Language aptitude tests

[Nou]

I just wondered whether anyone had experience of the language aptitude test - I am thinking particularly of Greycoats Hospital School in Victoria in London which awards 15 places on this basis. We do not go to church or live very near so don't have a hope of getting into that school otherwise. Is there anything you can do to prepare for the test or does it really just test language learning potential? What is involved? My daughter will be applying to schools next year, she studies languages at her primary school and seems to enjoy them. Her teacher thinks she has a talent for languages, but I have no idea whether she has natural "aptitude" or not, and don't want to put her through the stress if she hasn't got much hope!

[Guest]

Here is an example for of a test for 18 year olds used for entrance to read Classics at Oxford University:

http://www.rhul.ac.uk/classics/CUCD/test.html

For your child it will be a simplier version of this.

[KE Mum]

My daughter sat one of these last November and we were rather stuck as to what would be in it. She found it very easy to do and it consisted of items such as proof reading and spelling - hard words such as miscellaneous. If I were doing it again I would look at English items such as those found in the First Aid for English. They also had to try to decipher pieces of what looked like a foreign language, but was actually made up. They had to try to read items in this made up language, based on certain words that were given to them. We didn't do any particular preparation, but she was geared up for the 11+ at another school - so what more could we do!

If you want any more info, just ask.