11+ Observations
11+ coaching does not help children make progress.
An increasing number of parents are choosing to give their children coaching for the 11+ exam.
As a result 11+ coaching is probably one of the few major growth industries in Birmingham post-recession. It certainly looks like lucrative business: a year-long course of two hours a week has been advertised at under £7,000 massively discounted from £10,000.
Research shows that nearly 75% of students across Birmingham have such coaching: the average boy has been coached for just under two hours a week for 14 months. A parent whose son attended a local primary school said that such coaching was the only way in which children from such schools could expect to succeed in the 11+ exam. A parent whose son had gone to one of the best junior schools said that all parents paid for coaching because every other parent was paying for coaching and they didn’t want to let their own child down.
At every open morning I stand up and say that parents should not tutor their children. The parents all nod supportively at my wisdom and then, it seems, proceed to ignore me! There is a simple reason why there should be such frenetic activity. All parents want to do the best for their children and a good education is the best gift that they can give.
However, all parents also see that the pressure for places at the selective schools is remarkably terrifying – at some grammar schools there are more than 1,000 candidates for approximately 100 places. So parents seem to have no choice but to pay. So, it’s easy to see why this coaching takes place, but it’s not easy to believe that it’s a good thing.
Such coaching limits and narrows the lives of boys and girls at the age of 8, 9, 10 and 11. They must have better things to do than practise Verbal Reasoning and Maths tests, like playing football, singing, dancing, or reading a book.
Coaching is flawed because it cannot do what it says it does: and it does not prepare children for a grammar school education. And coaching is unfair because parents are so desperate to help their children that they will pay any price for success, even, perhaps, a price they can’t afford.
However, coaching does harm above all for the reasons presented by the Sutton Trust. It can work against the forces of social mobility. This is why we at Handsworth Grammar School have established a unique Outreach and Widening Accessibility programme where we run master classes and familiarization sessions for local primary schools. We offer all of this for free and to provide gifted and talented children the opportunity to succeed in the 11+ exam. We do not charge a single penny. It is also carried out in a relaxed, friendly and fun atmosphere. The aim here is to encourage as many young people as possible from the local area to apply for a grammar school place. As a result the fantastic opportunities available at Handsworth Grammar School can be accessed by the majority of children in the local community and not just the few that currently apply. Whilst this Outreach programme cannot guarantee success for everyone we do believe it will improve all children’s abilities ensuring that they will be better prepared for their transition into whatever secondary school they attend.
Handsworth Grammar School is rooted in the community it serves and has been so for over 150 years. We serve and are responsive to the nature of our community. In particular Handsworth Grammar School is committed to making itself as accessible as possible to all students, whatever their background or circumstances. We would take this opportunity to inform parents that we do not endorse any person or organization that charges fees to coach your child. The 11+ exam seeks to identify children who are naturally gifted and talented. Our website features sample questions which your child could attempt to determine if they are potential candidates for the test. We would encourage parents to ask their child’s teacher for their predicted SATs results. As a rule of thumb children need to be working at SATs Level 5 or above in both English and Maths in their primary schools to have a realistic chance of success.
Sir Peter Lampl, the head of the Sutton Trust, is a massive supporter of selective education as the great engine of social mobility. We at Handsworth Grammar School concur with Sir Peter.
