has anyone got up to date news on the 2012 exam in essex?

[moved]

I would recommend that all the papers that used to be saved for September and October are covered by the end of the summer holidays. Nothing too tough for September.

[First-timer]

Anyone else noticed that the draft admissions document on ChCHS' website says the exam should be sat in Colchester or Chelmsford with no mention of Southend or Westcliff? Wonder why this is. Are the exams going to be treated differently in Essex and Southend?

[kaynor]

"Child will usually take the tests in the selective school you have nominated for the test" from the CSSE website.

Can't see why that would change, perhaps they see Colchester as a natural overflow option for sitting the test. Do they usually have some spare capacity as a test centre compared to others?

[First-timer]

Given all the other changes I can't help but be suspicious. I know that the current position is that (subject to gender) you can sit the test in any of the consortium schools. It is usually (but doesn't have to be) your first choice school. This wording moves away from that. Perhaps they are thinking about introducing an additional element to the Essex exam. Everyone sits the same three papers and then in addition, candidates for Chelmsford and Colchester do a composition (say). That way you could still apply to the Southend schools and the Essex exam would be made harder (as if that's needed). Or perhaps it's because it's been mooted that Southend may introduce age standardisation. Not sure why the candidates would need to be physically separated for that, though!

It does seem that we are being drip fed information so I am looking closely for leakage clues.

[Hopefuldad]

First Timer

Stop worrying.

The tests have been the same for all schools because they are administered by CSSE. The reason being the children sit the 11+ only once rather than one for every school they apply. They can sit the test at any of the grammar schools as long as they have specified a preference on their SIF. The big difference this year is the test have been brought forward, so although you have less time but everyone is in the same boat and the standardisation process will account for this.

Age standardisation makes very little difference, and non whatsoever for the top scores, that is why it is not accounted for. IMHO age should be taken into consideration.

HD

[First-timer]

Yes, I know how it has been. What I'm wondering about is how it is going to be. From a drafting perspective it is odd that the document states the exam is to be taken in either Chelmsford or Colchester and not simply in one of the CSSE schools. It could be an innocent oversight. Or it could indicate an intention for further change.

[First-timer]

Interestingly, the current admissions document says that there is to be one test used by all the CSSE schools and states the format of the exam is Maths, English and VR. The proposed document does not. Moreover it says that the tests are "to be confirmed."

I might be paranoid but that doesn't mean they aren't out to get me!

[ahap]

Moreover it says that the tests are "to be confirmed."

arrrrrrrrrrghghgh.........................

For the time being I am going to follow CSSE's document.

[Minesatea]

It may be that as Southend/Westcliff have a pass mark and Colchester/Chelmsford don't, that they want the two groups of candidates separate. Children sitting at Southend or Westcliff will be told "suitable for grammar / not" based on the 303 pass mark but that this won't be applied to those sitting at Chelmsford or Colchester as 303 will not get them a place there.

Interestingly the Southend High School for Girls policy for 2013 states that girls will be allocated a school to sit the test.

Pupils seeking entry to the School (and other Grammar Schools) will take tests on (date to be confirmed) in English, Mathematics and Verbal Reasoning at a school to which they have been allocated

[First-timer]

The problem with that is that applicants for the Chelmsford, Colchester and Southend schools are not mutually exclusive groups. The results will be known before the decision as to which schools are applied to is taken.

I hope I am reading way too much into the situation.