Lots of tears...

tired_dad_2008 · Post by **tired_dad_2008** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 6:08 pm

My son, who is very good at VR and pretty good at NV (last scores on the NFER practise tests were 94% and 82% respectively under exam conditions) said that today's tests were VERY hard. He ran out of time on each section of NV with 3 or 4 to go and he found a whole section of the VR impossible. He may exaggerate slightly but lots of the kids seemed to be in tears at the end of the day, including those whom one would expect to score well. Teachers said that there had been more tears at breaktime. I told him that everyone would have found it hard so he shouldn't worry. Hope that is true...

Did anyone else find a general feeling of "harder than expected" about today's exams?

TD

twmum · Post by **twmum** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 6:40 pm

Similar experience for our DD.Lots of tears during and after the VR which is normally her strongest subject.Quite a few questions left out on both papers and very pressed for time as well.Fingers crossed for tomorrow!

tonbridgemum · Post by **tonbridgemum** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 8:28 pm

Same here.NVR is my sons strongest subject and he said it was really hard and he didnt finish.The VR was also tough with lots of codes whichwere time consuming.He ran out of time on both papers. One of thelast things i said to him was to remember to try to put an answe in every box...but he said he didnt have time.
Dont know what advice to give for the maths tomorrow....He even suggested he put a random answer in the bottom row before he even did the rest of the paper,bless him..! I think he's missed the point..

reddebs · Post by **reddebs** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 8:37 pm

How many questions were in the NV paper? and how much time per section? I have been teaching to 10 minute per section but maybe I have been too generous.

twellsmum · Post by **twellsmum** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:13 pm

My DD said that it was quite hard and there was a weird type of question she had not come across before. I can't remember now whether that was in VR or NVR as also had three other children trying to talk to me at the same time (no, make that two others and one singing his harvest festival song at the top of his voice - aaaagh!). She said that her teachers said that some of the NVR questions were a bit

.

Her poor friend missed out 15 questions by mistake and was absolutely devastated. This was in teh first paper. They managed to calm her down in teh break so hopefully this did not affect her in teh second paper. Other than that most of the other children came out this afternoon looking relieved that they were half way (and some were planning ceremonial bonfires of VR and NVR papers!).

Belinda · Post by **Belinda** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:30 pm

twellsmum · Post by **twellsmum** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:35 pm

Thanks Belinda for being the calming voice of experience!

A friend and I both have four children (her eldest is nine weeks older than mine and her youngest is eight weeks older than mine!) and this is the first time for both of us. We said that by the time our youngest are doing it we will be "Oh ... is it the 11+ tomorrow?!". Dream on!

tonbridgemum · Post by **tonbridgemum** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:54 pm

Yes,thanks Belinda - any calming words are appreciated at this time!!

Belinda · Post by **Belinda** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:57 pm

Belinda · Post by **Belinda** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:07 pm