Hi, just wondering if anyone would be able to advise on this.

My daughter is sitting her 12 plus in February 2020 for Buckinghamshire.

We received her invite yesterday, in the email it states the exam is now GL paper based assessment, will be 60 minutes including example and instructions with no break. Also states that English is not part of the late transfer test and will only be testing numerical, verbal reasoning and non verbal reasoning skills.

So my question is what would they replace the English comprehension section with?
How would they test these skills, more verbal reasoning, more vocabulary ?

Does anyone know of any other borough, that may test in this way?

Not in your area, I'm afraid, but have you tried asking the school / LA (whichever sent the information you have been given so far)?

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No I haven’t, as I only received the invite yesterday, but I will try to get in touch and see if they are willing to give anymore information.

I know last year the late transfer test for Buckinghamshire was a computer based CEM test. So they seem to have made a lot of changes for the 2020 entry.

Presumably they have decided that they can differentiate the candidates without the comprehension section. In 60 minutes they don't have time to test very much.
Where are you based? I presume you mean Buckinghamshire rather than Buckingham (the county rather than the town)? You are aware that there are very few places available at 12 plus, other than at Burnham Grammar (& I believe this will be the last year of a whole extra class). Some schools set their own 12 plus.

From the BCC website:

Presumably most of these were at BGS.

Oh yes I do mean Buckinghamshire, and Burnham Grammar would be our first choice.
I am aware that they only offer 30 places for year 8 entry. I have another child who already attends the school, we are also in catchment of the school so providing my daughter passes her 12 plus I think she may be in a good position to be offered a place.

I was just wondering, if the comprehension would be replaced with anything else that would test English, the only thing I can think of is verbal reasoning.

Thank you.

If an individual grammar school sets its own tests (e.g. for Y10 entry), it might include an English comprehension - but as far as I know the County late entry test (which is what Burnham GS appears to be using for 12+) has never included an English comprehension.
It's not being replaced by anything. The VR is sufficient.

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Etienne

I know last year Buckinghamshire used a CEM computer based test for 12 plus later entry, not sure if this included English.

This year they have gone for a paper based GL assessment, and are only testing VR, numerical and non verbal.

Thank you for responding.