Bancrofts exam - how did it go?

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bethany
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 1:00 am

Bancrofts exam - how did it go?

Post by bethany »

How does everyone who sat Bancrofts today feel that it went? My DD came out a little subdued as apparently in her group there was a group of Bancrofts Prep kids who were all bragging in the break between exams how easy it all was!

Despite me advising her before each exam to ignore all that kind of talk - there always seems to be a few braggers at these exams :roll: - I get the feeling that it has knocked her confidence a little bit today for some reason.

She wanted to get out quickly and barely spoke about the exam. :?
muffinmonster
Posts: 239
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 2:33 pm
Location: London

Re: Bancrofts exam - how did it go?

Post by muffinmonster »

My DS sat the exam today (afternoon session) and seemed reasonably happy. He finished the English paper and the main Maths paper - only had time to tackle three questions on the Maths section D. He was satisfied with how it went, but didn't regard it as exceptionally easy.

I suppose there are always those who will brag and show off, and the prep children were on their own turf so probably feeling rather overconfident. Sorry to hear that your daughter was put off by them, but at least it didn't take place until after the papers so I'm sure it won't have affected her performance.

I didn't know that Bancroft's prep children had to pass the exam to get a place in the senior school - or would they have been sitting the exam in the hope of getting scholarships?
bethany
Posts: 42
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 1:00 am

Re: Bancrofts exam - how did it go?

Post by bethany »

Thanks MM. Yes hopefully she wasn't too affected by it.. she did finish both papers, struggled a bit with some of the q's on the comprehension passage, found the poem fine and had a stab at a few of the section D questions on the Maths paper, so did her best I'm sure.

I have heard that this year is the first year that the prep school are sitting the entrance exam in order to keep their place at the school. Not sure how true this is, but I think in the past they have sat the papers internally, rather than with the external candidates, and that their results were used to assess Maths and English sets for Year 7. Although I'm sure that there are scholarship hopefuls amongst them.

Now it seems they are fighting for a place like the rest of us!

I also heard that this has meant that candidate numbers are up at other local indies as they are sitting these as an insurance in case they don't retain their place at Bancrofts. This is just a rumour though and I don't know how true it is?
muffinmonster
Posts: 239
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 2:33 pm
Location: London

Re: Bancrofts exam - how did it go?

Post by muffinmonster »

That's very interesting about the prep school pupils having to sit the exam. I'm sure you're right that it means more applicants to the other indies (Forest, Chigwell, City etc.) - if I was a Bancroft's prep parent I would certainly be hedging my bets.

I wonder if a certain number of places are allocated for new intake? Or whether they will perhaps take in more new pupils than in former years? That would be hard to take if you were a prep parent.
Nefertiti
Posts: 31
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2010 1:33 pm
Location: London

Re: Bancrofts exam - how did it go?

Post by Nefertiti »

Hi Bethany

My son also confirmed that some prep kids were boasting after maths which was annoying but I don't think it disturbed him too much. He said he tried his best to complete all papers on time. He did find the comprehension harder. Maths was fine. We'll have to wait and see.

Re Bancroft Kids having to take the exam, I thought only the ones considering the scholarship awards had to take the external exam like in other indies. I doubt they'll do it at 11+; this will jeopardise their finances even if there is still a big demand for places. I heard that some indies (including Bancroft, Forest) have refused existing student for their 6th Form if their GCSE results are not that great!

Good Luck
Nefertiti
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