First term in grammar school

[Kingfisher]

Do nothing for the CATs test. She is a bit more motivated now; let her enjoy the rest of the time.

[Daogroupie]

Has she done VR and NVR before? Some siblings at semi selective schools are at a disadvantage as they have not seen VR and NVR questions before and their exam colleagues have done hundreds of them! DG

[MrsB]

I believe the OP was asking about curriculum in Year 7 and in particular CRGS. It's good to have a general idea of what your DC is covering but in terms of some of the later posts, personally I would not want my DC to do any prep over the summer. My understanding is that the CAT test is aimed at finding what level your DC is operating at, and identify strengths and weaknesses. It's not about pass or fail and I can't see any benefit in being prepped. Similarly, I would not be too concerned if they forget some maths. At some point these DCs need to learn to self motivate, and the sooner they do, the better they will progress, even if that means failing a bit first.

[ginx]

I did ask dd2's gs if they do a CAT test; they don't, but they do a similar test - but I can't remember the name.

Dd2 says she does not feel she needs to do any practice tests (she is rather arrogant). I don't know whether we should dig out the Bond books again ... or not bother ... we're not going to bother. I'd quite like to know her true results without any practice. Maybe that isn't fair to her if everyone else is working, but the girls aren't streamed until year 9, so I'm not too bothered.

She did VR and NVR for the 11+. She didn't do brilliantly in the 11+ but she passed. I don't think she needs to do any more. And we're enjoying the holidays (so far), I don't want to keep nagging her to do some work. I'm quite pleased she has managed to read and write her reading log, working for 30 minutes each day. Pleased and rather amazed. You're right, Kingfisher, she can enjoy the holidays. She is quite confident in a quiet way. Thanks for the advice, Daogroupie.

[Pumpkin Pie]

Are there any Sample CAT tests to look at? It would be nice to know what sort of questions are asked.

Also, is it a multiple choice test?

[DC17C]

The whole point of CAT testing is assessing innate ability so no point in doing anything other than enjoy the summer holidays IMO. DS will be starting GS in september and is having a well deserved break after the SATS etc - the only maths being done is the odd junior maths brainteaser in the Telegraph.

DD has just finished her first year at GS i still have no idea how she did in the CAT tests she did at the start of the year but she has had a really good year - excellent report/ NC levels etc and she is enjoying doing her own thing- she reads a lot anyway but she had spent 2 weeks staying with her dad looking after her baby step sister. Tomorrow she is helping her Aunt distribute programmes at a local agricultural show, next week a Photography workshop at Chester Zoo. The last week of the holidays she is doing a dance summer school. In the longer term I think these are going to be just as useful experiences for DD.

[ginx]

We ended up doing nothing over the holidays except the required reading log for gs. Haven't looked at anything at all for Cat test and don't intend to.

I was actually impressed because although dd2 did not write much, and did no more than the six books I suggested, she did them without too much nagging.

I have become aware that of my four children, she does not use the computer much. So she wrote a paragraph or so about each book, plus a line or so giving her opinion of the book. It was not brilliant intellectual work, and it's difficult to read (her handwriting has always been poor, I'm just waiting for school to tell me this ) but she did it. It's all in her writing on lined paper, not neatly typed work, and definitely not taken from the internet, it is too personal with a few spelling/grammar mistakes. It is her own work.

Only two other girls in her class had bothered doing anything at all (according to dd2, anyway). I think not everybody received the information to do any work.

She started practising getting up early/going to bed early a week before school started, and is now just impatient to leave earlier in the morning! Four days in, she feels she's made one "new" friend, although she seems to know nothing about this girl other than her name; and the fact they are in a group including another girl from dd2's own junior school.

She's doing homework on time, put a very messy timetable up in her room.

Maybe my worries about her sloppy attitude towards homework are wrong, and she has changed. I can see she could do more - but she insists she can't because there wasn't enough to do (comments on a 20 second you tube clip; write another reading log) but she is already keeping up without me nagging - hurray! Maybe dc do change at secondary school. I think she's quietly happy, quite keen to find a similarly quiet friend.

Most shocking facts are she's volunteered to join lunchtime netball club , and to continue with flute. Onwards and upwards.

For any dp with lazy dc starting gs next year, my dd2 was incredibly lazy and disorganised throughout junior school, but is already showing signs she has changed. I am sure she doesn't want detentions or to be bottom of the class. It's actually quite amusing to see such a change, but good. Thanks to all who suggested this might happen; dc change at secondary school.