A week tomorrow

[Guest55]

There is no specific mark that equates to the magic '121' - the raw mark needed changes each year.

'121' is set so that roughly a third qualify so it varies with the cohort.

[Aethel]

Exactly what guest55 said. Both Bucks and Berks are cohort exams.
30% of children will gain an "elegible" mark (121+ for bucks) and the other 70% will not.
They take the raw scores, standardise the scores (sort by month of birth) and for each month they draw an imaginary "pass mark" where 30% of kids are above it.
The actual hoodoo of how they get the numbers doesn't matter.
So it could be every child found this year's test very hard.... fine, it may mean they need a far lower raw percentage to get a 121 mark. We just don't know!

Tropic, Slough is also CEM double-paper m/c computer marked.

DD said the Slough one was easier than she expected (but just means everyone will score more highly), bucks practice one was harder, and the actual one "ok".
But that could mean anything!!!!
We'd done quite a few strict-to-time past papers at home, so maybe the timing felt ok.

[tropicmama]

My DS thought the Bucks practice one was easier and the actual one much harder. He said that soon after they took the test, what worried him was that there were boys from his class who did no preparation whatsoever (same boys who apparently over the years were the ones who didn't really do well in school) but claimed that it was easier than they expected! So at the time immediately after the test, my DS was worried he might have approached it the wrong way, or did something wrong, understood questions incorrectly, etc etc as he said he found it "ok" but definitely not easy, and harder than mocks he took.

[IncyWincy]

Good luck everyone!

I can't stop myself from avidly reading this forum, although trying to be realistic our son is unlikely to have qualified. His performance at school is probably above average, but lower set for literacy (despite being amazingly articulate with a great vocabulary) and middle for maths. He has been assessed and diagnosed with some specific difficulties (no label) but nothing significant enough to make extra allowances.

He seems comfortable with either outcome at the moment, we have been trying to position it as if he is going to one of the excellent local comprehensives (also looking at independents, but he really didn't like the one he has seen so far) but if he can go to grammar with his older sibling it would be a bonus. Still concerned that the actual result will hit his confidence, all of his closest friends are quite confident of qualifying and it would be a surprise if they didn't. I don't think his school performance would be strong enough for review or appeal so we would most likely just accept the outcome and make the best of it. I question whether we should have put him in for the test, but he really wanted to and there would always have been the 'What if...?'.

Any tips for coping with the results?

[tropicmama]

I would love to know about tips too - that's actually what I'm dreading. I hope I'll know the right things to say to my DS whatever the outcome. I don't want one test to ruin his confidence.

[Guest55]

Talk about qualifying for a GS or qualifying for an Upper ....

Don't say ' you failed' -

[Rash]

Hi, not sure if this is a tip but would like to share what we did after dd's tests.

We went out of town that evening for a family meal followed by a trip to a dessert place. We also bought some treats to bring back home with us. The idea was to celebrate our dd's efforts and it felt great! I joked with DH that if we are celebrating this much on the test day how would it be like on results day? He goes, 'we will do the same, doesn't matter what the outcome may be we are still going to celebrate'. At the end of the day no one 'fails' the test, as we are aware that some just don't qualify. So why should we make our DC's feel like failures? when we don't even know what the future holds for them. Yes, we all try and will keep on trying because sometimes it feels that the system can be a little unfair so you need to carry on fighting but pls stay positive because it's not the end, they can still follow their dreams.
I suppose my tip would be to prepare yourself for whatever the outcome maybe and don't let it come in the way of the things which matter the most, peace and happiness!

[BlueBerry]

Rash, what a lovely idea to celebrate on the actual test day & the results day. I'll have to remember this tip.

Best of luck everyone. When do you get the results?

[Aethel]

They are handed out Friday to the in-county and posted on Thursday first class to out-of county (ie should arrive Friday afternoon.

I am SO over all the waiting now (sigh). DD said the kids at school are all speculating and it's precisely No fun....

[BlueBerry]

Aethel, it must be so hard on the children. I didn't realise that they openly talk about it.

Roll on Friday. One of the mums was telling me that even if her DS passes, the pass mark will dictate which grammar she'll put on her application form..... I didn't even factor that in!