Are Reading or Slough tests going to be same as Bucks?

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Reading2015
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2012 4:25 pm

Are Reading or Slough tests going to be same as Bucks?

Post by Reading2015 »

In the past people have taken tests in other areas as mock tests to prepare for the tests in their own areas.

At one of the Reading School's open evenings parents were told that 16 schools using same CEM test are going to have it on the same date - 13th September.

Does it mean that Reading and Slough grammar candidates can still take Bucks test this year (on 11th Sep) as a mock to calm down their nerves?

Reading have said that if they find the child to have taken the same test elsewhere then they will use the raw scores from the earliest of those tests but does any body know if Reading/Slough are going to use same test as Bucks?

Regards
Reading2015
Booklady
Posts: 522
Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 10:39 pm

Re: Are Reading or Slough tests going to be same as Bucks?

Post by Booklady »

Not as far as we are aware! Many people in Berks and Bucks (ourselves included) are in the catchment for both groups of schools - so will do both exams as schools from both areas will be on our CAF.

Unless anyone knows different ...........

I wish it was one exam to be honest !!

The only thing we were told is to tick the box on the Slough forms (or vice versa) to share results with Reading / Kendrick as appropriate if you wanted to.

I will place the usual plea here - if you have no intention of putting a Bucks school on the CAF form then please do not use the exam as a 'mock'. By all means do the familiarisation paper - but the result of people from outside our area using the test in this way is to potentially drive up the pass mark through standardisation - as has happened this year. You will not get the results prior to the Slough exam - so please only do this is you want a place for your child in a Bucks school. Rant over! :roll:
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Are Reading or Slough tests going to be same as Bucks?

Post by Tinkers »

And bear in mind if they have a bad experience with the bucks test, you only have two days to calm them back down again.
Reading2015
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2012 4:25 pm

Re: Are Reading or Slough tests going to be same as Bucks?

Post by Reading2015 »

Thanks. I emailed Reading School who confirmed that tests are going to be different.

And I agree with you that it is going to raise the pass marks and is unfair on children.

Same is unfortunately going to happen with Reading and Slough too because lots of people will tick the option to consider their marks for both Reading and Slough. Reading requires you to be in the catchment on 20th June.

Just curious, which areas are in both Bucks and Reading catchments? For bucks, when do you need to be living in the catchment?
Booklady
Posts: 522
Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 10:39 pm

Re: Are Reading or Slough tests going to be same as Bucks?

Post by Booklady »

Reading2015 wrote:

Just curious, which areas are in both Bucks and Reading catchments? For bucks, when do you need to be living in the catchment?
Well people need to do their own checks ( disclaimer) - but we are in Taplow - SL6 - which is in catchment for Bucks grammars (BGS / BHS) and also Kendrick - although further than I would like (have not checked Reading as I have a DD)

Don't know about the date - we've been here for over 13 years!
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Are Reading or Slough tests going to be same as Bucks?

Post by Tinkers »

Not sure but the various Bucks schools have different rules, so you need to check each one.
kittymum
Posts: 925
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:42 pm

Re: Are Reading or Slough tests going to be same as Bucks?

Post by kittymum »

Please don't use Bucks as a free mock - it's not fair on Bucks children :( I live in Bucks (Marlow area) we are catchment for Kendrick's. Dd is year 4 but we have no intention of entering her for Kendricks and will just do Bucks and cross our fingers that she will join ds at SWBGS.

Bucks admissions - you have to be in catchment by 1st Oct 2014 for Sept 2015 admissions. (That's SWBGS some others may be earlier).
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