Reading & Kendrick 2014 exam 2015 Admissions Policy

[sonasona]

Yes, the same test on the same day meaning Kendrick hopefuls can no longer use Slough Consortium test as a mock

[berks_mum]

Yes, the same test on the same day meaning Kendrick hopefuls can no longer use Slough Consortium test as a mock

Good development !

Wonder what is the date for bucks test. I am sure some will sit in both counties. Probably, if CEM is keeping a record then the tracking may not be limited to a single county ?

Forgot add, some may even use this test as a mock for HBS, Tiffins( incase they change to CEM) and others.

[sonasona]

I'm not sure about Bucks but what I can tell you is of the 4 children I've heard of passing Kendrick & Reading Boys this year with high scores all took and passed the Bucks test too. This is reassuring as Bucks was also CEM this year

I think Tiffin are sticking to their current exam formats for 2014.

As it stands we need to be crystal clear on 2 things for Reading & Slough Consortium test(s) 2014 :-

1) CEM will track exams taken by the candidates, therefore once Kendrick clarify the rules late Feb, we should know if the children are able to take multiple CEM exams (in counties such as Bucks)

2) If your Dd wants to goto Kendrick you need to be resident in the designated area by April 2014

[berks_mum]

Thanks sonasona.

We are in DA for Kendrick but not for slough.
Not sure, moving to Bucks will broaden the GS selection for DD but then it will be a good journey for dp to work compared to current 7 minutes walk from home.

[aliportico]

Excellent news, I hope this goes ahead. Maybe Mrs K

It may not matter to some, but she is very definitely *Ms* K

I think all these developments sound very sensible

[lara400]

err....does this mean I might as well sell off all my non-verbal books?....

I see that verbal might come in handy (practicing more of English) - and I assume that I should build up DD vocabulary and core English skills.....I assume that Maths is not as relevant now...

To me these changes are good but is putting children that do not have English as there first language as a huge disadvantage....if both parents speak their natural language at home then the child will not be able to improve their English language skills as quicker as other "English-only" born children.

[Tinkers]

err....does this mean I might as well sell off all my non-verbal books?....

I see that verbal might come in handy (practicing more of English) - and I assume that I should build up DD vocabulary and core English skills.....I assume that Maths is not as relevant now...

To me these changes are good but is putting children that do not have English as there first language as a huge disadvantage....if both parents speak their natural language at home then the child will not be able to improve their English language skills as quicker as other "English-only" born children.

I don't know much about CEM, but keep the NVR, that still comes up I believe. VR is quite different though. Keep the VR books for vocab, antonyms/synonyms etc though.

Maths is now very relevant.

I've put some links in the Duffers guide that might help. It's not an exhaustive list, and as I say I'm no expert.

[berks_mum]

To me these changes are good but is putting children that do not have English as there first language as a huge disadvantage....if both parents speak their natural language at home then the child will not be able to improve their English language skills as quicker as other "English-only" born children.

This is my fear. DD is doing well in Maths and Reading at school but looking at few VR papers I think the vocabulary is a huge negative for her. Both parents speak different languages (from different continents) communicating with each other in limited/broken english often. DD speaks all three languages and tries to translate few times but many of the words in the books are alien to her.
It is this fear which makes me want to send her for tutoring.

[lara400]

This is my fear. DD is doing well in Maths and Reading at school but looking at few VR papers I think the vocabulary is a huge negative for her. Both parents speak different languages (from different continents) communicating with each other in limited/broken english often. DD speaks all three languages and tries to translate few times but many of the words in the books are alien to her.
It is this fear which makes me want to send her for tutoring.

I am just not too sure how much tutoring can teach in terms of English language skills - both my parents were from foreign countries (knew VERY little English) and the only way I learnt good enough English to get into a very good school when I was young was by reading constantly The Times newspapers - and that was the Sports section! There were words in there that I had never encountered and helped a lot in my English skills - I used to have a thesaurus and dictionary by myside whenever I would get stuck reading the newspaper.

Nowadays with Kindle (do not own one - but think I have to now) I think there is some sort of "click the word and it pops up a dictionary" - this would help my DD a lot as it takes her ages to find the work in the dictionary!

I think the trick to all of this is "simple": READ, READ, READ, READ.....and READ! Only then will a child (or anyone) truly grasp the difficult words that children find alien to them...

[helping_hand]

Does this mean that The Reading school is now changing , so its not 3 papers of Reasoning,Maths and English. So it will be 2 tests of same ...and can someone suggest materials for practice...