VR - abolition in Gloucestershire ?

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Sunshine 11
Posts: 247
Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 7:29 pm

VR - abolition in Gloucestershire ?

Post by Sunshine 11 »

I was shocked to hear that VR may be abolished in Gloucestershire. I have heard that a number of Grammar Schools have requested their students sit a "new test" to see how they get on purely for research. Has anyone else heard this ? do they know what the new content will be ? and which year it may be rolled out from ?

Sunshine 11 :?:
Sunshine 11
Que sera, sera
stroudydad
Posts: 2246
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:25 pm

Re: VR - abolition in Gloucestershire ?

Post by stroudydad »

Hi sunshine, there is a thread about this in gloucestershire forum. Year 7 pupils from each grammar sat the test mid January. It is being presumed that any change will be from the oct 2014 test.
Sunshine 11
Posts: 247
Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 7:29 pm

Re: VR - abolition in Gloucestershire ?

Post by Sunshine 11 »

Hi Stroudy Dad

Any chance you could point me there ? I am not very good at navigating, I can't find it, what is the subject title please ?

Thanks
Sunshine 11
Que sera, sera
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: VR - abolition in Gloucestershire ?

Post by yoyo123 »

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 16&t=30184" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
stroudydad
Posts: 2246
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:25 pm

Re: VR - abolition in Gloucestershire ?

Post by stroudydad »

Thanks Yoyo. I have never yet been able to post a link properly so don't bother trying anymore..:-)
Sunshine 11
Posts: 247
Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 7:29 pm

Re: VR - abolition in Gloucestershire ?

Post by Sunshine 11 »

Thanks guys, shock over. I just hope they announce one way or another soon. Having read about it, it is probably a better all round assessment. A shame my DD will be the first year who will sit it :?
Sunshine 11
Que sera, sera
littlebaker
Posts: 148
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2010 6:48 pm

Re: VR - abolition in Gloucestershire ?

Post by littlebaker »

We might be in the same boat with you Sunshine. Not sure whether it's putting me off or not but that might be down to not knowing what exam we face and feeling as if my hands are tied at the moment.
Stressed?Moi?
Posts: 1844
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 11:28 am

Re: VR - abolition in Gloucestershire ?

Post by Stressed?Moi? »

Us too and not sure if it's good or bad. My dd is smart but his handwriting is appalling and it would be such a shame if he were to miss out because of it but such is life. We're a fair way off so he may improve by then (although I've been saying that for years :lol: )

My dd is due to take her GCSE (O levelly things or whatever it is they are going to call it) in 2017 so she will be in a guinea pig year too. Going through the grammar process with her was bad enough - can't wait for this!

Sorry OP, back to subject.
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: VR - abolition in Gloucestershire ?

Post by capers123 »

Stressed?Moi? wrote:Us too and not sure if it's good or bad. My dd is smart but his handwriting is appalling
I'd be truly surprised if the quality of the handwriting was taken into account. Bad writing can be a sign of a fast bright brain but the muscles in the hand having trouble keeping up.

If the exam were going to be changed, I would expect the Admissions Policy for each school to reflect that. The policies for 2014 are out for consultation by the public at the moment. Some schools don't mention the type of the exam, others (I think) just mention a VR paper. Have a look either at the schools web sites or Glos CC to find them.

Finally, I think (my personal opinion) that the schools are always trying to find ways of minimising the 'tuition/tutoring for the test' effect. They want to select the brightest pupils rather than the 'brightest of those who have been tutored along with the few who were not tutored but were super-bright'. This seems entirely sensible and fair to me.
Capers
Stressed?Moi?
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Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 11:28 am

Re: VR - abolition in Gloucestershire ?

Post by Stressed?Moi? »

capers123 wrote:
Stressed?Moi? wrote:Us too and not sure if it's good or bad. My dd is smart but his handwriting is appalling
I'd be truly surprised if the quality of the handwriting was taken into account. Bad writing can be a sign of a fast bright brain but the muscles in the hand having trouble keeping up.

If the exam were going to be changed, I would expect the Admissions Policy for each school to reflect that. The policies for 2014 are out for consultation by the public at the moment. Some schools don't mention the type of the exam, others (I think) just mention a VR paper. Have a look either at the schools web sites or Glos CC to find them.

Finally, I think (my personal opinion) that the schools are always trying to find ways of minimising the 'tuition/tutoring for the test' effect. They want to select the brightest pupils rather than the 'brightest of those who have been tutored along with the few who were not tutored but were super-bright'. This seems entirely sensible and fair to me.
Absolutely agree. I think that VR alone will become a thing of the past and this may not necessarily be a bad thing as it seems quite restrictive. It has to be about taking in the brightest at the end of the day even if that means that our children don't pass. Hope you're correct about the handwriting Capers. This is what his teachers say; he is very bright and fast but his hands just don't work at the same speed - it's like he just wants to put into writing what is in his head, as quickly as possible, sadly with messy consequences. Not sure what to do as I don't want to interfere with his thought processes, but none of it is any good if an examiner can't read it. Ho hum.
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