Familiarisation Pack
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scatshouse
- Posts: 438
- Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2007 10:00 am
Familiarisation Pack
Hi,
My son brought home his NFER familiarisation pack today.
Does anybody know how well this pack mirrors the real 11+ questions in terms of difficulty?
Also does this pack contain all 21 question types? Tried to count but my brain just isn't working today!
Thanks,
Scatshouse
My son brought home his NFER familiarisation pack today.
Does anybody know how well this pack mirrors the real 11+ questions in terms of difficulty?
Also does this pack contain all 21 question types? Tried to count but my brain just isn't working today!
Thanks,
Scatshouse
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NotionPotion
- Posts: 202
- Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2007 4:52 pm
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Newbie But Stressed
- Posts: 67
- Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:22 pm
Yes the Wirral NFER Fam Pack does contains all the 21 Question type (well at least it did last year when I checked through)
On terms of difficulty. my daughter said the Fam pack was easier than the actual test (but each to their own).. I suppose the fam pack is not taken seriously and some don't even do it in test conditions (as my daughter did only half in class and half at home)
so it's difficult to say either way.
I would treat it as just more 11+ practice if you are already covered on the question 21 types.
Not long to go now!! Good Luck..
NBS
On terms of difficulty. my daughter said the Fam pack was easier than the actual test (but each to their own).. I suppose the fam pack is not taken seriously and some don't even do it in test conditions (as my daughter did only half in class and half at home)
so it's difficult to say either way.
I would treat it as just more 11+ practice if you are already covered on the question 21 types.
Not long to go now!! Good Luck..
NBS
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Appeal Mum
- Posts: 2049
- Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:29 pm
- Location: Wirral
It really is amazing how different schools operate, it makes it such an uneven playing field.
Some schools do practice tests and give out information readily, other schools allow children to bring home the familiarization packs.
We asked to be allowed the familiarization pack after they did it in school and were told they were just that "familiarization" to the test format and that they wouldn't even be marked???? Then they sent them back to the LEA????
I think we should start naming and shaming both good schools and bad.
No wonder some primary schools have up to 30 children get through the test and others just 1s and 2s. There is no way 1 or 2 primary schools in Wirral have the top 10% in 30 of its children.
I don't know the answer to the problems and I cannot see it changing, I'm just more aware now at how it’s not a fair test.
If you are in a good school where you gaining information about the 11+ please keep sharing as there are others who won't be gaining a shred of it from their school.
Good luck to all sitting the tests soon.
AM
Some schools do practice tests and give out information readily, other schools allow children to bring home the familiarization packs.
We asked to be allowed the familiarization pack after they did it in school and were told they were just that "familiarization" to the test format and that they wouldn't even be marked???? Then they sent them back to the LEA????
I think we should start naming and shaming both good schools and bad.
No wonder some primary schools have up to 30 children get through the test and others just 1s and 2s. There is no way 1 or 2 primary schools in Wirral have the top 10% in 30 of its children.
I don't know the answer to the problems and I cannot see it changing, I'm just more aware now at how it’s not a fair test.
If you are in a good school where you gaining information about the 11+ please keep sharing as there are others who won't be gaining a shred of it from their school.
Good luck to all sitting the tests soon.
AM
I agree our primary( Pensby Juniors) appear to do the minimum they can and don't encourage the 11+ ,though this year we have had some 11+ type homework,first time !
No familaristion packs yet,when my daughter did it they went through it in school,I always thought they didn't do enough but reading some other peoples posts some do alot less,I know a few local schools do after school tuition and recommend tutors .
It would be alot fairer if all the kids got the same help and competed on an even playing field but as you say thats never going to happen!!
Any helpful info I get I will pass on!
Pensby
No familaristion packs yet,when my daughter did it they went through it in school,I always thought they didn't do enough but reading some other peoples posts some do alot less,I know a few local schools do after school tuition and recommend tutors .
It would be alot fairer if all the kids got the same help and competed on an even playing field but as you say thats never going to happen!!
Any helpful info I get I will pass on!
Pensby
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scatshouse
- Posts: 438
- Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2007 10:00 am
Hi,
Thanks for all your replies,
Notion Potion,
Yes, he got the pack from school, sent home in a plain brown package! Presumably to hide it from everbody else??
It's not the same as the papers you buy, it has different sections for your child to work through. I think by now though, if you don't know the techniques, it is too late.
Newbie But Stressed,
I did think the questions seemed easier (got my hopes up a bit
), I suppose they do exactly what they say on the tin, familiarise you with the question types and format.
Appeal Mum,
As I've mentioned elsewhere on this site, my son's school never mention the 11+. You indicate on a form if you wish them to sit it, get given the Fam Pack and that's it!!
It is a shame because I know there are more than 1 or 2 that could pass in his class but their parents know nothing about it.
This site has been a godsend to me, there was a point where I wasn't even going to bother because I (wrongly) assumed that if your child was bright enough to pass the 11+ their school would tell you. I think my son is clever but it is hard to judge how he compares to his peers when there is no feedback from the people who could tell me.
Scatshouse
Thanks for all your replies,
Notion Potion,
Yes, he got the pack from school, sent home in a plain brown package! Presumably to hide it from everbody else??
It's not the same as the papers you buy, it has different sections for your child to work through. I think by now though, if you don't know the techniques, it is too late.
Newbie But Stressed,
I did think the questions seemed easier (got my hopes up a bit
), I suppose they do exactly what they say on the tin, familiarise you with the question types and format.Appeal Mum,
As I've mentioned elsewhere on this site, my son's school never mention the 11+. You indicate on a form if you wish them to sit it, get given the Fam Pack and that's it!!
It is a shame because I know there are more than 1 or 2 that could pass in his class but their parents know nothing about it.
This site has been a godsend to me, there was a point where I wasn't even going to bother because I (wrongly) assumed that if your child was bright enough to pass the 11+ their school would tell you. I think my son is clever but it is hard to judge how he compares to his peers when there is no feedback from the people who could tell me.
Scatshouse
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Appeal Mum
- Posts: 2049
- Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:29 pm
- Location: Wirral
Hi Scatshouse,
It really is such a shame that all schools cannot work together so every child has an equal footing.
But I guess that it's not in some schools interests to do this, as it keeps their school a popular choice among parents.
Just to make you all feel a little better about it though.. In DDs class a few of the children from well known heavily coached schools only received 90 in the schools own NFER papers in singular subjects tests. The average child will score 100.
So if your school isn't helping with regards to 11+, your safe in the knowledge that the time spent in those heavily coached schools isn't being spent learning what the children will need to know once they are in grammar school. That’s when our children will be at an advantage.
Fingers crossed for you..
AM
It really is such a shame that all schools cannot work together so every child has an equal footing.
But I guess that it's not in some schools interests to do this, as it keeps their school a popular choice among parents.
Just to make you all feel a little better about it though.. In DDs class a few of the children from well known heavily coached schools only received 90 in the schools own NFER papers in singular subjects tests. The average child will score 100.
So if your school isn't helping with regards to 11+, your safe in the knowledge that the time spent in those heavily coached schools isn't being spent learning what the children will need to know once they are in grammar school. That’s when our children will be at an advantage.
Fingers crossed for you..
AM
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scatshouse
- Posts: 438
- Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2007 10:00 am
Hi Appeal Mum,
I think you have a point there. My daughter is flourishing in her school and often comes home saying "I don't know how so and so got in our school mum?". Er I do but I don't say.
The problem being that children from those "heavily coached" schools are taking places from children more suited to grammar schools.
Like my kid
Scatshouse
I think you have a point there. My daughter is flourishing in her school and often comes home saying "I don't know how so and so got in our school mum?". Er I do but I don't say.
The problem being that children from those "heavily coached" schools are taking places from children more suited to grammar schools.
Like my kid
Scatshouse
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Appeal Mum
- Posts: 2049
- Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:29 pm
- Location: Wirral
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scatshouse
- Posts: 438
- Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2007 10:00 am
Hi Appeal Mum,
I have a daughter at Upton Hall who's loving it. I wish I'd known about this site back then as she'd had hardly any tutoring and we panicked a bit in the final weeks. She's quite sensitive and was bullied in primary for being a 'swot' so dumbed down a bit there. I didn't want this to carry through to secondary school!
She's now amongst girls of similar ability and has come right out of her shell.
My son is hoping for Wirral Grammar and we have Woodchurch High as second choice which is a good alternative.
Thanks for your good wishes
Scatshouse
I have a daughter at Upton Hall who's loving it. I wish I'd known about this site back then as she'd had hardly any tutoring and we panicked a bit in the final weeks. She's quite sensitive and was bullied in primary for being a 'swot' so dumbed down a bit there. I didn't want this to carry through to secondary school!
She's now amongst girls of similar ability and has come right out of her shell.
My son is hoping for Wirral Grammar and we have Woodchurch High as second choice which is a good alternative.
Thanks for your good wishes
Scatshouse
