Hello - a pointer please

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Jen'smum
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 12:31 pm
Location: Gloucester

Hello - a pointer please

Post by Jen'smum »

Hello. I am so glad I have just found this site! Its really refreshing that people are pooling information and offering guidance, as I feel I am just thrashing around in the dark. Only 1 or 2 children a year from her primary go on to Grammar school and I don't know who to ask. My dd has decided she would like to try for Denmark Road, our local Grammar school. I have recently bought some past papers from this site (tutors and walsh) and she has had a go at some. But I can't work out how her raw scores (ranging from 68 to 77 out of 80 depending on which paper and when you catch her!) translate into standardised scores being quoted. I understand the standardised scores vary from school to school, but I'm trying to establish if these sorts of scores (I know nerves etc will kick in on the day and may play a part) are there or there about. My dd has started practice papers and is asking me "might I get in to Denmark Road with this score?" and I don't have an answer or even a clue whar sort of raw score may be needed for Denmark Road! She is a summer child - can anyone help?
Thanks
Bring me sunshine ....
ziggy13
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 4:03 pm
Location: Gloucester

Post by ziggy13 »

Hi Jen's mum

Im a first-timer this year too and it is baffling - but I have found this site invaluable so far. As far as I can work it out - its impossible to find out the standardised scoring exactly. All I know is points are added on the younger your child is.

No-one can know if our children will get a place in a grammar school because it depends on so many factors, for example how many children are sitting the exam, what the scores are for all these children and how the scores are then standardised. Its impossible to know anything except that there are x amount of grammar school places, and when all the childrens results are in, the top x will get those places.

I think all we can do is encourage our children to practise the questions. If they understand how to do the different questions types, they have a chance of passing the papers. If they can't get their heads round how to do the questions, maybe they would struggle in a grammar school and not be happy there, yet thrive in a good comp - and Glos has several of these.

I would love my DS to get into a grammar because I think he would enjoy the style of learning and thrive in that environment. But if I know he has prepared as well as he can for the test but doesn't pass, I shall be happy for him to go to a comp as Im sure he will do extremely well there too. My DS used the Bond books first of all. I gave him his first 'proper' practice paper four weeks ago - the Nelson NFER (with the giraffe on the cover). He does one a week. This week I started him on the Susan Daughty 'Bright Sparks' practice papers (four in a pack). And I have also got a pack of four Bond practice papers for him - Im not sure how anyone rates these, but the other two have been widely recommended on this forum. Hope this helps.

Ziggy
Burneth
Posts: 903
Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2007 6:20 pm
Location: On another planet called Gloucester!

Post by Burneth »

Hi Jen'sMum and welcome to the madness!

From the scores your DD is achieving it sounds like she is well within the ability for a grammar school so as ziggy has said, just keep up with the encouragement and practice. I believe Denmark Road is slightly more difficult to gain a place than Ribston Hall, so it may be worth considering the latter as a possible option as well.

My DS was getting those sort of scores in the practice papers, and he is now in year 7 of Crypt and enjoying every minute!

Good luck and keep in touch


B
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[img]http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/d/4;51;459/st/20080902/e/DS%27s+1st+day+at+senior/k/f5bf/event.png[/img]

PS I am Burneth and I am a lady....!
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Post by capers123 »

One practice method that I've heard, using the NFER papers, is to do 2 of them back-to-back (with a 15 min break with drink & biscuits between them). This can help build up expectations of what the actual test may be like.
Capers
gloucestermum
Posts: 739
Joined: Sat Feb 03, 2007 5:14 pm
Location: Gloucester

Post by gloucestermum »

One practice method that I've heard, using the NFER papers, is to do 2 of them back-to-back (with a 15 min break with drink & biscuits between them). This can help build up expectations of what the actual test may be like
A very good point Capers-and one that is often forgotten.It is very difficult for the children to achieve this when they are used to only doing 1 paper at a time,I know my DS struggled to keep the concentration going on the day.

Regarding the practice marks-I know DS was getting roughly 85-90% at home then just managed a pass for Crypt,so underachieved on the day.I think the 2 papers back to back had a big affect on this.
Tolstoy
Posts: 2755
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:25 pm

Post by Tolstoy »

I have been giving my son the tests back to back once a week in preparation. It seemed the sensible thing to do if that is how it will be on the day but it is time consuming. I also try to make one harder than the other but find it hard to pitch the difficulty levels of the papers, hence my previous posts on the subject.

Gloucsetermum can I ask if your son worked up to getting those sort of scores or was he getting them with the first papers he did, as it suprises me that he only just got in?
gloucestermum
Posts: 739
Joined: Sat Feb 03, 2007 5:14 pm
Location: Gloucester

Post by gloucestermum »

Tolstoy,
The first full papers he did he was getting approx 70%,by just before the test he was getting 85-90%.However he has always suffered from nerves in any test he does,such as SATS,CATS etc-he always underperforms against teacher assessments! So it wasn't a surprise to us that he just got in.
Tolstoy
Posts: 2755
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:25 pm

Post by Tolstoy »

Very frustrating but at least you were prepared and thankfully he did get his place.

Relieved to know he was getting 70's initially. Having read a fair few posts now was beginning to despair of my own DS's chances, nerves or no.

Lets face it, all things being equal, those are the sort of percentages that should be achieving a Grammar place! Oh, t'was in my day anyway and do I feel old now??
Jen'smum
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 12:31 pm
Location: Gloucester

Thanks

Post by Jen'smum »

Thanks to everyone for the welcome and the tips. 2 tests back to back sounds like a great idea - will definately let dd have a go at that before the test in Nov.

Not an easy time is it? Am quite glad that dd only recently mentionned an interest in doing the test for Denmark Road - less time to get stresed - a few months lead up and I would be a wreck!

Thanks again.
Bring me sunshine ....
Glos_Mum
Posts: 660
Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 11:05 pm

Post by Glos_Mum »

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Last edited by Glos_Mum on Sat Aug 22, 2015 1:48 am, edited 2 times in total.
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