exam strategy (+ bit of prediction fun)

[Optimist]

Have missed most of this thread. Are we saying that for maths that the questions weren't necessarily hard, but the challenge was the timescale needed to complete the mAths paper.

I will ask my ds2

[Petitpois]

Optimist to give you some context and help in determining why DD calls math questions easy or not. One question she was doing at school last year (year 5) was as follows.

Question: Determine the value of four internal angles of a circle with following values.
Angle 1 = X+15
Angle 2 = 2X
Angle 3 = X+5
Angle 4 = X

Which resolves I think to
5X + 20 = 360
5X = 360-20
X = 340 / 5

giving

Angle 1 = 83 degrees
Angle 2 = 136 degrees
Angle 3 = 73 degrees
Angle 4 = 68 degrees

(I hope the above is all correct - but its the ball park sort of thing, for illustration purposes only - my example not hers, but she can do this sort of thing, probably better than me)

DD was assessed at level 5 maths ability last year (so not outstanding). DD tells me that nothing approaching this level of complexity or difficulty was in the paper. In other words it was standard Bond CEM type questions.

So on this easy point my daughter called the maths questions easy in the 11+, but when you talk to her, she means as compared to problems like the above. When you drill down a little she basically says they were the same as standard CEM bond.

For this reason I don't believe this years 11+ was any different to previous years in terms of difficulty. She answered them all and had time to check them. It was other areas that caught her out speed wise.

So your challenge is speed and accuracy across essentially 4-6 question type areas maths, NVR, VR.

Overall a challenge and perhaps one that genuinely sorts the brightest kids from the rest. Make you think about these exams being tutor proof, but that not being a good reason not to tutor!!

[MSD]

Have missed most of this thread. Are we saying that for maths that the questions weren't necessarily hard, but the challenge was the timescale needed to complete the mAths paper.

I will ask my ds2

Hi Optimist - My understanding is that Maths this year wasn't your usual problem solving type with sub section type questions where you were trying to work out how much paint is required and how many tiles are required etc. They were self contained individual questions with some as easy a*********. So our understanding is that it was easier on content as well as time.

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[Petitpois]

Okay MSD - on that front, the maths may well have been easier than Queen Mary, because there were text removed by moderator type questions in that. So I may have to stand corrected here.

[MSD]

Okay MSD - on that front, the maths may well have been easier than Queen Mary, because there were text removed by moderator type questions in that. So I may have to stand corrected here.

PP, I have never been good at working out text removed by moderator- always end up buying double! And no wonder my son hated these as well - thank god they weren't in Brum. And the bus queues is another one we hate!

To be on the safe side I removed text that may help late sitters. Moderator .

[Petitpois]

Does anyone have a feel for the comprehension / English side of this years exam?? Are we saying that was easier too???

[MSD]

Does anyone have a feel for the comprehension / English side of this years exam?? Are we saying that was easier too???

*******

Test content removed by a moderator

[Petitpois]

Perplexed as to why she missed so many. They were not that hard, very normal