Please validate my understanding

Eleven Plus (11+) in Bexley and Bromley

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jas8085
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 10:53 am

Please validate my understanding

Post by jas8085 »

Hello everyone,
I am planning to go the DIY route for my DD. Our target schools are Newstead wood, Bexley Schools and Kent schools. Can someone please validate my understanding of the tests?

Newstead Wood : Examiner is GL
Bexley : Examiner is CEM
Kent Schools: NFER - GL Assessment

1. CEM Tests - Is this a standard one? As in, there is just one CEM test and several schools/areas use it? Or does CEM set separate papers for each?

2. GL - Same question as above. Does GL set ONE standard 11plus paper used my several schools/areas or is it a separate paper for each ?

Thanks!
Mich895
Posts: 131
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2012 6:55 pm

Re: Please validate my understanding

Post by Mich895 »

Hi, I can only comment on Bexley which is my area. It is CEM and one test is used by the four Grammar schools in the area, Chis and Sids, Bexley Grammar, Townley and Beths. I do not know if other areas use the same test.
PettswoodFiona
Posts: 2134
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:24 pm
Location: Petts Wood, Bromley, Kent

Re: Please validate my understanding

Post by PettswoodFiona »

The GL tests are very very different. An overview is given of what is in each test on the region pages of this site eg http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/school ... ey-11-plus" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - DD sat all three last September. I have seen on some other region boards that CEM is sometimes the same but usually only for regions that wouldn't have the same sitters and/or on the same day so it can't give one student an advantage. There is another region where if you sit the CEM in one region, the other you just do their top up maths test as otherwise the test is the same.
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: Please validate my understanding

Post by Daogroupie »

Only CEM tests that are sat on the same day are the same.

CEM Super Saturday which is on 10th September this year has a lot of regions sitting the same test on the same day, Redbridge, Latymer, Slough, Reading and others.

Bexley and Buckinghamshire have different CEM papers but the same format, NVR, VR and Maths.

HBS has a different paper and does not use NVR.

In Hertfordshire DAO and SW Herts do not use NVR or Maths, just VR.

They use the same paper and last year it was on the same day and next year I am sure it will be again.

However this year DAO is on the 3rd September and SW Herts is on the 10th.

DAO are not allowing anyone who sits on the 10th to use their result to apply but those who sit DAO on the 3rd will just sit the Maths at SW Herts on the 10th.

SW Herts will feel the consequence this year of that week where information can be shared so I expect them to do the same day next year.

All schools using GL will use different papers. QE boys have thousands sitting their GL papers and the stakes are very high so they could not use papers used elsewhere.

QE have a harder set of papers than elsewhere as they need to get rid of a lot of applicants. All those I know who have sat have told me that the papers on the day were a lot harder than the GL papers that are sold in Smiths. DG
ToadMum
Posts: 11946
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Please validate my understanding

Post by ToadMum »

As Daogroupie has said, there are several areas using the same CEM test on the same date - if the Bexley test is on Saturday 10th September, then it will probably be in this group, but if not, it will be a bespoke test for Bexley. Within the aforementioned group, there are schools / LEAs which automatically offer the chance to have your child's raw score included in with another testing centre's cohort for randomisation purposes (e.g. Latymer, Chelmsford County High School, the Redbridge grammar schools). If not want to do the same for other areas - for example, if you live in Enfield but are in the middle of a house move to Gloucester - I think someone posted last year or the year before that they had been allowed to have their child's score shared in such a manner.

If you live in the bit of Bromley / Bexley / Kent where you have easy access to several selective schools and have no intention of moving, of course, this will all be academic (pardon the pun :) ).
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
jas8085
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 10:53 am

Re: Please validate my understanding

Post by jas8085 »

Thanks everyone!

What I meant to ask was, if my DDs practices with GL material, will she cover everything needed for Newstead wood and Kent tests? In terms of question types, difficulty level, timing etc? The tests could have different questions, but will I need to do anything extra for these schools that GL material doesn't cover? (Am I talking any sense at all??? :oops: )

Also, if she uses CEM material for preparation, is it enough for Bexley tests?
Daogroupie
Posts: 11099
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: Please validate my understanding

Post by Daogroupie »

If you use standard CEM material covering NVR, VR and Maths it will be enough for Bexley. DG
PettswoodFiona
Posts: 2134
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:24 pm
Location: Petts Wood, Bromley, Kent

Re: Please validate my understanding

Post by PettswoodFiona »

jas8085 wrote:Thanks everyone!

What I meant to ask was, if my DDs practices with GL material, will she cover everything needed for Newstead wood and Kent tests? In terms of question types, difficulty level, timing etc? The tests could have different questions, but will I need to do anything extra for these schools that GL material doesn't cover? (Am I talking any sense at all??? :oops: )

Also, if she uses CEM material for preparation, is it enough for Bexley tests?
General good background reading is a good foundation for a lot of the verbal reasoning as long as they know to question words they don't understand or if they don't understand the plot to raise it with you. It isn't just about the test books and materials, for example we did synonym work in every day life quite regularly e.g. when DD used the work 'like' we'd say, 'be a little more interesting, give me three alternatives' and she found it fun.

For Kent I didn't find the GL material included much of the spatial content (such as cubes) but it is a very small part of the test and it doesn't always appear but it did last year. For timing we found the practices bore no relation to Kent (very tight on time for the Maths in particular but what DD did do she said was easy compared to what she practiced) and for Newstead she had tons of time, pretty similar to practices in the ten minute style tests where DD found she had bags of time too.
jas8085
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 10:53 am

Re: Please validate my understanding

Post by jas8085 »

Thanks again! I am really grateful for all the advice.

Can someone please help me plan my campaign? I posted another thread about it - but no replies so far.

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... =5&t=47706" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
salsa
Posts: 2686
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2013 10:59 am

Re: Please validate my understanding

Post by salsa »

Hi Jas8085,
I think that if you follow the advice given up thread you'll be okay. The issue is that we don't know how much your child already knows and how high a score you need. Some people just need a pass and need very little familiarisation. Some children are quite behind and would need catching up even for a pass.

Make sure you cover all the GL types plus Spatial, for Kent; for CEM, we are all guessing, but a lot of us have used the CGP/Bond/Letts CEM series.

By the way, your other thread is on a very generic section. It's best to post in the Kent or Bexley sections for more relevant advice. What schools are you going for? Do you need a high score?

Best of luck,

Salsa
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