Cotswold Education

There are 164 grammar schools remaining in the UK, although there were around 1200 in the early 1960s. They were phased out in the late 1960 and 1970s but not in all places. Thus the current distribution is very patchy, with some counties still largely selective and others fully comprehensive. Grammar schools choose which children they will admit by organising entrance tests, sometimes called the eleven plus. The highest ranked students will secure a place at grammar school

If you're a parent of a year 5 child, you're probably starting to think about which secondary school they'd prefer. It may be simple if you are planning to choose your local comprehensive school, but if you're considering a Gloucestershire grammar school you will need to start thinking ahead. You may want to go and visit a range of possible schools and if you (or more correctly your child) decides on a grammar school you'll need to take the Entrance Test. I'll discuss the ac

How can you tell whether your child has the qualities to be accepted into grammar school? The short and flippant answer is that you can't! The more helpful answer is that with a little effort you can get a broad idea on whether there is a reasonable chance of acceptance. Some parents make the decision that the best way of applying for grammar school is not to do any particular preparation. They fear that if the children are pushed too hard to pass, they might then struggle a

All the joy and excitement of this special time of year is upon us. Do we really need to be preparing our children for the Eleven Plus now? To this we would suggest it’s time to change things up. This is our 'no guilt' approach to preparation over the break. Eleven Plus readiness does not have to be all workbooks and flashcards. It is widely accepted that the easiest way to learn and remember is by enjoying the learning involved. We think this applies to all times of yea

Children take the grammar school entrance test at the start of Year 6. That means most parents tend to start preparing their children with mock tests and/or tuition about halfway through Year 5. So is Year 4 too soon to be thinking about the test? There's no definitive answer. Every child is different, but it's probably not a good idea to pile on the pressure too soon. Having said that, many of the elements of the grammar school test are skills that would benefit from some p

A few years ago we were assured that a new test being used in Gloucestershire schools would make the eleven plus tutorproof, that all the money being made from work books would disappear, and we would have a test that required the very minimum of preparation. Oh, how things have changed, with more resources than ever gracing the shelves of WH Smith and Waterstones, and tuition as rampant as ever. Since arriving in Gloucestershire in 2011, I have often heard people hark back t

How can you tell whether grammar school is right for your child? The short and flippant answer is that you can't! The more helpful answer is that with a little effort you can get a broad idea on whether there is a reasonable chance of acceptance. Some parents make the decision that the best way of applying for grammar school is not to do any particular preparation. They fear that if the children are pushed too hard to pass, they might then struggle at grammar school because