Kent County Council wants to streamline the 11-plus system

by political editor Paul Francis

A revamp of Kent's 11-plus exam is due to be considered by county councillors today.

The changes will see it based more closely on what primary children learn in preparation for their Sats, say county education chiefs.

Kent County Council is to streamline the test to try to counter the widespread coaching culture around the exam, particularly in independent fee-paying prep schools.

Many now accept it favours those who can afford to pay for private tuition, leaving poorer families at a disadvantage.

The authority says the 11-plus is to be based on what pupils learn when taking tests in English and maths in Year 6 - the Sats.

While it is unclear exactly what changes will be made to the exam format, education chiefs say that from 2015 there will be fewer advantages to children who have been privately tutored.

Around 11,500 children took the test last year and competition for places in certain areas, notably west Kent, is intense.

In other recommendations, pupils in Kent will take the tests on one day instead of two, bringing them into line with "out of county" children.

The exam will continue to be held at primary schools despite some calls for them to be administered by grammar schools.

A major change is pupils will take two tests instead of three. These will continue to combine numeracy, literacy and reasoning and there will also be a writing exercise, as there is now.

Head teacher assessment panels for borderline cases will continue to operate.

Cllr Mike Whiting (Con), education cabinet member pictured above right, said the tests would be more closely aligned with what was ordinarily taught to primary school children.

"I want it [the test] to be more closely aligned to the curriculum to take away the coachability factor, which is what everyone is concerned about.

"If everyone has the same opportunity to learn what they need to pass the test, that will help level the playing field."

He acknowledged no test would ever be tutor-proof, but KCC hoped changes, expected to be brought in from 2015, would make the exam less coachable.

KCC also believes the changes will help address the issue of pupils being over-tutored and then struggling once they go to a grammar school.

Opposition Liberal Democrat spokesman Cllr Martin Vye was cautious,
saying the proposed changes were modest.

He said: "Quite frankly, unless you can devise a test that has no cultural bias, it is not going to change anything."

A review of the 11-plus was carried out by KCC at the end of last year.

Head teachers were asked what changes could be made to counter the
coaching culture but there was no clear consensus.

Many urged KCC to award grammar school places on the basis of Sats
results and were highly critical of the practice of private coaching.