What was your child getting in practise papers?

[Wolves mum]

Hi, I'm new on here
I'm just wondering if your child passed the exam for Adams grammar or QM, what scores were they getting in their practise papers?

I'm. It sure if my DS is doing ok or if I should be realistic and have a back up plan .

[DIY Mum]

There are no practise papers to go by for the QM exam.

What I would refer to (for dd2 as she sat it in Sept 2012), was her work she did during the testing hour for the various bits of nvr, comprehension, tailor made cloze and vocab tests. Each child is different but iirc, for dd2, she was not at her peak at that stage before the exam.

[Wolves mum]

What I was wondering is if my son gets 92% in maths and 65% nvr 85% vr in letts and sims papers is he grammar material or not?

[Happy dad]

If he is in the top group at his Primary School then put him in for them. What have you got to lose?

[Wolves mum]

Thanks happy dad. He is in top set for maths and English I'm just scared I'm being a parent that's not realistic about my child's ability.
I couldn't afford a tutor so have been doing practice papers at home.
I can't believe how stressful this is!!

[Happy dad]

I do use a tutor and believe me that is not a stress free option.

There are many on here who have done it the DIY route and with success, so there should be some good advice available.

Adams is a good option and of course if you live in certain postcodes Thomas Telford is an option also.

Good luck

[newbiemum]

Hi there, if you are going diy route like happy dad said nothing to lose by going for it. We took this route and my ds was not top of the class but bright and in both practice and actual test he did alot better in english and verbal which pulled his score up and allowed him some margin for error if youlike in his weaker area maths. He got a place at chosen grammer so keep practising if hes keen and good luck

[muminbrum]

From what I have seen being in the top set for maths is the most reliable indicator although I know someone heading to FW who is not. I also asked his Y5 teacher if she thought he had a chance at parents evening.

I home tutored successfully but DS was keen which helped - mostly because his friends were sitting the exams but I also took him to see the schools and that really seemed to inspire him.

Getting them to read really helps and joining the library is free. There are some really good pre-teen authors about although DS has just read the Twilight books . Now racing through Young Bond.

[Wolves mum]

Thanks. He's in top set maths and English.
Fingers crossed. This is so stressful, I never thought it would be this draining and I have another one doing it in 2015!

[morgu]

Hi Wolves mum,

My daughter sat this consortium test last year (will be starting at WGHS is september). She came out of the exam a little bit cross with me because, while there had been words in the English/Vr section she didn't know, and she ran out of time in the last section, the test had not been as hopelessly impossible as I had let her to believe!
Have you had a look at the sticky at the top of this forum, with exam content for the Birmingham schools in previous years? From what DD told me about the test (which admittedly wasn't a lot), some parts of the test she sat had been used in Birmingham in previous years!
My final tip is to read TO your child, rather than only let them read themselves. As well as being potentially very enjoyable, you can explain, or loook up, all trickier words.
While my DD was prepairing for the test, we took the dictionary up to her room, and she still keeps it next to her bed. -She quite enjoys learning unusual words (and I think she incorporates the more fascinating ones into her writing at school, in the hope that she can use some the teachers doesn't know!!)