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This isn't right
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 8:39 pm
by mattsurf
DS heard from an old school friend. It transpires that the mock exam set by the tutor was the same as the exam for one of the Birmingham Grammar Schools. This is not right - every child from this tutor will pass, the whole system is a farce.
I think that this happend in Warwickshire a couple of years ago - Why do schools in the West Midlands recycle old papers? I can't express how annoyed I am
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 8:52 pm
by Ed's mum
Really? How sure are you? This seems shocking!
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 9:12 pm
by mattsurf
Ed's mum wrote:Really? How sure are you? This seems shocking!
Good question. Seems to be one entire paper plus several questions on the other papers. Clearly I am only hearing this from DS's friend, who sat the paper, however, he is pretty reliable and not prone to making things up as far as I know.
Is this type of thing common? if so it puts a whole new complection on the arguement whether to use a tutor or not!
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 11:13 pm
by KES Parent
Do you know which GS it was? Because there is one Birmingham school with Grammar in its name which can really hardly be called a grammar school in terms of its results etc. If it is this one it doesn't really matter. However, if it is one with a decent reputation then that is very shocking.
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 11:37 pm
by hermanmunster
presumably a boys or co-ed, that eliminates one of them I think?
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 11:53 pm
by mike1880
I imagine we can all guess that we're talking about a certain boys' grammar in the north of the city?
Mike
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 11:54 pm
by KES Parent
Well I have heard that anyone applying to a school that uses NFER papers would be well advised to get a tutor, as there are not many tutors that don't have more or less a complete set.
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 12:04 am
by KES Parent
mike1880 wrote:I imagine we can all guess that we're talking about a certain boys' grammar in the north of the city?
Mike
I had to go and find my A-Z before replying, but yes, I think you are right, Mike.
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 12:27 am
by mike1880
Tsk, use Google maps. The A-Z is so 20th century
.
Mike
Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 12:32 am
by mattsurf
KES Parent wrote:Well I have heard that anyone applying to a school that uses NFER papers would be well advised to get a tutor, as there are not many tutors that don't have more or less a complete set.
If this is the case, then this is a really serious problem. Some good grammar schools do use GL assessments (formerly NFER).
The school in question may not be the best GS in the LEA, however, its results are not so bad when compared with the alternatives. At a National level, I believe that it is within the top 250 schools.
Tutoring and preparing for the exam is one thing (which I am in favour of), having access to real papers is another thing altogether, if they are past papers which may be used again.
By the way, I am not suggesting any fault other than with the assessment authority, I cannot think that this is anything other than a coincidence; it doesn't make it any better though