Eleven Plus (11+) exam is a test administered in the United Kingdom to last year primary school pupils to determine whether they are suited for admission into grammar schools, selective comprehensive or private schools.
Preparing for the exams can be a stressful time for both the parent and child, with some of the parents describing the process as an emotional roller coaster!
It’s all about the time and effort preparing for the exams and it can be a hard and nerve-wracking experience.
Parents are, however, encouraged to prepare their child well ahead of the exam time to minimise stress.
The 11+ exams are designed to measure the child’s aptitude for secondary school work.
What I’d like to share with you today is about a parent’s attitude to the outcome of the exams. The results. Whether good or not so good? How should a parent handle the results?
My advice to you, as a parent, in case your child didn’t pass the exams, is not to think it’s the end of the world and to remember that there is always a Plan B.
Of course, as a parent, you’d want your child to do well and getting a positive result would make you feel it’s all been worth it in the end!
I’d suggest sitting down and talking with your child about the test results and assuring them that their effort is what counts the most.
Encourage your child with words of affirmation. If the results aren’t positive, try not to make your own disappointment too obvious, as that could really make it difficult for them.
Prepare your child on how to share the 11+ exam result with their friends and teachers at school. Explain to them how to share the news sensitively.
I’d like to encourage you that whatever the outcome of your child’s result, there will always be a school place for them, where they’ll be celebrated and can achieve success.
Remember these points:
- Don’t blame yourself or your child for the outcome
- Congratulate them for the effort rather than just the outcome
- Your child’s well-being and state of mind matters a lot more than the results
- There’s a school place for everyone and your child will find the right school place, where they’ll be celebrated and where they’d excel
- Do another round of visiting the schools with your child before making the final choices (if possible), so that your child gets a feel of the schools
- Make sure to involve your child in the decision process, as the school choice should be the right one for them
- Don’t forget the closing date for getting your school applications back to your LEA
If your child passed the 11+ exams, that’s excellent! Congratulations! You now have the chance to make an informed choice about their secondary school. Complete the school applications before the deadline. Remember to make those choices carefully.
Related: A GUIDE TO CHECKING OUT A SCHOOL
Let me know how you handled your child’s 11+ exam results in the comments box below. I’d like to hear from you!
