Old GL versus new GL papers.

[wardie]

We have been doing the new GL papers with unimpressive results.

When we ran out of those I used the old GL papers. Wow ... a marked improvement.

I would suggest anyone thinking of embarking on the new papers at this late stage to use caution unless you want the hardest papers available.

I only have one week left to do papers (as i agreed with my DD to stop at the end of the hols) so I am hoping to finish on a high. To be honest even if she doesn't she will think she has - IYKWIM

[rosietoes]

I thought I was alone in thinking that the new GL papers were harder - particularly some of the maths questions. DD scores vary from 95% to 60% depending on whether the paper is a new or old one!

Worried now that the papers on the day will be more akin to the new rather than the old.

[scarlett]

Yes, I'm wondering that too, Rosietoes ( I like your name..I'm picturing a beautiful, chubby cheeked baby ! )

Why are they suddenly harder ?

[rosietoes]

Hi Scarlett,

Thank you for your comment - unfortunately, the name has nothing to do with anything so cute as babies, more like the dog's nickname!!!!!

Not sure why these papers are harder. Maybe the people who set the Kent Test feel that papers going forward need to be more difficult, to reduce the number of passes/top scores? I'm new to this, so maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree totally! It would be really interesting to have some feedback from parents whose older children have sat the test in previous years, as to whether they also feel that this batch of papers are more tricky?

It worries me that DD may panic in exam if questions are even more difficult than Papers 5-8. Not sure whether these practice papers are really indicitive of actual standard/difficulty level the children will face?

Does anyone know, for the practice test on 10th Sept for ooc children - are the papers sat then always the same ones, or the same level of difficulty as the actual test itself?

[dunemigrating]

Thank Goodness for that!!!!!!!! I thought I was alone in achieving in the 60% range. I haven't looked at the old papers so I couldn't compare. I just thought we were having big problems. I had got to the stage of thinking what will be, will be.
I'm with you wardie, a few tweeks here and there to help confidence is important now at this late stage.
This forum can really lift you sometimes.

[vasu]

I should probably find this through search engine.......but sooooo lazy!

Does the NEFER Nelson1-4 have, exactly the same questions as GL assessment 1-4? .

[bulu]

I was surprised by the difficulty of the new gl-assessment papers too so I emailed Kent CC about it, not really expecting much of a reply.

They were really helpful and said that the new gl papers were not a reflection of the Kent test, and that they specify to gl-assessment that the test should be based on KS2 of the National Curriculum. Also, they ask that the test takes into account the fact that much of the consolidation and development work that takes place in year 6 has not yet happened.

They also ask for 'a small number of more challenging questions to keep the most able mathematicians engaged'.

My theory is that gl-assessment want to take on Bond who must have the lion's share of a lucrative market, and so the material must be suitable for all counties, including those areas where selection tests are taken later in year 6.

This would also explain the inclusion of HIKNOS in the new VR papers.

[Sally-Anne]

A very interesting insight into the Kent test, bulu - thanks for posting that.

My theory is that gl-assessment want to take on Bond

Close, but not quite! It is more about competition between GL Assessment and Letts - more explanation of that here: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/advice ... -and-letts" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (Point 5 is now out of date, of course, because GL have now published these additional papers.)

The new papers are tougher for several reasons: papers 5 & 8 have four Type Z questions on them (the long-winded ones), whereas real papers only feature two; some of the Type Zs on all four papers are particularly tough because they ask which statement that cannot be true, which creates double negatives on occasions and they are quite difficult to get your mind around; some of the maths brackets questions require three operations instead of two.

People should also note that the first pack of papers still contains 85 questions (at least those I have seen recently did), whereas the second pack is only 80 questions. Also, Pack 1 does not contain HIKNOS, whereas Pack 2 does (as Bulu mentioned above).

[mystery]

Really helpful points when my time comes. I think it also shows that it's dangerously stressful to treat the percentage your child gets at home as significant. I think it's much better to view all these test papers as a chance to practice lots of different types of questions and see on what sort of thing the child needs more teaching or practice. It's demoralising to the parent and child if you consider the be and end all of preparation to be raising the percentage correct in the "practice" papers. And listening to percentages that other children got at home is pointless too. Certainly you don't need a very high percentage correct to pass in Kent so why all this stress on getting 80% or more that people seem to have?

[scarlett]

I can only speak for myself, Mystery...but I think it's because you just don't know how your child will perform on the day and so I suppose a consistent higher score at home means you can relax and if they make silly mistakes or panic then hopefully they will still get a decent mark and pass !