I dont get this

Eleven Plus (11+) in Kent

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now
sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

I dont get this

Post by sherry_d »

OK reading the maidstone kent messenger there is an article of 11+ test results for Shernold Scool (a preparatory school) disallowed because the pupils had seen previous test papers.

First it looks like this was discovered when the head made an appeal for the 2 kids who had failed...are there separate times for sitting the 11 plus?

Secondly I thought previous test papers are everywhere now so why is it a big deal that kids saw this, I bet many have or is it just schools arent allowed...The previous test papers seem to be from 6 and 15years ago
Kent99

Post by Kent99 »

I believe that NFER set the 11+ papers from a "question bank" so that an individual question may come up in more than one year. Presumably this does not apply to any questions used in the 4 sets of sample papers sold to the public. As a result schools are not allowed to hold on to used papers after the exam; they are meant to be returned to KCC and destroyed. It sounds as if this school broke the rules and so it is possible that their children had seen some of the questions before.
sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Post by sherry_d »

Alright, so its OK to buy the papers from the shops but not allowed for schools. Seem a bit odd

Plus how come they had the results a bit early...?

Its a little sad, I really liked the school and my with my DD we couldnt really afford so we decided against. I have baby DS and still keep a keen eye on the school...

The good was that they were now assesed against their work and they were assed suitable for gramma save for I think 2 again....

The school was bit careless then....pressure to produce results from fee paying parent I guess :D
Kent99

Post by Kent99 »

You can't buy past papers, only the 4 sets of practice papers. These won't include questions taken from the question bank used to set real papers so candidates won't have seen any actual exam questions in advance. The idea is to let them see the TYPE of questions to expect, not the actual ones they are going to get in the exam! Real past papers, in contrast, may contain some of the actual questions that the children will get in the exam.

The difference is that instead of thinking "oh yes, I've seen code questions before" a child who has been shown real past papers may be saying " oh yes, I remember this question. Mrs X said the answer was D."

Which is why schools/ invigilators are not meant to keep used papers.

What makes you think the school got the results early? Their malpractice apparently came to light at the HT appeal stage (which is before results are given to parents).
Post Reply
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now