How To Help Your Child Deal With 11 Plus Results
The 11+ exam determines where your child will complete their secondary education. Passing the exams and securing a great score will open up more opportunities in terms of grammar schooling – but the 11+ is notoriously challenging.
In October, children across the UK will receive their results, and while many will have good news, others might not.
As a parent, it’s your responsibility to help your child understand their results and think about the next steps should they not secure the grades to get them into grammar schools.
In this post, we’ll reveal how you can help your child deal with their results and ensure you have a plan in place for the future.
Prepare Your Child For The Results
It’s important to remember that many children secure excellent grades from their exams, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it will be enough to get into the grammar school of your choice.
Different schools choose their pass rates, so your child will need to score more if you live in a competitive area.
When considering how subjective the results can be, it’s essential to keep your child relaxed and not put too much pressure on them.
Most people feel anxious when opening exam results, but making your child nervous will impact how they handle the news.
If your child feels they have support, you can turn the results into a positive experience – regardless of whether they achieve the required marks or not.
Steps To Take When Your Child Passes The Exam
If your child passes the exam and gets the required results for your chosen grammar school, then you can start celebrating. Some more prestigious schools might ask eligible children to attend an interview to understand their personality and assess how the child will fit in.
The school might also want to know about extra-curricular activities, hobbies, and any needs your child might have.
If, after the interview, your child is officially offered a place at the school, you can begin planning.
Remember, some schools have incredibly high pass rates, so you might not secure a place at the top choice, but there could be another school in your area that will happily take your child.
Not Getting The Required Pass Score
Unfortunately, some children don’t secure high enough results in their 11 plus exams, which can be disheartening.
Parents should always consider the impact on their children before anything else.
Of course, you have a right to be upset, but there are always steps you can take to get your child back on track.
We’ll reveal them next.
Talk To Your Child
With all the work that goes into an 11 plus exam, including the extensive revision, it’s natural to feel upset – but your child will feel worse than you.
Sit them down, explain that they didn’t get the required results, and ask them how they feel. It would be best if you also told your child that you’re proud of them for putting in so much work.
Once you and your child feel better about the situation, you can consider the next steps.
Appeal The Result
If you look at the exam results and things don’t seem right, you can consider appealing them.
While many appeals aren’t successful, you might lodge a successful appeal if something is wrong or the examiner was too harsh with marking the paper.
Also, some appeals are successful if you can prove that not attending the chosen school will cause harm to the child.
You can appeal by using the information on the letter or email you receive, and all you need to do is follow the process.
In some cases, you might have to attend an interview, where you can explain why your child might have underperformed.
The appeals process can be nerve-wracking for a parent, but it’s also worthwhile because there are some cases in which a school will admit your child.
Look At Other Schools In The Area
If you don’t want to go through the appeals process or think it’s too draining on your family, there’s always the possibility of other schools. Some will admit children with lower scores if they secure a pass rate.
While some people might feel a different school isn’t a good idea, there are so many in the UK and having another option can put your mind at ease.
A grammar school education often opens up more doors for children, including more support in the classroom and better college and university prospects.
With so many grammar schools available, it’s always a good idea to have a backup. If you’d like to see the options in your area, we have a complete list here.
Focus On The 12 or 13 Plus Exams
If you’d rather not appeal or choose another grammar school, you can focus your energy on the 12 or 13 plus examinations. Both take place a year after the 11 plus and give students a second chance to get into their chosen grammar school.
While your child will need to attend a regular secondary school or another grammar school, if they secure good grades in the exam, they could transfer to a top education facility and finish their schooling there.
The 12 plus exam takes place while your child is in year 7, so if successful, they can join the school in year eight.
However, some parents wait for the 13 plus exam because it gives their child entry to grammar school in year 9. Joining in year 9 ensures your child has time to settle before the GCSEs.
Here’s what you need to know about these valuable grammar school entry options.
Not All Schools Offer Them
While many grammar schools will allow older students to take the exams, it depends on whether they have a spot available. Some students might move away from the area, or join a different school, so following your chosen schools is essential.
The Exams Might Be Different From The 11 Plus
You’ll be aware that the 11 plus exam has three different tests; English, Verbal Reasoning and Maths. When your child takes the 12 or 13 plus examination, they might also have to demonstrate their understanding of a language and humanities subject.
Each school is different, so you should check which exams your child will have to take before beginning the revision process.
Preparing For The Exams
Just because your child gets an opportunity to take the late entry grammar school exam doesn’t mean they’ll secure a place. Remember, many children are on the waiting list, and each will be hoping for entry into the school.
Focusing on revision is the best way to guarantee your child’s success. There are plenty of past practice papers available online, and you can also look at the areas your child struggled in during the last exam and focus on those.
Invest In A Homeschool Tutor
If you want to give your child the best possible chance of securing a late-entry place at grammar school, it’s worth looking into tutoring services. A home school tutor can identify areas of weakness and work with your child to prepare them for the exams.
Better still, tutors often know how to identify potential roadblocks to your child’s success and can teach them valuable techniques to deal with anxiety during exams.
At Fleet Tutors, we specialise in providing educational support for grammar school entry exams.
Our team knows how important it is to grab these opportunities when they come along, and we work hard to help you – and your child – achieve your goals and look forward to a future with more prospects.
Applying For The 12 Or 13 Plus Exam
Each school sets its own requirements for entry, so be sure to check the submission page, as it will have information on when the examinations are taking place and how to submit an application.
The exam applications can open as early as May, and students usually take them in January or February for entry to the school in the new term of September.
In most cases, schools prioritise children on the waiting list, so even if you apply, your child might not have an opportunity.
Once the school accepts the application, you’ll receive information on when and where the examination will take place.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this guide gives you some valuable information on the many opportunities for grammar school entry. You can have peace of mind if your child doesn’t secure the necessary grades the first time; there will be other chances.
Grammar schools offer more personalised education and can often open doors to the UK’s highest-ranked universities. If you’d like to future-proof your child’s prospects, please feel free to contact our friendly team of tutors.
We’re always available to offer support and advice and provide in-person and interactive online tutoring.