Bond tests - harder than Nfer

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Here we go again
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2008 10:20 am

Post by Here we go again »

Thanks for all the replies. Well, daughter who scored 80% in Bond Test Papers has just done the first 3 IPS papers and has scored high 90's so the IPS's are definitely easier than the Bond Tests. Will see how she does with the NFER. We've got about 8 weeks to go so will give her 1 a week and work through any she has difficulties with and then maybe she can do them all a second time (depending on how she does). Hopefully should give her confidience.
BTW I was referring earlier to the Bond pack of 4 tests. We haven't bothered with the fifth books as I was always told fourth were the level for 11+ (in our area at least).
When my son took the 11+ 3 years ago he also thought the actual test he took was slightly easier than the NFER shop bought.
(Thanks for the info on your students, fm; makes me feel happier about her scores with the Bonds.)
fm

Post by fm »

To Perplexed,

It was the pack of 4 Bond test papers and not the books.

While the new fifth and the old fifth have questions in common, I thought the new 5th was harder. I had some copies of the older 5th left and I gave these to my weaker students because I felt the new edition might be a little too demanding.
medwaymum
Posts: 827
Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2007 6:45 pm
Location: Medway & Kent

Post by medwaymum »

Just my two penneth: my dd found the 4 Bond papers easier as she scored higher in all of them than any of the NFER ones she did.
If I remember correctly, the reason she gave was that she felt the NFER started off easy and got harder and she felt like towards the end of the paper she wouldn't even be able to attempt them as they were too hard!
However with Bond she felt that the difficulty was more 'mixed up' so she would have a good 'go' at all of them.
fm

Post by fm »

That is interesting. I honestly have never had a student do better in the Bond papers than NFER. In what order did she do them?
jnadams2
Posts: 46
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2008 1:41 pm
Location: Gravesend Kent

Post by jnadams2 »

My DD also scored higher on the Bond Test Papers. I only gave her 1 Nfer paper just before she took the 11+ and she found it a lot harder. She sat one of them as her practice test at school and came home completely freaked out!! My DD's tutor also believes Bond is harder! Interesting??

She was scoring 80% and over on Bond, over 90% on IPS but only high 60% on Nfer??
medwaymum
Posts: 827
Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2007 6:45 pm
Location: Medway & Kent

Post by medwaymum »

Yes same with my daughter. between 60 - 75% on nfer, but in the 80's% for Bond.
Sometimes I think they just like the 'layout' more of one type? Definitely a good reason to do several different types so they are more used to a varied layout and not put off by something that just looks unusual.
meagain
Posts: 43
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2008 12:15 pm

Post by meagain »

Just to report back, daughter has now completed 3 Nfer maths and has scored 88% 84% and 90%. These scores are higher than she scored for Bond but on reflection I guess it makes a difference that she did the Bond some weeks before the Nfers. Nothing scientific here but I'm atleast glad she's seem to be improving.

AKA Here we go again (had to re-register!)
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