New content for 2013 11+ test

[bukitlawang]

Just noticed AGS has posted new admissions criteria for 2014. It states that the test will consist of VR, numeracy and non-VR. Is this official new news?
Also the two 45 minute test scores will be added together and standardised.
Anybody got any more insight?
Don't know if this is good or bad, getting nervous

[Sally-Anne]

Yes, the cat is finally out of the bag. That is the official news, and primary Heads were told of it this morning.

I have every reason to believe that the test is being set by Durham CEM, as used in Birmingham, although I don't think that has been confirmed publicly. The description certainly tallies with that, and we know that several Bucks grammars are using the Durham CEM for their 12+ testing process next January.

There is more information about past test content for the CEM test here: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/school ... er-content" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Note that there are no past papers made available, and also that the pass mark for the test is considerably lower than the current Bucks VR test (over 90% on one paper this year) because the content is significantly more difficult.

Also, testing will take place in September, presumably to allow parents to receive the results before they complete the CAF, in accordance with the Admissions Code 2012.

[bukitlawang]

Thanks Sally-Anne is that the test that is supposedly untutorable?

[Sally-Anne]

Supposedly ...

[Marylou]

What it actually says is that the new exam "will comprise elements of verbal, numerical and non-verbal ability". It's tempting to interpret this as VR, numeracy and NVR, but am I right in thinking that "verbal ability" can also be tested by comprehension and cloze tests?

Also...whatever happened to the much-vaunted "consultation"? The statement on the AGS site looks fairly cut and dried to me...

[patricia]

http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/sites/bcc/sch ... -2014.page" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Patricia

[Sally-Anne]

Thank you for the link Patricia. From that we can glean the following key points:

2.2 The secondary school timeline has been adjusted to comply with the requirement in the admissions code to report the outcomes of any testing process to parents in advance of the preference deadline. Separate information will be given by the grammar schools regarding the selection testing process.

Secondary Scheme: The online portal will close at 3.00 pm (15.00 hours) on 31 October. All paper applications should be returned to the Admissions and Transport Team at County Hall, by 3.00pm on 31 October, if 31 October is at a weekend then the deadline will be at the same time on the next working day. If returning the forms to the child’s primary school (Buckinghamshire maintained schools only), this must be received by 3.00 pm on the last Friday before October half term. Applications received after the closing date will be late subject to paragraph 19 below.

Early October (tba) Grammar Schools publish outcomes of entry testing process

It's tempting to interpret this as VR, numeracy and NVR, but am I right in thinking that "verbal ability" can also be tested by comprehension and cloze tests?

It can indeed.

Also...whatever happened to the much-vaunted "consultation"? The statement on the AGS site looks fairly cut and dried to me...

The individual academies have to consult on their admission arrangements for a period of 8 weeks, ending no later than 1st March. If the testing arrangements are included in the consultation, then the public has the right to comment on them. Whether anything would change if a storm of protest were to break out, I am not so sure.

[pippi]

The changes to the appeal process and the testing process are both driven by cost.

Asuuming the rumours are correct, how much money are the grammar schools going to save by switching to CEM?

[ian35mm]

Hardly a suprise for a number of reasons.

Having taught in GS and Uppers schools in Bucks, if I were asked to devise a test that illustrated the difference between GS and Upper school Yr 7's, this format is pretty much exactly what I'd go for.

And (phew) exactly the scenario that a number of Yr 5's around my neck of the woods have been working towards for a term already. Any child that has been having professional tutoring should be working on some of these elements already.

'Untutorable'? (If that's a word.) Not at all.

More difficult? That's certainly to be welcomed as it will spread out the right hand side of the curve.

Adding the scores together? Absolutely.

Interesting times!

[Sally-Anne]

Asuuming the rumours are correct, how much money are the grammar schools going to save by switching to CEM?

Seeing what is happening elsewhere, with a number of schools/areas apparently switching to CEM, it wouldn't surprise me if their strategy has changed to one of high volume/ low cost. That would mean that any past pricing for the CEM could well be out of date, so only an FoI rquest for future pricing would reveal whether the test is cheaper to administer than the GL Assessment VR test.

There will certainly be a very considerable saving if the test is administered on a single day, as happens in Birmingham and other areas. OoC testing would be much cheaper and courier costs would be reduced by a third. (Deliver and collect, rather than collect twice.)

'Untutorable'? (If that's a word.) Not at all.

This is my only worry about the change, that we will see a significant increase in tutoring as parents try to prepare their children for the unknown.

Adding the scores together? Absolutely.

Yes, I agree. I have always found the Bucks system of a pass on only one paper slightly odd. Anyway, the two CEM papers are so different from each other that a single result would not be a valid test.