New Format to the Test

[mystery]

Ok that makes sense. But that cabinet paper makes it sound as though there was something meaningful to debate still.

[MJMoore]

Yep, I have to admit I've been rather confused by it all today. I get the impression they have an idea what they want, but it depends what they're offered during the tender process.

The frustrating thing is that we (I have a child in yr 4) won't have a clear idea about what they will face until at least July - if at all!

[mystery]

A good specification sets out in broad terms what is desired and leaves it to the companies bidding to set out how they will achieve it. The spec linked to by koan again does not seem to really do that. Hopefully they have good evaluation criteria and will manage the contract well so they don't get to the point as they have done with gl assessment where they are not happy with what they are paying for. But my verdict on the process so far ... Nul points.

[mystery]

Okanagan, on page 3of this thread you linked to a summary specification. Where did this come from? Is it the one which was sent out to prospective bidders? It requests two multiple choice tests covering literacy, reasoning, and maths. It does not say what is meant by reasoning or literacy. It does not mention the written task for borderline fails. It refers to national curriculum expectations too without further explanation.

Recycled test items are only explicitly banned if used in a previous year by Kent or a neighbouring authority. So recycled bucks items would be fine.

It's only the sale of materials to parents which is explicitly banned. Also the actual paper does not sound that tightly controlled. Advance copies for proof reading and content approval have to be made available in advance to local authority employees.

[Okanagan]

The document was just from the council committee papers. It may have been intentionally kept fairly concise (and hence not especially detailed) becasue of the audience it was intended for (councillors). I don't think it was part of a tender document as such - having been involved in procuremnt I'd expect that to be much more specific, and then there would be a scoring sytem against each requirement point to come down to shortlist, and then more detailed discussion with each particular provider before a final decision was made. Having had a trawl through the public procurement tender sites I don't think it's been publicly put out for tender yet. Although in a field with so few potential bidders (especially if as is likely there was no chance of it going to an organisation without a track record in UK 11+ testing) the invitation to tender may just have been circulated to all potential bidders directly.

[mystery]

Ah that makes more sense. I suppose also the contract value is presumably not that high and because it is education services it comes under one of the less stringent sets of procurement rules.

Still, intriguing that it does not fit with what is stated in the covering cabinet paper. I've never quite understood why stuff for councillors - cabinet members even - is so potted to save them time but then they spend longer talking about it (that webcast yesterday for example) than it would take to read and comment on more complete details.

So where do you think the decision had already taken place?

I don't suppose there are many test providers in the uk, but there is surely no need to require previous grammar selection experience is there? Theoretically someone from another country could do it too.

[Okanagan]

Theoretically someone from another country could do it too.

An organisation form elsewhere could potentially set it - subject to being able to overcome any cultural differences between British English and other variations, and having enough of an awareness of th UK curriculum to pitch it at an appropriate level. But there are other legal issues to do with having data relating to children handled offshore, which would mean that the making and collation of results would still have to be UK based. Given that, they'd probably opt to stick with a UK based provider.

[mystery]

Good point - but from that summary spec I have, maybe falsely, gained the impression that kent does all the data stuff themselves and that the test providers job ends with providing the paper. I did find that aspect a little confusing in the summary.

I just hope they save some money from the exercise if there are no other clear gains to be made. And that the savings go back into education.

[Okanagan]

Good point - but from that summary spec I have, maybe falsely, gained the impression that kent does all the data stuff themselves and that the test providers job ends with providing the paper.

The test providers usually deal with the marking and standardisation, and then the actual admissions and allocations process is handled locally - certainly that's the case with the areas CEM already handles. I'd expect local marking of the written paper for Kent though if they're only actually marking that in borderline cases and it isn't part of the standardisation process.

I just hope they save some money from the exercise if there are no other clear gains to be made. And that the savings go back into education.

Education budgets, like all local government budgets, ae under pressure at the moment. Any savings may mean that budgeterary pressures elsewhere are eased, but probably not that there will be any extra funds available.

[Villagedad]

Hi all
Has anyone heard any new news on the possible change to the 11+ test for 2014, or do parents think it will now be delayed to 2015 as has been mentioned?

Thanks