Practice Tests

Eleven Plus (11+) in Kent

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lb

Practice Tests

Post by lb »

Does anyone know whether the Kent practice tests for non-Kent entrants held on 5 January will be marked or gone through at all?

When my son had the Bexley practice tests at school for VR and NVR, these were marked and it did give me some indication of how he had done.

Thanks for any advice.
Bexley Mum 2
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Location: Bexley

Practice tests

Post by Bexley Mum 2 »

I don't know, but I would very much doubt that the practice tests will be marked, especially for out of county entrants. It doesn't happen consistently here in Bexley. My son this year had his marked this year, which gave him a bit of a boost even though they're obviously easier than the real thing, but the other class in his year group didn't, neither did my eldest son two years ago. I think they're just designed to familiarise children with the whole process.

Will your son definitely be doing the practice tests on 5 Jan? I'm in two minds as it's such a lot to do in one day I'm worried if my son does it all on 5 Jan he won't feel like doing it all over again a week later on the 12th. Plus he's doing an entrance exam on 11 Jan, the day before the real Kent tests. And he brought a letter home yesterday asking our permission for him to do more tests at school in December and June as part of the government's Making Good Progress pilot. He was incensed!!
traceyanne
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Post by traceyanne »

hi I hope you don't mind me being nosey, but my daughter has also been chosen for these pilot tests, She's not at all happy that she's been asked to take level 4 in writing, bearing in mind she was considered level 4 in year 3. Is your child going to sit level 5? As far as I know none of them are going to sit level 5 at our school and I was wondering whether other schools were putting children forward for this or not. We bumped into a friend the other day whos boy is in year 5 and taking level 4 also and it's not done much for her confidence.
Bexley Mum 2
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Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:55 pm
Location: Bexley

Post by Bexley Mum 2 »

Gosh, that's interesting. I'm quite cross with our school because they haven't given us any information really about this. I'd like to know what sort of test they mean - a short one, a series of tests, we've certainly bee told nothing about levels. I'll try and find out today.

I have to say, although I signed the form to say he could do the tests, I said it was up to him and it's currently still crumpled up at the bottom of his school bag!
Bexley Mum 2
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Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:55 pm
Location: Bexley

Post by Bexley Mum 2 »

Traceyanne. I spoke to our deputy head this morning and it seems that nobody at our school is doing level 5 tests as part of the Making Good Progress pilot either. The reason is that you have to have been a level 5a at the end of year 5/start of year 6 to be entered for the level 5 tests. So, although my son got straight level 5s a the end of year 5 and is maintaining these levels according to his teacher, he's been entered for the level 4 tests. Sounds as if the tests are designed to check you've completed a level rather than reached a level?

It turns out my son has been asked to sit tests in reading, writing and maths. This is on top of the Bexley 11+, Kent 11+, entrance exam and, no doubt, end of term tests he's done/will be doing over the space of a couple of months - enough!! The deputy head very kindly said that it wouldn't mess up his pilot if my son didn't take part so I agreed that he wouldn't!

I don't think other parents at our school know what level tests their children will be doing, but if schools are going to tell children this it would be sensible if they explained that this didn't necessarily reflect their true level. It's the wrong time to be discouraging year 6 children.
traceyanne
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Joined: Wed May 30, 2007 2:58 pm
Location: bexley

Post by traceyanne »

thanks for the replies, I find that rather reassuring to know that its not just our school not attempting level 5. Our school is only putting each child through one test each though. I'm not sure I'd put my daghter through more than 1 test anyway, its not as if we are going to be told anything we don't know in getting a level 4. I cant quite understand why its all happening to tell the truth.
Tracy
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Location: Bexley

Post by Tracy »

The rumour mill at our school is that if your child has been selected then not only do they stand a good chance of passing the 11+ but, in the event of a poor 11+ result, the Head will fight your corner! What absolute rubbish! I don't know whether to laugh or cry!
SH

Re: Practice Tests

Post by SH »

lb wrote:Does anyone know whether the Kent practice tests for non-Kent entrants held on 5 January will be marked or gone through at all?

When my son had the Bexley practice tests at school for VR and NVR, these were marked and it did give me some indication of how he had done.

Thanks for any advice.
The answer to your question is no, they do not mark the papers for the practice papers the week before. I know this because I have been through it twice with my daughters as an out of county entrant.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Tracey
I think that the idea with this pilot scheme is that children in participating schools should sit a level paper only when, in their teacher's view, they are working securely at the level above. In other words, to be entered for the level 4 paper a child should be a secure level 5. To be entered for a level 5 paper they need to be a secure level 6.
It is all to do with the latest government proposal to let children sit SATs once they are ready to do so rather than just at the end of each key stage. The idea is to check whether children are continuing to progress each year and give help to any who "stall".
Guest

Post by Guest »

Sorry, last post was for Tracyanne, not Tracy!
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