question on the verbal reasoning paper

[Milla]

if your region is anything like our region, if it says don't write on the paper then don't!

We are not allowed to and I think it's stupid - the question Zs would be so much easier if you could make quick markings as well as the codes. But at our recent tests (last Saturday) the invigilators were going up and down the aisles checking all the time for this and were telling people off if they were spotted marking the question page. For some children, this could be quite upsetting and it would certainly interrupt the flow so I'd chuck in some practice of NOT marking the paper so that they are not unprepared for this on the day.

Having said this, my son marked the paper each and every time during practice. AND the answer sheet. Imagine the despair, etc, etc, the stressing that if he was too dim to follow this simple instruction then what chance in the test, etc, etc. But he just looked at me and said in that "chill" way they adopt which is so successfully designed to irk, that he knew perfectly well not to, and that he wouldn't when he couldn't, but that he was going to while he could. And on the day he didn't. So he says.

[First-timer]

This reminds me of a tale I was told a long time ago when I was sitting exams in school. At the time, it was supposed to concern someone a few years older than our year group. Of course it is probably an urban myth...

English paper, external invigilators, everyone pushed for time. Time up. Chief invigilator tells everyone to put down their pens. All but a couple of cheeky blighters comply. Chief invigilator repeats the instruction, visibly disgruntled. Everyone except one boy (it had to be a boy, didn't it?) has stopped writing and is packing up to leave the hall. The invigilators have started collecting the exam scripts and a few pupils are now leaking out of the room. Said boy is still scribbling away. Chief invigilator approaches the boy who at last stops writing. Chief invigilator is really irate, starts reading the riot act and gesticulates wildly with the sheaf of exam scripts. Trouble's-a-coming and he is going to take it further. The boy, meanwhile, gathers his belongings, stands up and draws himself to his full height. He looks the chief invigilator in the eye and with an air of menace says "Do you realise who I am?" The chief invigilator is taken aback and has to admit "No." "Thank God for that," says the boy, thrusting his script into the bundle of collected papers and legs it out of the hall!

None of us raised the issue of pupils leaving before all the scripts were collected - it was far more fun to believe such a thing was possible.

[moved]

I have checked, I was sure, but then wondered, ...

You can write all over the question paper. DD said she made notes on hers when she need to.

[chelmsford dad]

i told him last night he cant (as he was used to doing workings out by the questions on the vr papers) now i may have to tell him he can again for example when you have to make a compound word from two lists of 3 i encouraged him to write a couple of completed words out if he wasnt sure next to the question and see which one looked the more likely answer , also for the codes sometimes he has physically drawn a line from one letter to another on the alphabet at the top of the page rather than count it in his head - i really need to be sure when advising him whether he can or cant do this

[essex-mum18]

i told him last night he cant (as he was used to doing workings out by the questions on the vr papers) now i may have to tell him he can again for example when you have to make a compound word from two lists of 3 i encouraged him to write a couple of completed words out if he wasnt sure next to the question and see which one looked the more likely answer , also for the codes sometimes he has physically drawn a line from one letter to another on the alphabet at the top of the page rather than count it in his head - i really need to be sure when advising him whether he can or cant do this

It was my son's experience 2 years ago when he was told he should do the rough work on the plain paper provided. Thing might have changed then. Why don't you give a ring to CSSE to clarify the situation. They may give you the right answer, hopefully.

[KP]

I just checked this with CSSE and they have confirmed that the students are allowed to do rough work on the question booklet. They will be given extra sheets if requred to do additional rough. However, they are not allowed to do any working out on the answer sheet.

[essex-mum18]

I just checked this with CSSE and they have confirmed that the students are allowed to do rough work on the question booklet. They will be given extra sheets if requred to do additional rough. However, they are not allowed to do any working out on the answer sheet.

Thanks for clarifying, KP. You really do not want to cofuse a DC at this stage.

Hope everything goes well and good luck for the exam.

[moved]

Chelmsford Dad

Rather than writing out whole words, which is very time consuming, move a single letter. This often automatically changes the vowel sound.

i.e.

hear
ten
becomes
heart
en

hum
an
becomes
hu
man

[chelmsford dad]

you can write working out on the question paper in the vr but obvioulsy not the answer sheet

[moved]

I make them brush off the black pieces left behind by the rubber, just in case it lines up in the wrong place when put through the computer. This may be paranoid, but I would rather be paranoid than a child get a question mismarked.