Should I tutor?
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Should I tutor?
Hi, just after some advice please! My daughter is due to take the Kent test in September, she has always been very bright, has always loved school and learning. Leading up to the registration of the Kent test her teacher heavily supported her taking the test. This year we have signed her up to Bond online which she enjoys doing and has a system of what practices she completes and when to complete a test. My question is, is this enough? I was happy with her progress with this but have become panicked by how many friends are now being tutored. I have also now learnt of how hard it is to get into the good non grammar schools in the area and now wonder if I am being foolish to not have her tutored over the summer. My original thinking was I wanted her to pass because she could and of her own hard work to get there. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
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Re: Should I tutor?
We found Bond online somewhat limited after a while. Probably best to find out exactly where she is with the test provider GL.
https://www.gl-assessment.co.uk/product ... YO,39YLS,1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
These familiarisation papers are free and a good starting point. If there is any particular weakness, you can decide whether to focus on that yourself with books or pay for a tutor.
https://www.gl-assessment.co.uk/product ... YO,39YLS,1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
These familiarisation papers are free and a good starting point. If there is any particular weakness, you can decide whether to focus on that yourself with books or pay for a tutor.
Re: Should I tutor?
I think you will struggle to find a tutor for the summer even if there was one that could do a better job than you can at home. Why don't you do the GL assessment familiaristion papers instead of Bond? There are 8 in each of the sbujects of maths, English, verbal, non-verbal. You need to find some 3D / spatial questions as well. This is the closest you will get to the test as it is GL assessment that writes the Kent test.
Good luck.
You can do 32 papers over the summer hols but it will take up some time. it will be worth it. do you need pass score or high score for the schools you are aiming at?
You will find that Practise and Pass provides reasonable teaching of how to do the familiarisatioj papers.
I really do not know why people do those Bond books. But no worries, it is what a lot of tutored children will have done too.
Good luck.
You can do 32 papers over the summer hols but it will take up some time. it will be worth it. do you need pass score or high score for the schools you are aiming at?
You will find that Practise and Pass provides reasonable teaching of how to do the familiarisatioj papers.
I really do not know why people do those Bond books. But no worries, it is what a lot of tutored children will have done too.
Re: Should I tutor?
Snap. Sorry our posts crossed.Sparklecat wrote:We found Bond online somewhat limited after a while. Probably best to find out exactly where she is with the test provider GL.
https://www.gl-assessment.co.uk/product ... YO,39YLS,1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
These familiarisation papers are free and a good starting point. If there is any particular weakness, you can decide whether to focus on that yourself with books or pay for a tutor.
Re: Should I tutor?
+1, very good advice.Kerryann83 wrote:Hi, just after some advice please! My daughter is due to take the Kent test in September, she has always been very bright, has always loved school and learning. Leading up to the registration of the Kent test her teacher heavily supported her taking the test. This year we have signed her up to Bond online which she enjoys doing and has a system of what practices she completes and when to complete a test. My question is, is this enough? I was happy with her progress with this but have become panicked by how many friends are now being tutored. I have also now learnt of how hard it is to get into the good non grammar schools in the area and now wonder if I am being foolish to not have her tutored over the summer. My original thinking was I wanted her to pass because she could and of her own hard work to get there. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
Whether a child is tutored at home or elsewhere, they're still being tutored. However, like parents, some tutors are better than others at conveying the information. Usually, someone good would have been booked up before September 2016. You may be lucky and find someone available or do it yourself.
My son also liked Bond on line and used it as it was convenient, however, please note that Bond on line is not the right format as the Kent test and that the children need to get used to answering on a separate piece of paper.
Are you going for a super selective? If not, getting a pass is not that bad.
Salsa
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Re: Should I tutor?
A big thank you for your help, we are looking for a passI have printed out all of the familiarisation papers, and they look great. I think I will continue to work with her over the summer, she is committed but I just needed to check I was giving her the best resources. Thanks again.
Re: Should I tutor?
Hi, I don't think you can print out all the GL Assessment Familiaristion papers. Where did you do that and how much did you pay? And if you did, watch out that the non-verbal ones have printed out properly because with some of the lines or shading missing they will be impossiblle to solve correctly.
Re: Should I tutor?
Possibly the free familiarisation booklets on their website, which should print out okay?mystery wrote:Hi, I don't think you can print out all the GL Assessment Familiaristion papers. Where did you do that and how much did you pay? And if you did, watch out that the non-verbal ones have printed out properly because with some of the lines or shading missing they will be impossiblle to solve correctly.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Re: Should I tutor?
Ah yes you are right Toad Mum - on the GL Assessment website you can print off a very small number of familiarisation papers - looks like the first one in the series for each of the four subjects.
They are the right thing but just having one paper in each subject isn't enough to give you examples of all the different question types which may come up on the day.
The other thing I forgot to mention was that there are some books by GL Assessment which explain how to do the VR and NVR papers - one book for each.
So, KerryAnn83, you have not got all the familiarisation papers there. There are 8 in each subject.
If you are aiming at a pass rather than a high score, how much prep you do over the summer depends really on how much you want to try to reduce the risk of not getting a high enough score for a pass. You do not need to get that many correct in each paper to pass -- but you do have to pass all three papers. But if you have non-grammar school options that you like and are likely to get a place at from your home address, then you can be low key about it. But if you want the best possible chance of grammar, then try get through all the papers. Some are much harder than others so do not expect your child to get similar marks on all of them - the point is to do them to try out all the different question types and identify things they need to practise more or learn more about. The first NVR paper is hard compared with many of the others.
And don't forget to buy some spatial / 3D type material.
They are the right thing but just having one paper in each subject isn't enough to give you examples of all the different question types which may come up on the day.
The other thing I forgot to mention was that there are some books by GL Assessment which explain how to do the VR and NVR papers - one book for each.
So, KerryAnn83, you have not got all the familiarisation papers there. There are 8 in each subject.
If you are aiming at a pass rather than a high score, how much prep you do over the summer depends really on how much you want to try to reduce the risk of not getting a high enough score for a pass. You do not need to get that many correct in each paper to pass -- but you do have to pass all three papers. But if you have non-grammar school options that you like and are likely to get a place at from your home address, then you can be low key about it. But if you want the best possible chance of grammar, then try get through all the papers. Some are much harder than others so do not expect your child to get similar marks on all of them - the point is to do them to try out all the different question types and identify things they need to practise more or learn more about. The first NVR paper is hard compared with many of the others.
And don't forget to buy some spatial / 3D type material.