Eleven Plus Mentality

If your child gains entry into a grammar school then you and your child will have beaten other parents and children for a place.

In the Eleven Plus examinations some child will come first. Some children will pass and will immediately be offered a place. All the children who pass will do better than the children who do not `win a place’. Thus the Eleven Plus examinations, to a degree, are about winning and losing. The winners will gain the benefit of a grammar school education.

To come first in a county wide examination your child would have to display a multitude of attributes including ability, perseverance, desire and sheer hard work.

Matthew Webb covered himself in porpoise grease and swam from Dover to Cap Griz Nez in France – and became the first to swim the English Channel. This 21 hour swim showed great physical and mental strength.

The Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman in space. She orbited the earth 48 times. Valentina was the pilot of the space craft. She must have demonstrated leadership and bravery.

We also need to remember Christian Barnard who performed the first human heart transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. He was dedicated and a pioneer.

William Webb Ellis also needs to be remembered because he picked up the ball and ran with it under his arm – and this is the distinctive feature of `The Rugby Game’. He must be commended for disregarding the rules.

It looks as if are going to be able to identify some characteristics that our Eleven Plus children will need to take into the examination:

Winning mentality
Good attributes of ability, perseverance, desire and hard work
Great physical and mental strength
Able to demonstrate leadership and bravery
Dedication and a pioneering spirit
A disregard for the rules