Best materials for SW Herts Consortium?

[Long Journey]

Nice to meet you guys too. I am kind of ok about the tests being earlier, since we've had plenty of notice I prefer that it's over with soon! I wonder if they'll be giving out an overall rank for each child that sits the Consortium test, or if it is a mark. I don't know how useful either will be though, as we wouldn't know how many will apply for each school. Unless it's a fairly high mark/rank of course.

How are your children with checking their work after they've finished? Mine hates it, and just runs a cursory glance over everything. Most or all of her mistakes are careless errors in things like adding or such. It's really frustrating.

We're doing Bond and Athey now, will be moving on to the other recommendations gradually in the coming months.

[Hera]

I think I should have liked the extra couple of months purely because my DS is the youngest in his year and will only be 10 and a couple of weeks when he takes the test! However it will be good to get it over and done with before half-term and it is what it is. In the school meeting I had they suggested that the scores might take the format of bandings (a bit like Bushey Meads). I am not sure if this was speculation or if they had some concrete information.

Silly mistakes and an unwillingness to check is definately a problem for us to the point in a maths question he will get it right in the working out and even have the right answer but copy the number wrong into the answer. I thought it might be more a boy thing. Still time to work on that.

Which are your local consortium school and which ones will you both be trying for? We will probably be looking at Watford, Rickmansworth and Clement Danes.

[daisyduke]

gosh Bel we are similar, those are my local schools too! We're Catholic so I'll put Joan of Arc down as well if we are now allowed 4 schools, and if only 3 then I'll have to drop ClD or Ricky. We'll apply to Merchant Taylors as well just to make things really complex and stressy ! My DH went there so is keen for DS to apply.

Not checking the answers, oh yes, so familiar!

I only found out about the timetable changing v recently - our school hasn't given out any info, as it's a catholic primary they want us all to move onto Joan of Arc which doesn't have an exam to get in. I found out via tennis mums ! So I've no idea about how the scores might work - someone elsewhere on this site reckoned it might be a standardised score, with advice on what levels of scores had got into each school in previous years.

My son's a July baby but that helps a little I think, as scores are age-standardised, so the age effect should be evened out. That's what I've read anyway! Aren't these boards great, it's so nice not to be facing this alone!

[Long Journey]

Mine's a July baby as well. Our preferences are for WGGS and Parmiter's. Haven't yet thought of a third (or fourth), will work on that in the coming months .

[hairydog]

Hi everyone, can I join you for a bit of hand holding and mutual support for consortium exams? Ds is only eligible for Parmiters but I hope he will take both academic and music. I'm another one quite pleased that October half term won't be ruined worrying about exams (particularly as it's ds's birthday!) What preoccupies me is that ds is not that keen on Parmiters and would prefer St A boys or our nearest school, (Verulam). Sigh. I love Parmiters.

[daisyduke]

Hi Hairydog (great name!)
oh that's a tricky one isn't it. What will you put down as 2nd and 3rd then? I'm not so familiar with those schools. My DS prefers Merchant Taylors to Watford Grammar, but I don't think he understands the finances!

[hairydog]

Morning! There is no point in not putting Parmiters first since Verulam is our nearest state school and we would be very likely to get it if we put it first. Will put Verulam second and it would be fine as a back up as it has a new head and is rapidly improving. I am stuck for 3rd and 4th state school though as we are not near enough the good mixed St Albans comps. Not sure ds really understands the finances for St A either! Someone helpfully told him that if he did well enough in the exams we would not have to pay.....at least it's motivating him to practice papers.

[Hera]

Hello everyone. I have a quick question if anyone can help. I have not used the Bond practice books at all other than very recently the Bond How to do 11+ Maths which I have found quite useful. If I want to buy more Bond practice material for the Consortium Exams for Maths (or for Verbal reasoning for that matter) should I be buying the 10+-11+ books or the 11+-12+ books? Which would be equivalent to the standard required and also match the standard on their practice exam papers? Thanks.

[herty]

Start with the 10-11 - I think the 12+ was beyond 11+ but if they finish the earlier ones then move on!

The best papers for maths practice aren't Boond though - try the Letts/GL Assessment ones sold on this website as closest to the real exams - there are two packs - plus we tried the Dame Alice ones for a change (badly written though). If you want a challenge, the independent school ones (you can find these online) are much harder; we didn't bother with these as the level is harder than you need but if your dc enjoys maths or is trying for other non-Consortium schools then these would be good.

[Hera]

The best papers for maths practice aren't Boond though - try the Letts/GL Assessment ones sold on this website as closest to the real exams - there are two packs - plus we tried the Dame Alice ones for a change (badly written though).

Thanks. We have done some of the independent school ones because they are available and free, not because he needs them. I didn't realise that these are harder than he will need. I have got the first pack of Letts ones. He has only done one paper and only got 40 out of 50 which is why I have been doing the How To Do book and am looking for other stuff. I had always thought he would be ok with maths and now I am not so sure. Are the DAO ones quite similar to the consortium tests and would I have to go to the school to get them? Do you think I would be better not bothering with the Bond ones, or leaving them until last if we have time. Thanks