Kent test September 2014 takers

[kentmum2011]

Fatbananas, glad your DS seems more positive now

Luckily DS seems quite keen having seen his sister and friends' older brothers and sisters go through the whole thing two years ago. He's just working through the Bond books for now as that's what we had, I'm waiting to see what the new format will be before buying any more material. He also loves reading so I'm just trying to encourage a wide range of books although he prefers to stick to things he knows he'll like. He's loving Percy Jackson at the minute and learning all about Greek gods in the process!

[hopefulwoman]

Quick question - what levels of the bond books are you currently working on - for Maths?

[scarlett]

My DD is on the 9-10 but is getting most questions right so I was going to move on to the next ones. However, as it's still early in the year and my boys didn't go onto those ones for another six months ( a friend who scored top marks didn't get past the 9-10..but maybe she was a child genius ), I have decided to get some different maths books and consolidate. Also increase her mental maths and speed. DD has been buying items from shops and telling me how late I am to the milli second since the age of 3, so I'm not worried too much about the maths. Just her English. what are we all doing literacy wise?

[hopefulwoman]

Thank you- My DD is also on 9 - 10. I am using bond English for the comprehension and trying to encourage reading. Are you thinking of tutoring at this stage

[scarlett]

I didn't use a tutor with my two older ones who luckily both passed. I just didn't want to spend all that money and then if they didn't pass I would be wondering if I should have just done it myself. I'm a bit of a control freak. I think once you know what to do, get all the relevant books then it's not hard. Of course, some people feel their children work better without them so a tutor would help there. I just tie mine to a chair.

[mystery]

Mine needs more than just tying down Scarlett. Can you supply something else from work?

Year 5 child is doing Bond Assessment papers in maths ages 9 -10, and Schofield and Sims mental arithmetic book 4. It's speed that seems to be the issue to me ------- plus STUPID mistakes. It's no fun here when the books come out. Even the spiders run for it.

Floundering a bit with English until know whether we are CEM or GL. She enjoys reading every day but then I take a look at those GL assessment and CEM vocab lists they do on this website and think "yikes". Had a dabble at some of those GL VR thingies the other day just in case -- and nearly died at how long she took. Great things emerged - those questions where you have to jam together two bits to make a whole new words - "insalt". "Well Mummy, insult is a word isn't it but what does it mean?" Had to resist giving a few insulting answers to that one.

Don't think I am cut out for this. It's much easier working with other people's children.

Have tried a tutor for a few lessons for some light relief -- but the tutor comes up with weird tricks in maths that are not quite correct and need relearning. Aaagh.

[scarlett]

Hi Mystery unfortunately we're not allowed to restrain children at work so I can't supply anything more then a crepe bandage..maybe a long piece of oxygen tubing thrown in for good measure. My DD also could start a whole new language with the words she comes out with. Although, I wouldn't want her to suppress her great use of words completely. I had a great chuckle when she told dh his hair wasn't looking opaque anymore.

What gl vr thingies do you mean?

[mystery]

It was a Walsh Verbal Reasoning paper age 9-10 which the "insalt" emerged from. Took her about 5 hours including mistakes and some help. Well that was how it felt - like an insult to my brain. So hoping it is C E M now and that somehow I'll manage a brain injection of speed and vocabulary between now and next September (for her not me)! Do you do those?

[themadcatlady]

Can I ask how often you are doing workbooks with your DC, for example the bond books?

We are doing 2 a week at the moment of the Bond assessment type books. I don't want to overload DS or make him switch of, so this seems a reasonably happy medium at the mo. We have recently moved up to the Bond Maths 10-11, but I have been sitting with DS and helping where necessary on any new material, for example ratios. That needed some head scratching on my part before I could help though!

Also has any one done any practice papers yet? Or are you saving those for later in the year / when (if?) we have more of an idea of what will be included?!

[Brenda Jean]

Our DS will be a 2014 test taker, so am just saying ‘hello’ to everyone and good luck for the stressful times that lie ahead.
It all seems so uncertain since my other DS went through this a couple of years ago – so much so that I just don’t know what to start first! Up until now we have just been following the bond route – but all this potential new material to get your head round is a little scary!!