end of yr 5 scores an indication?

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

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menagerie
Posts: 577
Joined: Thu May 26, 2011 9:37 pm

end of yr 5 scores an indication?

Post by menagerie »

Hi,

Just had end of year reports. 5cs and a 4a. Not quite as high as hoped.

Given that it's 6 months until indie exams, and summer born children get some standardisation in some of the exams, are these marks on target, or do we need to put in more time outside school? We are looking at strong academic indies. Tutor test papers are regularly in the 90s, but these school marks seem far less secure.
Waiting_For_Godot
Posts: 1446
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:57 pm

Re: end of yr 5 scores an indication?

Post by Waiting_For_Godot »

I wouldn't worry about the school marks and focus on the exam marks. Just make sure the papers your DC is practicing do vary and are not all from one company. These scores are very good for a Y5 pupil though. Well done to DC. :)
Yummiemummie
Posts: 160
Joined: Mon May 23, 2011 9:02 pm

Re: end of yr 5 scores an indication?

Post by Yummiemummie »

Are you able to get past papers for the schools you are interested in? The academic inde my DS applied to provided these on their website.
I don't believe there was any age standardisation though for my summer born DS. There is certainly no allowance for age once they are in secondary, you just have to get on with it!
I wouldnt get too hooked on SATs results. personally I'd focus on preparing for the particular exams your child is taking which may mean a bit of studying between now and the exam date. I agree with the previous poster that those yr 5 SATS results seem fine, but the papers my son ended up taking for an academic inde were seriously challenging! I wonder if there was some allowance for the fact that he came from a state primary rather than a leading prep school.....
Waiting_For_Godot
Posts: 1446
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:57 pm

Re: end of yr 5 scores an indication?

Post by Waiting_For_Godot »

I think many schools take into consideration where a child has been at school.
menagerie
Posts: 577
Joined: Thu May 26, 2011 9:37 pm

Re: end of yr 5 scores an indication?

Post by menagerie »

WFG, do they? How can they? I thought they just picked the children with the highest scores. It would be a little reassuring to know they take into account that the children went to a local state primary.

Ironically it's the VR and NVR, which have never been covered at their laid back primary, that both DC score so highly on - always in the 90s. The maths and comprehension are less certain, particularly under time pressure.

Hmm. I had to judge the short story and poetry entries in a local schools competition recently. I judged on imagination and individuality. Most of the prizewinners turned out to be from indie preps. The ones from local state schools were, in comparison, uniform and safe, for want of a better word. Fewer attempts to take risks with ideas and vocab. I really can't wait for my DC to move into selective education.
Waiting_For_Godot
Posts: 1446
Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:57 pm

Re: end of yr 5 scores an indication?

Post by Waiting_For_Godot »

They do! DS has been offered places at very selective 11+ schools inspite of having very low scores. They could see he hadn't been tutored, impressed during interview, had come from a rubbish independent school and had other things to offer. Siblings also often get in when they are not up to the mark either. Selective indepepndent schools are not that academically selective when you delve deeper into the admissions process but a child has to be able to offer something else to a high level, or in an area that the school needs, for them to make allowances for the test marks.

Don't know if that makes you feel better or worse! :shock:
menagerie
Posts: 577
Joined: Thu May 26, 2011 9:37 pm

Re: end of yr 5 scores an indication?

Post by menagerie »

That makes me feel so much better, especially for DS2. DS1 is quite a high flyer, but DS2 is very dreamy and a late developer.
Doblinski
Posts: 235
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:21 pm

Re: end of yr 5 scores an indication?

Post by Doblinski »

This is an interesting topic Menagerie. DD scored a 5B in year 6 SATs (not sure of year 5 ones) and passed the Tiffin girls exam. But her two good mates - both 5A's and on paper even better candidates did not pass the Tiffin exam. One went onto win a place at an excellent inde and the other went to an outstanding comp - all thriving. So the SATs seem to be a guide rather than a predictor of who'll get in where (acutally it made me wonder how good this particular exam was at filtering out the brightest students - clearly it seemed to miss two fab ones here - guess that's the luck of the draw :? )
Daogroupie
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Location: Herts

Re: end of yr 5 scores an indication?

Post by Daogroupie »

Maths is Maths, it is either right and wrong and there is a limit to what can be expected of a ten year old, but I don't think the local state school prepares students for VR and NVR and the type of creative writing expected from certain entrance exams. State schools are judged by their sats results so it is unsurprising that teachers are focused on sats and not on the skills required for secondary school entrance exams. DG
Doblinski
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Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:21 pm

Re: end of yr 5 scores an indication?

Post by Doblinski »

I agree Daogroupie, DCs primary has never done anyting resembling prep for a grammar place, but year 6 is all about cramming for the SATs, they do little else. Sorry to go off-point Menagerie, but gotta add, that when DD got into GS the Head went out of her way to avoid saying anything to DD or to us as a family - it went unacknowledged. I'm amazed - surely the school takes some credit for getting DCs into GSs?!!
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