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Current Year 7 in Bucks post new CEM

Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 3:08 pm
by SIT
Do any parents currently in yr 7 in a Bucks GS think the year/cohort is any different to previous years having passed the new CEM exam.

Re: Current Year 7 in Bucks post new CEM

Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 4:00 pm
by kittymum
I think that's an impossible question to answer.

I have a ds in yr 7 who attends a small school - our school has had a v good % of passes for the last 2 years - higher then under the previous test. The people who you would expect to pass generally have with a couple of near misses which should hopefully go through on selection review.

Re: Current Year 7 in Bucks post new CEM

Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 4:16 pm
by pia
SIT wrote:Do any parents currently in yr 7 in a Bucks GS think the year/cohort is any different to previous years having passed the new CEM exam.
Hi SIT,

Now before I begin, don't shoot the messenger! When I attended an open morning at Bucks Grammar the Deputy Head (I think that was who it was, or maybe a head of year?) was asked this exact question and her response was that they did notice there was a difference in terms of reading age (they assess this with some baseline test they do at the start of year 7), that the new cohort (last year's first round of CEM testers) had a lower reading age on average than what they've had previously BUT she did say that they need a few years worth of data before they get a true picture! And obviously reading age is only one part of the picture. Perhaps now that they are also testing Numerical and Non-verbal, they will be getting pupils coming through who are stronger in other areas which the old test would not have tested. Only time will tell the impact of all this when these children come to do their GCSEs.

Re: Current Year 7 in Bucks post new CEM

Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 4:55 pm
by Tolstoy
Gosh Pia that is interesting as with the Comprehension, cloze etc I would have thought a high reading age would be a significant factor. It would be a pleasant surprise to think that those with good NVR and NR skills were in with a better chance despite the lower weightings in those areas. Look forward to hearing more data :)

Re: Current Year 7 in Bucks post new CEM

Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 6:41 pm
by SIT
I agree this makes interesting reading, I too would have thought that reading age would have been higher with CEM.

Re: Current Year 7 in Bucks post new CEM

Posted: Wed Oct 22, 2014 6:55 pm
by Guest55
It's too early to tell ... ask again at the end of Year 7.