Anna
Anna had always been precociously bright – nearly always top of the class and seemingly destined for grammar school. Her 11 Plus preparation was steady and sensible: an hour a week in a small group with her two best friends, and a handful of mock tests in Year 5. She regularly scored over 80%, and when she passed the "real thing", nobody was surprised.
Anna had always been precociously bright – nearly always top of the class and seemingly destined for grammar school. Her 11 Plus preparation was steady and sensible: an hour a week in a small group with her two best friends, and a handful of mock tests in Year 5. She regularly scored over 80%, and when she passed the "real thing", nobody was surprised.
Daisy
Daisy was the most outgoing of the trio. Funny, confident and always surrounded by friends, she was popular and full of energy. Academically, she was in the middle of the pack – hardworking but not naturally top of the class. Her dad, an experienced teacher just starting out on his journey into 11 Plus tutoring, took on the role of preparing all three girls.
He knew Daisy might be borderline for grammar, but he also believed she would thrive there. With short daily sessions throughout Year 5, and plenty of mock test practice in the summer holidays, her technique and timing improved dramatically. She passed the 11 Plus with a couple of marks to spare. Her dad was proud as punch, and Daisy was thrilled to be joining Anna at grammar school.
Flo
Flo had taken a little longer to find her academic feet. She struggled with reading and writing in her early years, and only discovered a love of books in Year 3. Her gentle nature and love for animals meant she spent as much time with her pets as with her friends.
Flo was cheerful and engaged in all their 11 Plus sessions, but her mock test scores never topped 50%. When she didn’t pass the 11 Plus, no one was surprised. She was sad to say goodbye to her old friends as they headed off to grammar school, but also felt excited about her own future at the local high school.
As parents, it can be hard to hide our disappointment when things don't go to plan. Flo's mum admitted she struggled at first – her two older children had both succeeded in the 11 Plus. But Flo’s journey was just beginning.
So what happened next...?
Anna remained a top student, but her passion turned out to be for acting. She dazzled in every school production, often taking the lead role. After acing her GCSEs, she decided against A levels and instead auditioned for a specialist drama school in London – and was accepted.
Today, her CV is already filling up with impressive stage and screen credits, and everyone who knows her feels that she’s on the brink of something big. Fingers crossed for the next audition, Anna!
Daisy thrived at grammar school. She remained her effortlessly popular self, breezing through with a smart-but-efficient approach to study. Her GCSEs and A levels were excellent, and she went on to complete a Master’s in Business Analytics. As we write this, she’s about to begin a highly competitive graduate scheme in London, and we wish her the very best of luck.
And Flo? At the local high school, Flo found her stride. She developed a keen interest in science, and her teachers quickly recognised her potential. After excelling in her GCSEs, she was accepted into the sixth form at the grammar school to do her A levels – finally reunited with Daisy!
Flo’s academic talents continued to grow. Her love of animals never faded, so she applied to study veterinary medicine – a fiercely competitive course offered by only a handful of academic institutions. One of them is Cambridge University. And yes, after gaining 3 A* grades at A level, that’s where Flo is now – studying hard and dreaming of a future in veterinary research.
And the moral of the story?
The message of our blog post today is that getting into grammar school is not the be-all and end-all. It’s one possible stepping stone. Every child develops at their own pace, with their own strengths and passions. As parents, we can guide and support them – but ultimately, their journey is theirs, not ours.
Whatever path your child takes, what matters most is that it leads to a future full of pride, purpose, and happiness.
And yes, we’re happy to say that Anna, Daisy and Flo are still the very best of friends.