Birmingham & Warwickshire Tests

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Brum Mum
Posts: 604
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 6:27 pm

Birmingham & Warwickshire Tests

Post by Brum Mum »

Hi again,

Just a thought really, are the Birmingham and Warwickshire tests fundamentally the same? (I realise that they are not likely to be identical, but do they follow the same criteria)? If that makes sense?

Is there any value, do you think to doing both - I know some people use them for experience or will it just add stress?

Sorry for all the questions! :oops:

BM
Okanagan
Posts: 1706
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:20 pm
Location: Warwickshire

Re: Birmingham & Warwickshire Tests

Post by Okanagan »

While they can, and do, change format a bit form year to year with no advance notice, the fundamental style of questions, the layout, and the way they are administered in timed sections, with a mix of subjects on each paper, are similar.

One difference is the way they are scored. Warwickshire gives equal weighting to NVR, Verbal reasoning (aka English) and Numerical Reasoning (aka Maths). Birmingham has only two scores - with Verbal reasoning (aka English) accounting for 50% of the overal mark and Numerical Reasoning (aka Maths) and NVR combined to give the other 50%. If you have a child whose strengths are in language then they may be favoured by the Birmingham marking scheme, whereas a strong mathematician/logician may be favoured by Warwickshire.

Many people do take both - some because their location means that either is a real possibility, as an insurance against not getting the one they want, or, indeed, using one as a free "mock" for the other. Only you will know whether your particular child is likely to be stressed by the process - but if you've got one who isn't easily wound up, or one who is motivated by competition, especially if the first exam they do isn't the one you're really aiming for, and the child knows that it's really only a practice run, then it probably wouldn't put undue pressure on them. The second exam would probably also be less stressful as a repeat performance than as an unknown quantity.
Brum Mum
Posts: 604
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 6:27 pm

Re: Birmingham & Warwickshire Tests

Post by Brum Mum »

Thanks again for the advice - very much appreciated!
nervousmom
Posts: 1687
Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2012 9:38 am
Location: Warwickshire

Re: Birmingham & Warwickshire Tests

Post by nervousmom »

Hi, due to our location, our DS took both Bham and warks exam. He found warks exam the easier of the two.

He did well in both and chose KEFW as his first choice
Brum Mum
Posts: 604
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 6:27 pm

Re: Birmingham & Warwickshire Tests

Post by Brum Mum »

Thanks NervousMom - that's good to know.
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