Walsall/Wolves test venue change
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Re: Walsall/Wolves test venue change
I am afraid that, unless your child requires a special pencil/gripper (in which case you will have filled in the additional needs form), children have to use the pencils and erasers provided and cannot use their own.
I can understand why - especially now the exams are to be computer marked - the consortium understandably wants to ensure that all children have good quality pencils and erasers.
In the old old days
when the BV/Sutton Girls was a separate test, my ds1 sat it at Castle Vale School and the children were instructed to bring their own stationery.
My son at that time used to press extremely hard when writing and tended to break through a lot of pencils (he doesn't at all now - they grow up
).
I therefore lovingly bought about 20 rather nice and expensive pencils from Osborne's (ah, the old days when we had Osborne's
) and sent them in with him.
However once in the hall, the staff (who clearly were not BV staff!) realised that loads of children had no pencils with them and they did not have enough spare ones.
They took ds1's pencils and distributed them all, leaving him with just one. Which invariably broke, leaving him to struggle through most of the exam with a piece of broken lead. At the time we were rather fed up at the loss of the pencils but all's well that ends well - he did well in that exam in the end but just finished Yr 11 at CHB now
One thing you should send is a drink and snack. These will be kept in a corner of the room (pop them in a carrier bag) and children can eat/drink at break. Dd said she saw one girl had come with money for a 'snack' but I am afraid you can't eat money so poor child couldn't get one.
I remember my boys making their requests (like the final meal
) - ds1 wanted a particularly expensive fruit drink that apparently helps concentration and ds2 asked for a Greggs tuna crunch baguette 
. Unfortunately I have no recollection of dd's request but she certainly had food...
I can understand why - especially now the exams are to be computer marked - the consortium understandably wants to ensure that all children have good quality pencils and erasers.
In the old old days
when the BV/Sutton Girls was a separate test, my ds1 sat it at Castle Vale School and the children were instructed to bring their own stationery. My son at that time used to press extremely hard when writing and tended to break through a lot of pencils (he doesn't at all now - they grow up
). I therefore lovingly bought about 20 rather nice and expensive pencils from Osborne's (ah, the old days when we had Osborne's
) and sent them in with him.However once in the hall, the staff (who clearly were not BV staff!) realised that loads of children had no pencils with them and they did not have enough spare ones.
They took ds1's pencils and distributed them all, leaving him with just one. Which invariably broke, leaving him to struggle through most of the exam with a piece of broken lead. At the time we were rather fed up at the loss of the pencils but all's well that ends well - he did well in that exam in the end but just finished Yr 11 at CHB now
One thing you should send is a drink and snack. These will be kept in a corner of the room (pop them in a carrier bag) and children can eat/drink at break. Dd said she saw one girl had come with money for a 'snack' but I am afraid you can't eat money so poor child couldn't get one.
I remember my boys making their requests (like the final meal
) - ds1 wanted a particularly expensive fruit drink that apparently helps concentration and ds2 asked for a Greggs tuna crunch baguette . Unfortunately I have no recollection of dd's request but she certainly had food...-
kenyancowgirl
- Posts: 6738
- Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm
Re: Walsall/Wolves test venue change
A friend of mine must surely hold some sort of record - 4 children in one ss GS at the same time - the day before ds2 sat his 11+ she told him that her secret was giving all her children a pack of chewy mints to eat through the exam (opened and on the table) and a mars bar for in the break with water to drink - it was to do with sugar bursts throughout the time and keeping the brain alert - it worked for us!
Re: Walsall/Wolves test venue change
The most important object to have is a small cheap watch preferably with a seconds hand as the exams are in short sections and the clocks in each room are not always that visible.Particularly for children in the sports halls or larger school halls.The exams are time pressured in short sections of 10 to 15 minutes before moving on with no opportunity to go back.
My youngest always takes a banana for the break.Very healthy.I am reassured when I see top tennis players eating theirs in their breaks with Queens now and Wimbledon starting.Its whatever the children are happy and comfortable with in order to do the exam.
My youngest always takes a banana for the break.Very healthy.I am reassured when I see top tennis players eating theirs in their breaks with Queens now and Wimbledon starting.Its whatever the children are happy and comfortable with in order to do the exam.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Re: Walsall/Wolves test venue change
I treated my eldest two to a digital watch in the run up and we used it at home for practice tests. For test day both requested Lucozade sport which is something they are never normally allowed. Can't recall what snack they requested but pretty sure it wouldn't have been fruit
Re: Walsall/Wolves test venue change
... DS had a jam sandwich
JD
JD
-
thirdtimemum
- Posts: 386
- Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 11:21 am
Re: Walsall/Wolves test venue change
They aren't allowed to wear watches for this exam as watches are no longer just watches
Re: Walsall/Wolves test venue change
Is this a new change this year ? As my dd and many others had a a watch for both the Walsall consortium and Birmingham consortium exams last year.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
-
moseleymum
- Posts: 659
- Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2008 8:59 pm
Re: Walsall/Wolves test venue change
Well if their watches aren't just watches, then they're very lucky children indeed
Mine took a very basic (I.e rubbish and cheap) stopwatch with them but I think you have to be careful to make sure it doesn't "beep".
Mine took a very basic (I.e rubbish and cheap) stopwatch with them but I think you have to be careful to make sure it doesn't "beep".
Re: Walsall/Wolves test venue change
It is my understanding stop watches and digital(calculator) watches are prohibited.Those will be taken off you.When my eldest dd was one of the many lower sixth students at Walsall invigilating the exams with the teachers 3 years ago she saw a calculator watch being taken off a child by a teacher.These are non calculator exams and parents should use their own common sense with their own children.This remains the position unless their is a different rule change which has happened in the last 12 months.
A nephew is taking the exam this year from my wife's side of the family and he has been practising test papers with a analogue watch.This will be similar to rules across the country for Durham CEM 11 plus style exams.If it is a concern for any parent as these will be anxious times for any parent whose child is taking the exam at Queen Mary Boys please contact the school and speak to the admissions officer on 01922 720696 or at any of the other schools to clarify any concerns.
A nephew is taking the exam this year from my wife's side of the family and he has been practising test papers with a analogue watch.This will be similar to rules across the country for Durham CEM 11 plus style exams.If it is a concern for any parent as these will be anxious times for any parent whose child is taking the exam at Queen Mary Boys please contact the school and speak to the admissions officer on 01922 720696 or at any of the other schools to clarify any concerns.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
-
thirdtimemum
- Posts: 386
- Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 11:21 am
Re: Walsall/Wolves test venue change
Letter states no watches at all due to smart technology.quasimodo wrote:Is this a new change this year ? As my dd and many others had a a watch for both the Walsall consortium and Birmingham consortium exams last year.
I've just read the letter properly and realised that the morning exam isn't finishing until 2pm!! Goodness me!! It will have to be more than a snack they take with them