Alternatives to the 11+

What are the SATs and 11+?

SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) are national exams for state school primary school children in Years 2 and 6, which are used to check pupils’ progress and proficiency in English and Maths. The 11+, on the other hand, is a catch-all term for tests, exams and interviews that children in Year 6 (aged 10 or 11) take to gain entry to academically selective senior schools, both state (also known as grammar schools) and independent (also known as private schools).

The exact format of the 11+ varies from school to school, but most involve tests in English and Maths, as well as Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning.

Whilst many parents see the 11+ as a necessary evil, a hoop one has to jump through in order for their child to go to a top school, other parents may see it as too much of a burden: they may worry about their child being written off as a ‘failure’ if they do not pass, or dread the idea of having to micromanage their 9 or 10-year-old through rigorous exam preparation, or are concerned about the pressure that clouds many students’ final primary school years.

The good news is that the 11+ is not unavoidable, and parents have more choice than they think. Our educational consultants can offer advice on the options available to you, but in the meantime, there are some alternatives to consider.

 

 

Alternatives to the 11+

Option 1: Send your child to an all-through school

An all-through school is one that educates children through multiple stages (normally primary and secondary). Some do so in a single setting: for example, Bishop’s Stortford College, in Hertfordshire, educates pupils from 4 to 18-years-old on a single 130-acre campus.

Others do so through associated junior schools that ‘feed’ their senior schools: for example, many academically stellar schools, such as North London Collegiate, King’s College Wimbledon (KCS), Highgate School and Dulwich College, have such an all-through model.

If you want your child to join an all-through school at a popular entry point, for example Year 7 or Year 9, then they may still have to sit an exam. However, if they join the school earlier, say at Reception or Year 3, then they won’t necessarily need to sit an external test. There may be other assessments: for example, at Bishop’s Stortford College, gaining entry to Reception involves an informal stay and play morning, where prospective pupils are observed whilst participating in play-based activities.

Whilst these are unlikely to involve the stress or preparation associated with later exams, it is worth remembering that all admission points at selective schools – even aged 7 – will involve some degree of academic scrutiny. Even if your child does gain entry to an all-through school, this does not mean your child can avoid all assessments either: they will still be examined internally as they move up the school.

These internal assessments are designed to ensure that pupils can move seamlessly from the junior to the senior school, but they are also checking that students have met certain standards and expectations, and so your child still needs to be motivated. Generally speaking, the more academic a through-school is, the more competitive these internal assessments will be.

Option 2: Send your child to a non-selective school

The next option to consider is a non-selective school: this could either be the local state comprehensive, in which admission is based on catchment area, or a non-selective fee-paying school. Whilst most non-selective private schools are concentrated in London and the South East, there are some that offer boarding for those coming from further afield, such as Framlingham College in Suffolk or Bradfield College in Reading.

Non-selective private schools often build their ethos around a more inclusive or ‘holistic’ educational model. In practice, this can mean lots of different things: more compact class sizes or a ‘small school’ environment; a greater focus on extra-curricular activities and pastoral care; more support for students who are entering the British education system for the first time or have English as a second language; or more comprehensive provision for students with special educational needs.

For example, North Bridge House, an all-through non-selective school in London, says that “it recognises that success is not simply defined by outstanding academic achievement, but by every pupil finding a direction in life that truly reflects their unique talents and personality.”

When weighing up the pros and cons of state versus non-selective private schools, it’s important to consider a child’s whole educational journey. For example, the lack of academic pressure and more caring outlook at a non-selective private school may be particularly appealing when your child is at primary school age. However, once they approach GCSEs and A-levels you may be paying a premium for a school with relatively comparable results to the local state schools’. It may still be worth the cost for lots of other reasons – better behaviour, smaller classes, more modern facilities – but a lot will depend on the quality of the secondary state schools in your area.

Option 3: Send your child to an international school

Another, often overlooked option is to send your child to an international school that follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, as these generally do not require an 11+ assessment.

The IB is a globally-recognised curriculum studied in more than 6000 schools by more than 2 million students. It consists of four main programmes of study: the Primary Years Programme (ages 3 to 11), the Middle Years Programme (ages 11 to 16), the Diploma Programme (ages 16 to 18) and the Careers-Related Programme (a more vocational option for ages 16 to 18).

Many of the UK’s top private schools offer the IB’s Diploma Programme at Sixth Form (for example, Sevenoaks School, Godolphin and Latymer or Wellington College) but these are all still academically selective schools.

However, there are a few select schools that offer the IB curriculum (the Primary Years and Middle Years Programmes) lower down the school: for example, ACS Schools in Egham, Cobham and Hillingdon or the International School of London in Chiswick.

The exact entry requirements vary from school to school, but they tend to be more relaxed than private schools that follow the British curriculum. Some are completely non-selective (for example, The Dwight School and Halcyon International School), whilst others create their own selection criteria: for example, Marymount International in Kingston does not have a junior school but offers Year 7 entry via its bespoke ‘Grade 6 assessment programme’.

Option 4: Commit to the 11+, but in a calm, clear-headed way

If you, or your child, still have your heart set on an academically selective senior school, then there are ways to approach the 11+ without it becoming an unnecessarily stressful, all-consuming experience. The key is to be realistic, strategic and practical.

Firstly, prepare a shortlist of target schools, ensuring you have an appropriate insurance choice in case your child does not perform as well as expected. We would also suggest that you have a firm boundary in mind in terms of how many separate assessments you are happy for your child to undertake (for example, three to five), as a scattergun approach in which you bombard your child with tests for dozens of schools is unlikely to be successful.

Another way in which you can make the experience less overwhelming is by aiming for centralised tests, if you can. For example, the London 11+ Consortium Assessment is a single online test for entry to a group of 14 independent day schools for girls. Students sit one exam in the autumn of Year 6 at their own school, and then students who pass this are invited for interview, therefore reducing the number of papers each pupil has to sit. Similarly, many schools have introduced online tests in recent years such as the ISEB Common Pre-Test: again, students sit one exam, taken at their primary school, and the results are shared amongst participating senior schools, allowing much more parental choice without having to duplicate lots of different tests.

How can Simply Learning Tuition Help?

Students who are stressed, burnt-out and unmotivated are not going to perform well. Our education consultants and tutors can offer practical advice on how to strike the right balance in terms of preparation and pressure, but some key things to remember are:

1. Praise effort, not just achievement. Preparing for the 11+ is a marathon not a sprint; students will often start revising a year to 18 months in advance, which is a long time in the life of a 9 or 10-year-old! They will need to develop resilience and stamina, and the easiest way to do this is by showing your child that hard work matters more than perfection.
2. Create a calm home environment. Students want to feel encouraged and supported, not interrogated and burdened. If they feel that they are simply fulfilling their parents’ wishes, or that they are going to let their parents down if they fail, then this is likely going to be very emotionally difficult for them. Anxious students may feel that the 11+ is the be-all-and-end-all, but it is your job to counter that narrative.
3. Maintain good routines and a sense of balance. Bedtime, meal-time and breaks should be protected at all costs: a well-rested, healthy child will always perform better than an exhausted one. Similarly, encourage hobbies, sport, play and time with friends alongside revision – this will not only ‘fill their cup’ but also help everyone to maintain a sense of perspective.

Whatever you decide to do, we are here to help: whether you want a personalised tutoring plan for the 11+, a shortlist of best-fit schools, a discussion around the pros and cons of the IB curriculum or some mock interview practice, we can help support you through this decision.

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