Raw score CEM vs. Bond

[mystery]

I see your concern but then won't it only result in an unfairness if it is the same if:
- the practice paper demonstrates exactly the same question types as the real thing in bucks
- some bucks children have seen the bexley practice paper and worked like stink on those types

I didn't think the practice paper was intended to give huge clues about the real thing. What do you think the downside would be?

[Tinkus-Pinkus]

Just that I was hoping that my DD would have a chance at doing a prep paper that she hadn't already sat, giving her a truer reflexion of what to expect for the exam. I don't want her to become complacent before the actual exam.

[Tinkus-Pinkus]

I didn't read all the previous answers properly. I really do hope that the Bucks prep is different. Thinking logically as it is published on line I can't imagine that Bucks are going to use the same paper.

[mystery]

Yes, I take your point. But I wonder if confidence wise it might be better if it turns out to be the same paper - silly as that would be. You can choose at home then whether to practice with hard or easy papers close to the exam according to your gut feeling about your own child.

I think the practice paper is merely to give kids practice with the exam room, the symbols, the audio instructions, the answer sheet, the mix of subjects on each paper, the timing routine for each section etc. it is not a mock of the exact same standard or with the same question types as the real thing.

[christmasbonus]

I think the Bexley practice test must be the same as the familiarisation paper, as in the past the Bexley primary schools used the previous familiarisation paper (available on the website) as the practice test. Also we are OOB (only just!) so it would be unfair if only in-borough candidates were given the practice test.

[mystery]

Think we have got confused here. There is a bexley familiarisation test and a practice test on the website. They are two different things.

In bucks they only receive a familiarisation paper at home, and a preparation test in school two days before the real thing. Patricia is concerned that the bucks prep test should not be the same as the bexley practice paper.

Is bexley doing a practice/prep test in school as well this year?

This year is completely different in bexl ey from previous years.

[jabba7]

Mystery, I rarely post but feel the need to reply to correct your error. My DS sat the old style 11+ last year and it was not only VR it also had maths questions.

[mystery]

Oh I hope you are right. Bucks was very weird before in having just vr, but having read the bexley familiarisation papers which are the same as bucks apparently, I feel that the nvr is just as open to practice as gl assessment nvr, the maths is not very creative and dependent on good teaching and practice, and the vocabulary in the comprehension etc favours children from particular types of families who have had certain types of experience. I am not convinced yet that this is going in kent to change the profile of who is selected for grammar in a way which favours native wit rather than privilege if we go with cem.

Just to clarify what I actually said above - bucks - Buckinghamshire ( not bexley) - was very weird before in having just vr. Yes, bexley had more than just vr. The familiarisation papers are the same this year for the new c e m tests which both counties have adopted. I feel that the c e m nvr in the new familiarisation papers looks no more practice proof than the old gl assessment nvr.

Hope your DS got a bexley school they are enjoying this week. Good luck.

[christmasbonus]

Hi, yes, sorry, I don't think what I wrote was particularly clear. In previous years, children attending Bexley primary schools did a short practice test which had also been available on the council website. I don't know whether they will be doing the same this year, using the practice paper which was available from a link sent to parents who had registered their child (and which we believe is the same as the Bucks practice paper), or due to the fact the whole thing has changed in Bexley this year, they will not be doing a practice test in school (since now it is opt-in rather than opt-out).

[mystery]

I don't know either. It is a bit of a shame if you don't get the practice in school as some children are a bit distracted by a new test environment, so trying it out when it does not matter can be good. When is the bexley test this year? I did not realise you had switched to opt in. Wonder if it makes a whole lot of difference.