11 Plus Exams Forum

My DD would be doing the Newstead exams this November and I think it will be a good idea to have a thread for us mums and dads.

As per previous years, probably it will be VR and NVR. Has any of the official dates been announced? I checked their website, it doesn’t say anything.

She isn’t going to any tutor at the moment and it’s all DIY, with help from some kind people in the forum and other friends. We will be doing the Kent exams also, so she is working on papers in Maths too.

It’s quite stressful and worrying at times and hopefully we all can support each other.

We've done ours so just posting to wish you luck. Newstead parents/prospective parents either don't read this forum or are extremely quiet, so you may not get many replies. Hopefully you will get more support from Kent parents.

Thanks bromley mum

Hopefully we will have more people coming to the forum in the next few months. The Newstead exam is one shrouded in a lot of mystery, I say

I suppose your DD would have taken the Kent tests too, as a OOC. Any particular advice relating to this

Hi Ang's Mum,
Yes, my DD did the kent as well as the Bexley exams. We did the Kent pracitse tests as well which were a really good idea as it helped her relax (and I managed to work out the route and how long it would take to get there). She did the Bond papers, Secondary selection and the Nfer papers, but hold off on the Nfer ones till the end as there are only 4 of these. If you have more questions just ask and I'll try my best to answer.

Practice exams?? ... I wasn't aware of them

When are they usually held and where ? Would it be at the same exam centre as the real ones in September ?

Thanks bromley mum.

Hi my DD will be taking the Newstead and Kent tests.
My DS took the Kent tests a couple of years ago (he's in year 7 now).
The practice tests are for out of county children. The practice tests my ds did were just nfer papers from the pack you can buy. They weren't marked.
They are the Saturday before the actual tests at the exam centre they will take the tests in- so they know where to go and are not worried on the day looking for toilets etc. However, they don't have to do them. You can sit the actual tests without having been to the practice day.
It is very useful for parents for timing journeys for the actual day. I think its an early start - register by 8.30?

It also helps them get used to coping with doing them in one sitting (although I don't think the practice day includes the english writing paper) - the actual tests are all done on the following saturday morning, whereas I think in county children take the tests over two days.

Thanks Billie

So for the practice exam, you just need to turn up at your centre on the Saturday before. Is there no prior registration required ?

How are you coping with the preparations ? I have a feeling we will run out of materials for NVR in no time (not touching the Nfer ones till August)

There has been so many views..Come on Newstead parents..open up

One daughter took the Newstead test, 5 points away. She practised with the NFER 4 packs, and a term of Verbal and Non-Verbal at the Ashgrove School, Bromley. Doing very well at alternative all girls state school, Gifted and Talented and sporty - loving it.
Second daughter, found this web-site and one called "**********." Practised NFER papers, Susan Daughtey (not too sure if spelling correct but is often mentioned on this site), and 10min IPS papers. A term of hour sessions Verbal and Non-Verbal, once a week also at the Ashgrove. We played card games (I bought these from web-site, fun way of playing games whilst learning more words and meanings for verbal reasoning. She sat the Bexley 11+, a good pass but not in top 180. She scored high enough to get into Newstead.
I know one is "in" and one is "out" but they are different girls and excel in different areas. Both are happy and would thrive wherever.

For the Kent tests, you need to register with kent CC (look at their website) in the summer term - dates not known yet, but usually by beg/mid July. Kent then allocate your dd a test centre. You will get a letter by very early September with all the details.

We haven't done much NVR yet - trying to get to know the verbal types at the moment!

Do be careful with the Kent application, it's the first one in and nearly caught us out. I think the deadline this year was early July - but do check. Doing the Kent test is really good practice for the Newstead test if that is where you are aiming, as it is much harder work and after that the Newstead test is much more familiar. Good to check out that she's familiar with the MCQ sheets, happy with her pencil etc! Newstead applications are much later. Good luck, I'm glad this thread is up and running because last year everyone kept very quiet