Thread for Sept 2012 entry to GS in Bucks

[Etienne]

The dates of practice tests are not fixed. Some schools do them in July, most during September.

[patricia]

For "official" timings see appendix 3

25 mins left and 5 minutes left

https://schoolsweb.buckscc.gov.uk/schoo ... R_2012.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

However in my experience schools tend to deviate most will say 25 minutes, some say 5 left others 10 and 2. Whatever your school states whilst completing the practice tests will be the one they use for the real ones.

Patricia

[scary mum]

Having a few panics...

We are having a few panics too really, Marylou. DS Is very capable but whether he will pull it out of the bag on the day is anyone's guess! I'd better warn him he might not be warned once they get to less than five minutes. I've had a dilemma about him having a watch with him, I felt he would either fiddle with it or spend all his time looking at it

[Marylou]

Scary mum, our panics are from the fact that DS either sails through a practice test, all smiles and with plenty of time to spare, or breaks down in tears at half-time having completed only a quarter of the questions.... ....with nothing in between!

I suspect that, on the couple of occasions when this has happened, tiredness has played a big part. This seems to be a particular problem during the holidays but would not normally be such cause for concern, of course. I'm hoping that once DS is back into his usual routine he'll be in a better frame of mind, though I'm terrified that this volatility might cause him to flip out on the day itself.

[Kiwimum]

our panics are from the fact that DS either sails through a practice test, all smiles and with plenty of time to spare, or breaks down in tears at half-time having completed only a quarter of the questions.... ....with nothing in between!

I know exactly what you mean, the other day DD broke down in tears on the first question and couldn't work it out or the second one. Told her to move on and leave them out. When we marked the paper they were two of the easiest questions there, I think she had been looking for some deeper answer!
Another day she will just breeze through a test announcing "finished" with a big smile on her face - I like those days!!

[Marylou]

When we marked the paper they were two of the easiest questions there, I think she had been looking for some deeper answer!

I think sometimes they can't see the wood for the trees.

Was discussing this with DS this morning in a calmer moment and he confessed that sometimes it's just the enormity of having to do so many questions at once, so quickly, that throws him. The effort of concentrating for so long just makes him find things difficult that normally would not present any problems. I suggested he viewed it as 8 "mini-tests" put together. (I suspect he would like to do the real test like that, with a nice long break in between each section. )

[crunchie]

I have found a very big difference between scores depending on the time of day the practise paper is taken. My ds can achieve a score of 75/80 in the morning but if the practise paper is completed in the afternoon scores of 69 or 70.
We now only do practise test papers in the morning, if we have no time in the morning then we just concentrate on sections of the paper in the afternoon. I have found this to be more productive.
Can anyone tell me if the 11+ papers are taken in the morning in schools?

[patricia]

Time of day definitely makes a difference.

You will be happy to know that all Bucks schools take their tests first thing in the morning.

Patricia

[andyb]

Scary mum, our panics are from the fact that DS either sails through a practice test, all smiles and with plenty of time to spare, or breaks down in tears at half-time having completed only a quarter of the questions.... ....with nothing in between!

This sound just like DS2. He has taken to sticking his scores on the wall for all to see if he does very well - hopefully it will give him encouragement when he thinks he can't do it.

I thought it might be easier second time round but it's not . DS2 piles so much pressure on himself and he so desperately wants to go to the same school as his brother, I am dreading it more than the first time when DS1 had nothing to live up to.

[scary mum]

I agree andyb, DS2 is expecting to go to the same school as DD & DS1...