What score needed for St Thomas Rich?

[66mum]

So now up to 100%!! I am amazed that prolific posters such as Amber, who I have no doubt only home tutor, would be so relaxed or confident only to do 6 papers to prepare for the test. Would most people only do 6? The amount of hand wringing and angst on here, would indicate otherwise!?

[Amber]

If you read back through my posts, 66, you will see that I have 'form' on the tutoring front. I won't relate it all here; but no, with my second son I did not home tutor. At all. A teacher friend had him for sessions over the summer, from around April I think - a total of about 8 or 9 sessions which included some practice papers. About 3 weeks before the exam he wasn't even finishing the papers - about 20 questions left. And my post was meant to reassure - most times he was nowhere near 100%, more like 70% I think. She did one 'back to back' paper with him about 2 weeks before the exam. I think it was a borderline possible pass.

I did nothing at all at home - he was anxious enough as it was and I didn't want to have the stuff in the house to make it worse. I was not 'relaxed and confident' at all - but look, he was a small child, and the pressure was already huge. As I learned with DS1 and am now learning with DD, there are many ways to get where we want to be, and sometimes things just aren't meant to go the way we think they should at the time. It is all part of life.

He did not scrape in - it was a high qualifying pass, despite rubbing out one entire section and re-writing the blobs somewhere else. What else can I say? Don't panic, don't worry too much about practice scores, definitely don't believe what your child tells you on the day. And remember there are other schools out there too.

Finally - would most people only do 6? Most people on this forum - no. Most people entering their child for the test - fewer than 6, I reckon.

[66mum]

That is reassuring Amber. Well done on resisting the temptation to do more, as we know its a one shot test, and sometimes the most academically worthy just miss out. Your DS reached his potential and achieved the right school for him. By resisting doing bits at home, the pressure was off, I do think that is probably the key! Good luck all those taking the test this year.

[cheltdad]

DS2 was not scoring consistently 90% in practice (I think he did about 5 or 6 practice papers) and passed for STRS very comfortably. I can't remember his practice scores now but 78% seems to ring a bell, with a couple of 100% and most somewhere in between I think.

Strange reply if he only did 5 papers and hit 100% twice and some where between 78 and 100 the other times then that seems to me to echo what I was saying and the previous poster re 85/90% to get in my view was on being very confident - obviously all need a bit of luck on the day.

All the best to those taking the test this year.

[Amber]

Sorry you think it is a strange reply. It's how it was. But tbh I didn't take a lot of notice of scores...as long as he knew the techniques, we kind of played it down.

I was trying to be reassuring but all I have been is 'strange'.

[the voice of reason]

I may be even stranger and perhaps should be restrained once I get a keyboard in front of me! Anyway: Thanks for all this information in this thread on what percentages in test papers might mean for actual performance, because it was what I was looking for this time on my three-yearly visit to this excellent and entertaining forum. Whatever percentages candidates are achieving in practice, it will be only the on-the-day score that matters. That is not meant to be preachy: It is hopefully to put minds at rest when the practice scores are all over the place. My dd’s practice test scores have been pretty good and improving but that is not going to stop me worrying like mad about her on the day itself. But as long as she has been prepared and ‘does her best’ (sorry about cliches) that is all that can be asked or expected. So Good Luck to all on the day!

[cheltdad]

Sorry you think it is a strange reply. It's how it was. But tbh I didn't take a lot of notice of scores...as long as he knew the techniques, we kind of played it down.

I was trying to be reassuring but all I have been is 'strange'.

Sorry strange was bad choice of word, it's was just that what you said seemed to point towards a similar score as mentioned, in mine and previous post, yet implied 78 was more of a benchmark personally I think that's a little low.

[Amber]

Sorry you think it is a strange reply. It's how it was. But tbh I didn't take a lot of notice of scores...as long as he knew the techniques, we kind of played it down.

I was trying to be reassuring but all I have been is 'strange'.

Sorry strange was bad choice of word, it's was just that what you said seemed to point towards a similar score as mentioned, in mine and previous post, yet implied 78 was more of a benchmark personally I think that's a little low.

Agh. I know nothing of 'benchmarks' and was just trying to reassure that not all kids taking the test were hard-coached and scoring ridiculous percentages. He wasn't. And he passed, solidly. Only trying to calm some nerves, not add a pseudo-scientific legitimacy to the whole horrid business.

Good luck all...and remember your children are so much more than this!

[stroudydad]

Personally I am trying not to read anything into how well my Dd does or does not do. (it's very hard) I know my daughter is cApable of getting a good score but that she may also not. We shall wait for the results then worry about things.

[neveragain*]

Hear hear Amber, our children are so much more than this. My last grammar test child (now at grammar) was comfortably getting 88-100% at home and didn't get the pass mark for STR. We had pretty much decided on Crypt anyway as it is very close to us geographically but still felt devastated when we saw he hadn't passed, and the crypt result wasn't in yet.....thank god DS was fast asleep whilst all this drama ensued.....
He is now at Crypt and we are very happy, but I suppose what I'm trying to say is we can't tell what will happen on the day, but we must keep faith with our lovely children. Whatever happens if they are supported, they will be more than OK. I know lots and lots of children who didn't get a high enough score, went to a comp and thrived and came out confident, street wise young people with the same bunch of GcSE as they would have at grammar. They have all been in top sets, and full of confidence. Now most of them are at grammar sixth forms.....it's all a journey and the only good outcome is a happy confident well prepared young person at 18 surely.
Good luck all, I remember the anxiety all too well x