Eleven Plus and Pressure

Past and present eleven plus parents know all about pressure. Some will claim that their children can take the examination in their stride - while other parents will be faced by their children feeling miserable under pressure. The great majority of children will admit to feeling worried - but will not display any external symptoms of pressure.

In a few years time our bright and and eleven plus children will be older and faced with examinations at university. The recent report on the BBC about drugs being used to help study is terrifying.

In some eleven plus areas there is immense pressure on parents and children to win a place at the local grammar school. The BBC report "Students could face Dope Tests" suggests that older students could be tested for traces of drugs.

Think of an desperate eleven plus mother. "I will just give a little Ritalin to make sure he does as well as possible. It will calm him down. I know he worries."