Newport Girls High School exam 6th dec

[payno]

Hi,
My daughter has sat the NGHS exam this morning and just keen to know what other girls felt about it.
My daughter seemed so wiped out by the time she came out we've got very little from her other than she found it easier than any practice papers although there were some types that she hadn't come across before. ie: a series of 5 words that you had to put in an order eg: best, good, bad, better, worse...
Worryingly she had also seemed to finish "ages before the end!"
Just eager to get some feedback from others...
Thanks

[nervous-mum]

Hi Payno,
My daughter also sat the exams yesterday and has commented on how very easy they both seemed in comparison to her practise papers, she did say that paper 2 was fractionally harder, but still easy, i assume that the test is designed to "feel easy" and a few sneaky hard questions are thrown in to seperate the bright from the exceptional? My daughter has her heart set on this school, i feel very different about the place to her. She was and i to a point, astonished at the amount of girls there this year and can only comment that the 56 girls who are successful should feel very proud of themselves.
I had thought also that by making the test easy, the panel can be more choosy with who they give places to as the borderlines all have work and reports assessed? what do you think?
Nervous-mum

[payno]

Hi Nervous-mum (although hopefully you're now "relieved it's over mum!")
We were also overwhelmed by the volume of girls who sit this exam (although we were told that about 40 girls didn't turn up with no explanation given!)
Some of the questions that my daughter was able to remember did seem extraordinarily easy compared to any of the practise papers! But you're right - there did seem to be a couple of sections of harder types and my gut feeling is that this is the area that has let my daughter down. But we'll see - my daughter has always been, in my eyes, one of the borderline cases. Do you happen to know how the reports from the headteacher are used and what information they provide? Are they used along side the results for everybody or just the girls that are deemed to be "borderline" ?
It's been frustrating when you have no idea what sort of percentage mark to be aiming for. I know it can change from year to year but to have some sort of idea would have been helpful to understand how close or far from the mark you are !
We are however, all enjoying the break from practice papers! Whatever the outcome, I'm proud of the mature manner in which my daughter has approached this - it can be a very daunting experience for a 10 - 11 year old.
I wish you (and of course your daughter) luck for March !

[nervous-mum]

Hi Payno,
Your right i am now relieved its over mum! however my daughter turned to me on sunday and asked if she could do a practice test! i think she's hooked, i looked at her in mock horror and said "whatever for?" its all over now. Bit of an anti climax i think you'll agree. I have a friend who works in the independant school sector and they send a form for the headteacher of each candidate which asks questions such as attendance, parental support, commitment to school life, predicted sat results and such like. I do feel that this could be more important than the result as if they only took the 56 brightest girls they could end up with a boring lot, troublemakers, you know the type's that no head wants in their school. You could spend the next 12 weeks speculating over what would guarantee an offer, but hey ho we'll just have to sit back and relax about it. Good luck to you,x Are you lucky enough to be in area?
Nervous mum.

[payno]

Thanks for your reply nervous-mum.
We are fortunate enough to be in area - I believe you are too (I read one of your previous entries) so fingers crossed !
At the moment it seems a long time to wait until beginning of March, but hopefully with Xmas around the corner we can put it to the back of our minds.
There is a definite anti-climatic feeling (although my daughter is having no desire to do another practise!) Frustratingly she doesn't even want to talk about it now it's over!
Bye for now - maybe speak again soon x

[nervous-mum]

Daughter came home from school today and interestingly says 2 of her school books have been taken for over a week along with a few other girls who sat the exam? not all the girls who sat from her school have had this happen! good sign or bad????
anxious!! or what

[nervous-mum]

Daughter came home from school today and interestingly says 2 of her school books have been taken for over a week along with a few other girls who sat the exam? not all the girls who sat from her school have had this happen! good sign or bad????
anxious!! or what

[resmum]

I would guess that the school books have been taken to help the headteacher write his/her report. Perhaps he/she hasn't got round to the others yet or already feels she knows enough about them.

I imagine the reports are only used to confirm that the candidate is not a) a troublemaker b) bone idle or c) someone who usually performs at the bottom end of the class (raising suspicions that someone else may have sat the exam for them). I'm sure your daughter doesn't fall into any of these categories so I wouldn't worry.

My son has applied for Adam's this year and his headteacher has also been asked for a report. As his current school goes up to year 9 and the head is mad keen for him and his classmates to stay on, the other mums and I were wondering (jokingly) if he might give them all bad reports!

[nervous-mum]

I think her books were sent to Newport Girls after being requested. Believe she may be borderline and the are having a good look at the girls to see who is more suitable.?

[resmum]

I think her books were sent to Newport Girls after being requested. Believe she may be borderline and the are having a good look at the girls to see who is more suitable.?

This is more likely if you are in the catchment area for the school as those places are allocated first and they may be trying to include in as many local girls as possible. (I still think its unlikely though)

If you are outside catchment I don't think they would bother asking for books as you could always go for an appeal and show the work to them then.

Anyway no point in worrying - que sera, sera