? Should the lecturer have explained the problem to us – and thus given everyone an equal opportunity?

It would be a real problem to some parents if something like this happened to their child. In one way it is a little like picking up a twenty pound note in the middle of a supermarket. You can’t hand the money to the nearest person. How do you know that an all invasive camera is not recording your integrity? Many people will either hand the money to the nearest security officer or take it to customer services. (I suppose, however, that some would buy twenty lottery tickets in the hope of even more fortune.)

Scenario One

Half the children in one school have the answers on their Eleven Plus papers. This error is only found out while the children are writing the examination.

Should the children be made to re-write or should the authority make other arrangements?

Scenario Two

All the children in the whole county have some answers printed on the sheets. This means that the children can only be marked on 45 question – and not 75 questions.

Should the children be marked on the 45 answers or should some other arrangement be made?

Abraham Lincoln may have been able to make a contribution.

You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.

We can paraphrase this:

You can fool some of the parents all of the time, and all of the parents some of the time, but you can not fool all of the parents all of the time.

Exciting Eleven Plus Work

Tsoro is a game played in Zimbabwe – and indeed all over Africa – under a variety of names.

Start with a section of a log. Hollow out thirty two holes – in four rows of eight. Two rows for you and two for your opponent. Place two stones in each of the holes. Pick up two stones. Place one in the next hole and one in the next. Then pick up the three stones and place one in one hole, one in the next and pick up all three of the rest. When you stones come to rest against an opponent’s pattern you capture his or her stones.

It is possible for an eleven year old to beat a highly experienced Tsoro player. It is all to do with seeing relationships and planning ahead. The noise comes from the spectators and the advice that is offered freely. The excitement develops as all concerned become aware that one or another is winning. The praise is high and lavish – especially when the eleven year old beats the venerable Tsoro master.

Backgammon, which can also be played to a good level by children, probably came from the Roman two-row game. The introduction of the dice brought both chance and skill into play.

And then there is Monopoly – invented over a hundred years ago by a Quaker. Play a spirited game of monopoly against your eleven year old – and a true competitive spirit will emerge.

It is possible that games are as old as mankind. It is possible too that games bring out deep and multilayered rivalry.

If only you could harness that will to win when you are working together on Eleven Plus exercises. Take a deep and long look at the animation on your child’s face while he or she is playing a board game. Capture the moment. Pray that the same energy is displayed when your child is working through a paper. Think of your reactions to your child winning. Think of your pride. Try to carry that through to tackling an Eleven Plus paper together. If both of you approach the eleven plus work excited and aware, then you will share a memorable moment.

Eleven Plus Goals

With just a few months to go to the Eleven Plus examinations parents and children need to re-evaluate their goals. Parents need to think through their Eleven Plus Objectives. Children need to try to focus on their own Eleven Plus goals. Both parties then need to sit down and see where the two forces meet. Parents and children could start by categorising their goals into short, medium and long term.

Short Term Goals of Parents

1. To get some regular work done.
2. To create an atmosphere where there is true communication

Short Term Goals of Children

1. To get that bit of work done and then get on with the rest of life.
2. To make a determined effort to do as good a job as possible.

Medium Term Goal of Parents

1. To continue supporting the much loved `Eleven Plus’ child.
2. To try to continue to listen in any discussions.

Medium Term Children

1. To work to a time table.
2. To co-operate with parents in a determined manner.

Long Term Parents

1. To pass the Eleven Plus

Long Term Children

1. To pass the Eleven Plus


At school we had to learn parts of a poem by James Elroy Flecker. Perhaps these words have some 11+ resonance. The road to Samarkand was along the silk route.

We are the pilgrims, master: we shall go
Always a little further; it may be
Beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow,
Across that angry or that glimmering sea,
White on a throne or guarded in a cave
There lives a prophet who can understand
Why men are born: but surely we are brave,
Who make the Golden Journey to Samarkand.

Common Short Term Goal of Parent and Child

1. To try to go a little further.

Common Medium Term Goal of Parent and Child

1. To aim for something that is achievable – but will take hard work.

Common Long Term Goal of Parent and Child

1. To achieve the pleasure, delight and relief of passing the Eleven Plus

Eleven Plus Fitness

The aim of every Eleven Plus parent must be to strive to make sure that their child arrives at the examination fit and rearing to go.

Sadly some children will not be able to do themselves justice. They will quite simply be too unfit to pass the examination. We worked with an Eleven Plus girl last week who managed just over half the reasoning questions and then remarkably few on the second half of the paper. It was almost as if she had stopped reading the questions and had started guessing. Her explanation to her parents was that she had `run out of puff’.

As the family walked down the stairs we heard the mother informing every one that: `We have to get her fit.”

Steps to Eleven Plus fitness

1. Encourage your child to walk with a good posture.

2. Try to help to avoid stress.

3. Work with your child on the amount of sleep that will be needed.

4. Try to avoid periods where you expect your child to concentrate for prolonged time.

5. Try to help your child to appreciate the value of fresh air.

6. Work together to try to create an environment where there are few external distractions.

7. Expect your child to have off-days.

8. Make sure that your child has a comfortable seat to sit on while working.

9. Check the eyes for eyestrain.

10. Help your child to acquire a comfortable wardrobe.

Eleven Plus Bribes

If you are going to bribe your Eleven Plus child – what would be attractive to your child?

1. Money

The problem here is how much money:

A) Under £100?
B) Under £500?

The next part of this problem is how you pay the money. I should imagine that most children would prefer at least some money to be paid upfront. Waiting until the results are out could be a gamble for some. Should the money be paid:

A) Weekly
B) Monthly
C) A substantial deposit and smaller weekly payments
D) Money right at the end – on actually passing


2. Essential Equipment

Define essential

A) Can be taken on holiday
B) Ipod
C) Wii
D) Laptop
E) TV with DVD

3. Clothing

A) Holiday
B) Essential (School)
C) Leisure Wear
D) Party Wear

4. Repayment of Previous Loan

This is where parents try to recoup money loaned earlier:

A) Staged Repayment
B) Partial Repayment
C) Full Repayment
D) Debt paid in full

Why not put these options to your child? Some children will say:

A) I can not take any money from you – you have already done so much for me.
B) Thank you – but what about a bit more?
C) You are so kind. I will do my best. If I pass we can discuss your kind offer.

Eleven Plus Relationships

Most parents will be able to remember when their Eleven Plus child first started talking. Mothers and fathers will recall every syllable and every utterance. Of course most of our Eleven Plus children will have been talking early. Later on some will have been able to sing or hum little tunes.

One thing that distinguishes humans from all other creatures on earth is the ability of humans to sing together in tune. Other animals and primates can make music – by calling or beating or stamping. But humans have the ability to sing to a steady rhythm.

I remember seeing the Opera Aida when I was a child. It was set outside in the open air in a football stadium. There were even camels to add realism and authenticity. Aida, as you will recall, was about love and passion in Ancient Egypt. It was sung, of course, in Italian but that did not seem to matter as the story unfolded.

It does seem strange that a very `worthy’ performance was seen by no more than around twelve thousand people each night while the Eurovision Finals will be seen by millions. In many of the Eurovision songs there will be small groups singing in tune and to a set rhythm. We will vote for the most harmonious songs and the most fetching looking humans.

For generation parents have been using song to help their children acquire complex language patterns. Take for example the words and rhythms with the song: `Dr Foster went to Gloucester’.

Dr Foster went to Gloucester
In a shower of rain
He stepped in a puddle
Right up to his middle
And never went there again.

Most Eleven Plus children will remember your explanation that the poem is really about a king being stuck in a puddle – and deciding, in a huff, never to return to the town. Most parents will be able to sing the words and remember the tune and the rhythm of this nursery rhyme.

All this is to suggest that when the going gets tough with your most precious Eleven Plus child you could try a little communal singing. You don’t want your child to behave like a love torn Pharaoh or a huffy king. You may also, for one reason or another, not choose for your child to look and sound like some of the rather strange looking Eurovision finalists.

You may, however, be able to build a comfortable relationship based on music – especially if you are singing together. I would be grateful to hear from any sets of Eleven Plus children and Eleven Plus parents who have been able to forge a new relationship based on a little local sing song.

The Future of the Eleven Plus

Many of our GCSE boys and girls today opted to work through past papers. The first mathematics examination is on Monday. When asked about the teaching and revision they had received at school almost all gave unqualified praise.

This year we have had a much higher number than usual who wanted to move their mathematics from an `A’ to a `A*’. These were highly focused boys and girls who knew what they wanted. They all appeared to be very aware of their strengths and weaknesses. Almost without exception they had brought along a short list of three or four topics to go over.

In a few months time some journalists will be writing inflammatory articles about the value of GCSE examinations. In one hour today we had youngsters from five different grammar schools all striving for top grades. One girl, who was not at grammar school, whispered that she had achieved the best marks in her school for the Higher Mathematics paper she had completed the previous week.

When the journalists start quoting statistics about `easy’ GCSE examinations, it is to be hoped that some of these `experts’ will at least feel a prick of conscience. They will be writing about real children – not just statistics. Some GCSE students will have had dedicated teachers – and will have worked conscientiously.

In a few short years time our present Eleven Plus children will be writing GCSE examinations. Some of them will be writing in Year 10 – and others in Year 11. Some of our Eleven Plus children already know how to work out the `Area of a Trapezium’. Some parts of education are speeding up.

Fifty years ago, in the early days of the Eleven Plus, there were about 600 million people living in cities. Today over 2 billion people live in cities. More and more people are going to be crammed into cities in the years ahead. By the time our Eleven Plus children are forty years old, there could be about 7 billion people living in cities.

Our Eleven Plus children, like the Grammar School youngsters referred to earlier, will be facing very different problems to those we are experiencing today. We expect a grammar school pupil to emerge, in time, as a leader and a manager. Our responsibility is more than a set of formulas and `a way to do verbal reasoning questions’. We owe it to these bright children to try to help them to become caring and thinking leaders.

At some stage there will need to be a rethink of what an Eleven Plus child needs to know in order to earn a place in a grammar school.

Eleven Plus Worries

It is sometimes rather disturbing to hear an adult tell a child, who is about a take an examination, not to worry. Children do have worries. Very few of our Eleven Plus children will be able to approach the examination without some concerns.

Lots of children are told: “Don’t worry; you can only do your best.” It may be far more useful to the child to be given some help in controlling their worries.

Encourage the Eleven Plus child to talk about the worries that are `in the mind’.

Adults can’t brush the worries aside because they are very real to a child. We have to try to listen and understand.

Simply be aware of your child as the examination approaches. You will need to pay attention if anything out of the ordinary happens more regularly. If your child has the occasional headache, for example, then you will need to stay alert - but not over-react. If the headaches persist, or recur regularly, then you have had a warning sign.

One thing that we can be certain about is that too much of the same can lead to boredom. If you offer too many papers that are similar you could inadvertently be guiding your child towards switching off. If you go on and on about the virtues of passing the Eleven Plus then you could be triggering a worry attack.

Lots of friends, family, exercise and a healthy diet must help. Above all don’t demand that your child takes on your own concerns about the future.

House Prices and the Eleven Plus

There was a lot of traffic today on the River Thames. Our offices are in a modern industrial park overlooking the Thames.

Back in 1086 Gravesend was mentioned in the Domesday Book. The Domesday Book is a fundamental part of English heritage – and is unique in mediaeval history.

The book was a record of a key period in England’s history. It was recorded by careful lettering by eleventh century scribes.

It was written in an abbreviated form of Latin.

ST KEW. 5h but it paid tax for 2h. Land for 22 ploughs, 8 slaves, 59 villages and 26 smallholders with 20 ploughs & 4h. Formally 60s; value now 40s.

It looks as if all those years ago men and women were struggling with the tax man. It does appear that the value of the estate was somewhat diminished – having dropped from 60s to 40s. The gloom and doom of today’s house price and land fluctuations had roots a long time ago!

I am sure that having access to the records would intrigue and stretch our present day Eleven Plus children.

Today’s Eleven Plus children could be asked: Place the following in order of value to society:

Ipod, television, braces on the teeth or a mobile phone

In the time of the Domesday Book a child could have been asked to place the following in order of value.

Corn fed pig, beehive, wheat or fish.

Instead of answering a collection of trumped up and (sometimes) rather point less questions, surely the Eleven Plus should be demanding thoughtful answers from our children?

Question 1

Under what circumstances can a man owe tax on 5h but only actually pay for 2h? (Off shore funds?)

Question 2

When and why is it justified to keep slaves?

Question 3

If the price of our house and land drops by 50%, who should be to blame?

Fifty Years of the Eleven Plus

We live in an age of unprecedented change.

The Eleven Plus examinations were conceived over fifty years ago. The questions must have changed – but the answers have probably stayed the same. It is now time for parents to band together and demand a style of Eleven Plus examination that takes into account the present and the future.

After the war there were mobile laundries. Grateful housewives carried their laundry out in baskets and delivered them to the touring wash house. Today we have automatic washing and spin drying machines that can deliver a non iron shirt in minutes.

Some women were still wearing their hair in a `Vingle’. This was a special hairstyle developed during the war so that women could wear their hair short. There were four V shaped partings – hence the V-ingle. Today a Vingle is to do with the Virtual world and Mingling. In other words online dating: “Fancy a little Vingling?”

Then there were classes of fifty children – with one dedicated teacher in charge. The whole class were taught at the same speed – but we must surmise that the children learnt at different speeds. Fifty years on the wheel is turning a full circle. The new Academies are returning to large classes taught by a `Super Teacher’. A Super Teacher is a teacher with the sole job of preparing inspiring lessons and delivering them to receptive children.

To pass the current Eleven Plus children still need to:

Learn their tables
Read enlightening books
Work through examples
Listen to advice from parents.

Today’s children have extra weapons to help them fight the `Eleven Plus Fight’:

The internet
Mobile technology
Downloadable papers
Ninety six television channels
Access to holidays all over the world.

Some problems must still be the same:

Some children will not read willingly
Some parents will still: “Hope for the best.”
The examination comes too early for some and too late for others
Some papers are hard and some appear to be easy.

Some questions from mothers to children will always be the same:

“How was it today?”
“Did you remember to check your work over?”
“How did the other children in your class find the papers?”
“Did your teacher say anything about the examination?”

We need to ask parents with children approaching the Eleven Plus years three or four key questions:

Is there time for a change in the format of the Eleven Plus?

What would you like to include in the examination?

Should parents have a say in the content of the examination or should parents `leave it to the experts’?

Eleven Plus Rewards and Punishments

Way back in 1911 Thorndike stated his `Law of Effect’. In this law he argued that if you keep saying no then it was likely that value of `no’ was diminished. A child or an adult would little by little eliminate the negative effect of no.

He also stated that a positive `spin’ on events would in turn become satisfiers or reinforcers.

We are now in 2008. How much can we believe his ideas?

If we look at young offenders and prison then we know that while a custodial sentence does tend to stop a person repeating the same crime – but it does not necessarily turn a person away from crime.

The great Thorndike would have loved the present Eleven Plus arguments.

Argument One – How we mark

We have teachers who persist in putting a cross beside answers that are incorrect. Other teachers only mark the correct work. They never every put a cross on any work. If something is wrong, the correct answer is written beside the mistake and then explained in detail.

Should a parent, when marking an Eleven Plus paper, just mark the correct answers?

Argument Two – Following up a paper

Your child has just completed an Eleven Plus paper – under pressure and under a time limit – and you want to mark the work.

Should you go through the paper example by example – directly after your child has completes the paper?

Should you mark enough of the paper to establish one or two errors and then go through those – while your child could still be a little fatigued?

Argument Three – The Level of the work

Should you start with easy work and build up in little steps so that your child feels good and positive about the Eleven Plus?

Should you mix easy work with challenging work to try to keep stimulating and provoking?

Argument Four – To Enter or not to Enter

The school have said that your child is not Eleven Plus material. Should you enter to `Give your child a chance’, or should you try to find the best available local school?

In the whole discussion parents and teachers today are almost universally united about how to deal with undesirable behaviour: “Oh! Leave it out!”

To some children working on an Eleven Plus course must, at times, be a frustrating and unpleasant experience. The same work to other children would, in turn, be a delight and a highly satisfactory experience.

Some verbal reasoning questions involve work on antonyms. Is then the opposite of reward a punishment, or are there several shades of grey?

Eleven PLus Imitation

We often hear the words: “He walks just like his father.”

Picture the scene. The family is walking down to the beach. All the family are carrying light ruck sacks. The sun is shining. There is a light breeze. The family are trudging through the dunes. Dad is in front. He is leaning slightly forward while his arms are behind his back. The favoured `Eleven Plus’ son is walking behind his father. “Like father, like son.” The son is also leaning forward, with his hands behind his back.

We expect a child to learn from parents. Parents with lots of book in the house are more likely to develop a child who loves reading – but this is not always the case. Some mothers will report that they never read unless they are on holiday. “I am just too busy to read.” Some children don’t like the idea of reading when they are on holiday.

We often reward children for imitating good behaviour. We are much less sympathetic with less fortunate children who do not have good role models. A teacher would be able to describe a good class at school as a group of children who all follow the class leader and try to produce good work.

We don’t expect adults to imitate their contemporaries. We expect an adult to be self reliant and demonstrate independent judgement. Some of our Eleven Plus children have the ability to think for themselves. Some would be genuinely surprised to hear that they walked in a similar fashion to their father.

If you want your child to be independent – then allow some freedom.

If you want your child to read – then ….

Time for the Eleven Plus

Dear Mum

One of my friends asked me at school on Friday why I wanted to do the Eleven Plus examinations. All of my friends are going bowling on Saturday morning. I know I have to do my Eleven Plus work. I started wondering why I wanted to do the Eleven Plus. I know that you and Dad really want me to pass – but sometimes I am not so sure.

Your son

William

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Dear William

We want you to do as well as you can. For the rest of your life you will find that there are advantages in passing the Eleven Plus examination.

1. You will be able to say that you passed the Eleven Plus. This means that you were able to do better than other children of your age in a competitive examination.

2. You will be able to win a place in a grammar school. Grammar school boys usually do well in examinations and should be able to win places in good universities.

3. You will be able to study in a pleasant atmosphere. The other boys will want to study. There should be very little messing around in the classroom.

Just keep doing your best. There is plenty of time for bowling.

Love Mum

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Dear Mum

1. I know you are right. I really like doing the Eleven Plus work when I am sitting doing the work. I just don’t like to have to give up time when my friends are having fun.

2. The books and papers we are doing are boring. They are all the same. I just keep doing verbal reasoning and non verbal reasoning papers. I wish I could do something else.

Your son

William

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Dear Son

There are some disadvantages to the Eleven Plus.

1. You will leave a good many of your friends behind. I know you will make new friends in the grammar school, but the boys you grew up with will be your friends for ever.

2. You may prefer to be top of the `other’ school rather than have to keep working hard at grammar.

3. The grammar school you want to go to does not play football. They only play rugby. You will have to play your football out of school.

Your Dad

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Dear Dad

Thank you very much. I don’t really believe everything you have said. But thank you for trying. I know that you really do want me to go to grammar and you were only trying to be fair.

I will tell my friends that I can go almost any time except on a Saturday morning.

Thanks Mum. Thanks Dad.

Your son

William.

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Stimulating Eleven Plus Work

Years ago scientists discovered how to affect behaviour.

The scientists found that they could stimulate a part of an animal’s brain with a weak electric current. It would have caused a big outcry all those years ago if the electrodes had been attached to the child’s brain.

The hypothesis was that an animal could stimulate itself by pressing a lever. Rats, cats and monkeys all learnt to press a bar for instant gratification. The current went into the hypothalamus – and, in time, the animals preferred to press the lever than eat.

It might make it easier for some parents if they had access to an `Eleven Plus Lever’. We don’t want the lever to be pressed all the time – only when work is to be done.

I am sure some highly enterprising person will come up with the carefully named `Eleven Plus Work Machine’. It will be sold only through the internet – and delivery will be guaranteed within two weeks.

Image the excitement. The parcel arrives through the front door. The whole family gather round to watch the unwrapping and assembly. (It only needs batteries. Really easy!)

The proud Eleven Plus child places his or her hand on the lever.

The lights are lowered,

The family fall silent.

Mum proudly opens the Eleven Plus Verbal Reasoning paper to the right place.

Everyone takes a deep breath.

The question is read,

The lever is pressed.

Anxious looks flash round the room.

The answer is selected.

The hypothalamus throbs.

Loud cheers engulf the candidate.

Mum leans to dad: “Best money we every spent.”

Another satisfied customer!

On Monday the teacher asks: “What is that on the side of your head?”

Eleven Plus Courses

Parents encounter a wide variety of choices in their lives. How they prepare their child for the Eleven Plus must count alongside moving house as being a highly stressful series of events.

Some parents will want their child to be prepared in a series of small steps – getting everything right and being rewarded with considerable positive feedback.

Other parents will want the much vaunted rifle shot approach. Here the problem is identified and the solution is supplied.

Some will want the shot gun to be used. This is lots of little pellets of information flung at their child in the hope that some of it sticks.

There could even be parents who would advocate a dart of information being thrown at their child. Here it would be `nice’ if a treble 20 could be thrown – but a dart any where on the board would be a bonus.

It may be a chastening experience for some teachers and parents if children could be empowered to write their own criteria for a good and fair Eleven Plus examination.

Children, especially eleven year olds, may opt for an Eleven Plus course with a heavy emphasis on how to conduct an argument.

Other children may opt for problem solving to be an integral part of the course. Some eleven plus exercises have nothing at all to do with solving a problem.

I wonder if some children would vote for a system where parents were sent on a `Pre Eleven Plus Course’ where the adults involved in the preparation were guided through a `Managing Change’ course. Part of `Managing Change’ would need to be full appreciation of the social dynamics of the effect of Eleven Plus preparation has on the whole family.

Eleven Plus Potential

When parents are working with their children towards the Eleven Plus they are striving to try to deliver true potential.

They hope that the Eleven Plus material will be carefully selected and well structured. They also hope that their child will receive attention directed towards specific difficulties.

To deliver a cheerful, interested and enthusiastic child on the day of the examination, parents will need to be knowledgeable, committed and ambitious.

If parents use boring and repetitive material they run the risk of reinforcing that study needs to be boring and repetitive. Parents will want their child to prepare for examinations at his or her own pace. Some children, however, will react to boring exercises by rushing through the work. Others will drag the work out until the work is distinguished by a pace that is undeniably slow and undemanding.

If the Eleven Plus child is sometimes un-cooperative then a penalty may be regarded as rank injustice. Some parents may be inclined to listen and wait for a different occasion. An unwilling child may not feel like showing `true potential’.

Language and the Eleven Plus

It must be very difficult for a bright and able child to do well in the Eleven Plus examinations if there is a problem with language skills.

Parents have to be able to communicate with their children regarding thoughts and ideas as well as life in general, their behaviour, relationships and general daily occurrences. This broad tapestry involves language and communication. In addition to this parents have to supply specific help with Eleven Plus work.

Teachers or tutors need to be able to teach specialised Eleven Plus topics, much of this enrichment and extension work demands a high level of language skills.

Working through Eleven Plus papers must be demanding and frustrating to the bright child with poor language skills.

Try teaching your Eleven Plus child a new and different type of non verbal reasoning exercise – without the use of words. In other words conduct the lesson with no verbal clues. You would also need to avoid grunts and groans.

Developing a series of simple lists can help some parents to assist their child with acquiring language skills.

There was once an old fashioned way of teaching vocabulary – this is the list of ten words in a little book. The words have to be checked in a dictionary, learnt and then applied in a sentence. Boring, boring!

Parents can make lists for themselves. Develop a selection of alternative words and phrases that you could use in everyday life with your child.

The problem is that making lists of rules and key words may not be the quickest and most effective method of helping a child. Progress will be through a combination of encouraging reading, engaging your child in stimulating conversation, supporting work done at school and at home, being realistic about expectations – as well as trying to develop language skills.

11+ Questions

When you and your child approach a verbal reasoning paper you should be able to share a whole range of strategies. We sometimes meet questions like this:

April, Beatrice, Candice, Daisy and Elizabeth are all in the same class at school. April and Elizabeth are tall. Candice, Daisy and Elizabeth love mathematics. The others do not love mathematics. April and Candice prefer art – but the others like music.

Which of the tall girls love mathematics?

Your child may first try some form of simultaneous scanning – this is where the question is read and re-read - and then one idea after the other is tried systematically.

“Oh yes, I remember we did this last week. We had a similar question. I drew a table.”

Your child could remember how the two of you worked through a similar problem and then go on to try to apply a similar set of rules.

A different approach could be a form of successive scanning. Here your child comes up with one theory after another.

“There are only two tall girls so it must be either April or Elizabeth.”

A third type of approach is where you try to train your child to focus on the question and change one variable at a time. Your child may come up with a similar answer – but the route to the solution would be very different to the two types mentioned earlier,

Finally there is the gambler. This is the child who holds onto two different ideas and tries to follow both lines of thought simultaneously.

It is likely that at one time or another, during the approach to the Eleven Plus, you and your child will adopt one or more of these four strategies in solving some of the more complex eleven plus questions.

Eleven Plus Skills

You answered those questions very skilfully.”

These words suggest that a good level of performance has been reached

“That is an important skill that you have acquired.”

. The word skill in this context suggests a high level of competence.

To learn to pass a driving test we need to develop a series of skills that build up towards competence as a driver. At the end of test the driving examiner could say: “You drove skilfully. Sign here for your licence.”

In order to pass the Eleven Plus your child will need to learn a set of new skills. Some of the skills will be acquired through step by step effort. This could be, for example, learning to work through code questions in verbal reasoning. To answer code questions skilfully in the actual examination your child will need to feel confident about a range of code questions.

You know when your child has reached this level – because that is when everything looks easy. A faint smile will appear on your child’s face. The working out of the codes will be done smoothly and confidently.

Parents often worry about the passing of time in an Eleven Plus examination. When your child is working skilfully then he or she may give the impression of being unhurried and totally in command.

It takes a lot of skill on the part of parent to speak pleasantly to their child when there is concern about the amount of work that needs to be done before an examination. It is so easy to deliver a lecture on the need to do well and go to a good school. It is also easy to feel frustrated when you think that you have a valid point of view – and your child persists in arguing.

If there is a vigorous and heated exchange of ideas between you and your child the words you would really like to hear are: “You handled that skilfully. Well done.” (Even mums and dads need some praise every now and then.)

Learning to Pass the Eleven Plus.

I wonder just how much learning actually takes place in the Eleven Plus year. By the time a child has reached 10 years old a lot of learning will have taken place outside of school.

A child will learn to walk and talk without the benefit of trained teachers. (Unless his or her parents were teachers.)

At some stage parents will do their best to prepare their child to learn to ride a bike without the benefit of stabilisers. Some parents will simply pick up a spanner and remove the stabilisers – and then encourage the child to try to ride. Other parents will hold the saddle and run behind their child. And a still different set of parents will wait until their child is ready to learn to ride without the benefit of stabilisers.

As a child approaches the Eleven Plus examinations his or her learning of mathematics is a mosaic of little bits learnt at home and at school. Some of the mathematics will have been learnt almost incidentally. Other processes in mathematics will have been learnt `at the mother’s knee’. At school a teacher will have taught a largely planned set of lessons aimed at the child acquiring knowledge.

Yesterday I worked with a bright ten year old Year 5 girl who was learning to divide fractions. She picked up the need to change the sign and invert the fraction. She understood the need to change any mixed number to an improper fraction. She hesitated, however, over cancelling with the fractions – instead of simply multiply the numerators and denominators and then bringing the answer to lowest terms.

There is little likelihood of a question on division of fraction with mixed numbers appearing in an Eleven Plus paper. Our girl had completed a few revision examples on multiplication of fractions, she then read through the division of fractions examples and tried to put the information she had acquired into practice.

In this case learning was the interaction between the child and the learning tools she had available to her. We added a different element when we marked her answers – and then started showing her where she had gone wrong. In reflection she may have remembered how to do division of fractions better if we had not intervened.

Some children will learn best by sitting in a `verbal reasoning group’, listening to the teacher. Other children will benefit most from a `one to one’ tutorial session and yet other children race ahead when they are working with their parents. We can, however, wonder if the children exposed to `rote learning’ will be able to solve problems as confidently in the actual examination.

A few years ago I worked with a pair of twins who could have passed the Eleven Plus examination a year early. They had `learned’ everything they needed to know – so our task was to try to stretch and develop them. The girls revelled in complex questions. They didn’t compete with each other and they were extraordinarily modest. I am not sure what they learned in the actual Eleven Plus year – but they did demonstrate an extraordinary ability to absorb new information.

In the Eleven Plus a pass is a pass. Is there a case for A* passes?

Just Before the Eleven Plus

There was a famous ruling by the Court of Appeal in 1914 in Rex v. Hulton, 1914. The case was about how a phrase or literary competition could be considered a contest of skill.

A series of set phrases were given by the editors of the major newspapers of the time. The contestants had to think of an art remark, phrase or expression.

Some examples follow:

Way to talk …………….. away with talk

On Sundays …………… pot the roast.

The suggestions on how to do well in were published. Some suggestions include:

• Studying winning lines from various competitions

• Keeping away from obvious answers

• Print answers if the handwriting is not neat.

• If a word or phase has a double meaning – then enclose the words in inverted commas.

• Underline or mark words that should be used for emphasis.

My wife …………… She can’t contradict that.

• Use your dictionary for phrase-making. Take the chief word and look up possible synonyms.

Useful ideas like these may have been the forerunner instruction that parents offer their children just before the Eleven Plus examinations.

When you attempting multiple choice papers:

Eliminate the obviously incorrect answers

Work neatly and carefully

Be careful that you read the question – and answer what you have asked to answer – nout what you think should be in the question.

Avoid humour in your answers – the examiner may not think it as funny as you do.

Above all don’t try to be smart and snappy in your answers. Stick to the task.

Eleven Plus Vocabulary

Ask any Eleven Plus child about these words – and admire the acquisition of their new vocabulary.

Broadband
Fibre Optic Cable
Cyberspace
Spam
Phlishing
Virus
Worms
Spyware
Botnet
Firewall
Anti-virus
Pop-up Blocker
Privacy manager

Back in 1439 Gutenberg developed his printing press – and this led to books and a whole different method of communication. Educated people must have fallen with pleasure on the books and very quickly come up with a whole new vocabulary.

Illustrations
Back Cover
Frontispiece
Binding
Printing Press
Contents
Paper

These words are now so much part of our daily life that we accept these words without question.

There is another collection of terms that has emerged as the years have gone by:

Ed (Editor)
Dj (Dust Jacket)
Op (Out of Print)

An Eleven Plus exercise could contain words like binding, contents, illustrations.

Many parents, however, would consider it to be unfair; however, to include words like firewall, phlishing and botnet in an Eleven Plus exercise.

I wonder if one day we will see an exercise like:

Group these words into the correct category:

Contents, Dj, worms, binding, cyber space and Op.

The Eleven Plus and University

How do children think of these things?

I was peacefully passing a bright eleven year old when she asked me why the angles at the centre of a rhombus met at a right angle.

She had drawn two different kites and she said that they did not `look’ as if the angles at the centre of the rhombus met at a true right angle.

To tell the truth I did not really know. The only thing I could think of was that we could possibly use Pythagoras to find the answer.

All this took place in seconds. She drew a kite – on graph paper. We measured the length of the sides. We did two quick Pythagoras calculations – and surmised that the other side of the rhombus would be the same.

I was content with the work that we had done together and walked off to find her next piece of work. When I turned back, she (our pupil) had engaged a one of our very bright ‘A’ level assistants to verify our findings. It wasn’t that she thought we had made errors – she wanted to find out if there were any circumstances when the rule would not hold true.

This discussion then began to involve the teacher in charge of the room and two more assistants. We then began discussing where in an `A’ level mathematics syllabus we had to prove theorems.

The whole series of events took just a few quick fire seconds.

When the girl is at the interview for her place in the mathematics department at her chosen university she may be confronted by a similar question by the interviewer.

We can just hope that she argues as good a case as she did with us today. What a lucky grammar school she will attend. Just think of the pleasure her `A’ level teachers will have as they work with her. Think too of the university lecturer being able to go home at the end of a long day and being able to say: “Well, I had a bright one today!”