11 Plus Exams Forum

Hello

I have on more than one occassion across the forum come across statements made with regards to difficulty of papers by different publishers. And that Bright Sparks by SD and the GL Assessment papers are closest to the real thing...

But how...what differs here? Is it the vocab which is harder or certain question types which are more difficult ? or is it just the general level overall.

I have looked at various papers such as the tutors, IPS and various online material but cannot see anything that drastic apart from some of the vocab ??

Would appreciate if someone could shed some light on this.

Hi Manny,
I have been waiting for someone to reply - as our DS are doing roughly same papers at same time....I agree that I am not finding any step up in difficulty in Tutors from IPS. In fact, as timing was our issue, Tutors are proving easier.

I just found a post from Sally Anne on the Essex site about this which also mentions two other companies: Learning labs and Lucky Gecko which she has slotted into the conventional ladder. Oh joy! More to do!!

Best wishes, toolate
PS. Hadn't know that Walsh weren't to be done independently - phew - that saved me some tears.

POST FROM SALLY ANNE PASTED BELOW:
Both (LL & LG) are appropriate for Essex because they cover the 21 GL Assessment question types. All materials recommended for Bucks are appropriate for Essex.

Lucky Gecko are a small tutoring company whose papers are not yet in our bookshop, but there is a free sample paper available to download from our website here: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/free-1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... -reasoning I requested samples of their materials recently and they are of a very good standard.

In ascending order of difficulty:

IPS
Letts
Learning Labs
Lucky Gecko
Susan Daughtrey
GL Assessment

Walsh should not be attempted independently because they are too hard.

Sally-Anne

toolate wrote:Hi Manny,
I have been waiting for someone to reply - as our DS are doing roughly same papers at same time....I agree that I am not finding any step up in difficulty in Tutors from IPS. In fact, as timing was our issue, Tutors are proving easier.

I just found a post from Sally Anne on the Essex site about this which also mentions two other companies: Learning labs and Lucky Gecko which she has slotted into the conventional ladder. Oh joy! More to do!!

Best wishes, toolate
PS. Hadn't know that Walsh weren't to be done independently - phew - that saved me some tears.

POST FROM SALLY ANNE PASTED BELOW:
Both (LL & LG) are appropriate for Essex because they cover the 21 GL Assessment question types. All materials recommended for Bucks are appropriate for Essex.

Lucky Gecko are a small tutoring company whose papers are not yet in our bookshop, but there is a free sample paper available to download from our website here: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/free-1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... -reasoning I requested samples of their materials recently and they are of a very good standard.

In ascending order of difficulty:

IPS
Letts
Learning Labs
Lucky Gecko
Susan Daughtrey
GL Assessment

Walsh should not be attempted independently because they are too hard.

Sally-Anne

I can't get that link to work and can't find it via a search. Can someone kindly point me in the right direction for the Lucky Gecko sample paper please?

Many thanks

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/assets ... per%20.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Reading Mum wrote:http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/assets ... per%20.pdf

That's fantastic; thank you so much!

no problem - anything to avoid doing any real work

It might depend on the area you are in but I used Walsh independently with DS. Some of them are quite hard but the real thing (harder paper) was as difficult according to DS. This is for Gloucestershire. I have the pink, blue and yellow zebra Walsh papers. The age 9-10 papers (with a leopard cover) are harder than I would expect for a 9 year old but ok to do together.

The harder paper in last October's test in Glos. was more challenging than any resources generally available save for the Walsh papers.

Particularly mean of the 'powers that be' to give as paper 1 too. Very few finished and the poor little souls were led to believe that paper 2 was to be even harder.

Still, same for everyone, I guess.

HI I had a questions about the walsh papers. I have the zebra stripe books blue yellow and i think pink. What does -shoudl not be done independently mean? does it mean the child not doing on his own or does it mean to attempt with a tutor??
We are sitting bucks and I have been doing these papers with my son at home.
Many thanks

I took this to mean that you do it sitting down, with your child ie. rather than the easier papers where you set a timer and try to get your child to do them on their own in the time allowed.