OOC test - 6 hours??

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MrGrimes
Posts: 39
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2015 8:48 am

OOC test - 6 hours??

Post by MrGrimes »

For those ooc kids taking the test next weekend, the timetable given is 6 hours.

The 2 papers are an hour each with another hour for the written essay at the end. Even if you allow an hour for breaks and time coordinating, how and why does this equate to 6 hours? Does anyone have any insight?

Seems an awfully long time for a 10 year old child to focus, especially on a weekend.
PettswoodFiona
Posts: 2134
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:24 pm
Location: Petts Wood, Bromley, Kent

Re: OOC test - 6 hours??

Post by PettswoodFiona »

Pre-Covid I seem to remember turning up shortly after 8am for 8.30 registration, that taking 45 mins due to huge queues, children settled in Hall, for 9.30 start, but it didn’t start on time, long breaks and not enough toilets, the late start meant it went on until about 1.30, then releasing each child slowly one by one to parents via a disorganised wave from child to parent and we finally had a tired, hungry and desperate for the toilet DD by about 2pm. Total 5.5 hours excluding my early arrival. DD said it was so unwelcoming and lack of girls toilets in a boys school meant she didn’t get to go to the toilet which distracted her. Despite getting a fantastic score the test day experience was enough to put her off even wanting to go to a Kent grammar which is what I think Kent want.
MrGrimes
Posts: 39
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2015 8:48 am

Re: OOC test - 6 hours??

Post by MrGrimes »

Thanks and that sounds terrible for your DD (or any child for that matter). I think you're right with your last sentence - even the email informing of the test is worded such that it feels very discouraging. I can understand from Kent CC point of view that they have to administer so many tests where parents have no intention of actually sending their child to a Kent school, but they are inadvertantly putting off those who do.
Sorrel
Posts: 616
Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2017 8:56 am

Re: OOC test - 6 hours??

Post by Sorrel »

When my second son did the OOC test (he's just going into yr 8 now) it was better organised than when my older one did it. In particular they had different doors to let them out - with no 1, they were all coming out of one entrance, with the child only released when they could see a parent, and there was such a press of parents that only the front ones could see anyone. Was the parents' fault really for crowding round but they didn't help. Was fine second time but it is quite a long morning.
Fmmg
Posts: 88
Joined: Sun May 03, 2020 4:29 pm

Re: OOC test - 6 hours??

Post by Fmmg »

My daughter sat the Kent test in October last year (delayed from September due to ongoing restrictions/ schools going in and out of different tiers). We had to be there at 8am and pick up was scheduled for 12pm but it was so so busy we didn’t get her until around 1pm. They had an afternoon test session (pupils from different schools) scheduled for 1.30-5.30 at the venue so they had to get a move on. It was well organised at both drop off and pick up but very very slow so I wonder if they are trying to avoid that this time by having a longer schedule with more time for breaks etc.

My daughter was not able to go to the toilet as there was only one set open and the queues were long. The kids had to wear masks the entire time which was difficult as they weren’t used to them. I guess that won’t be the case this year.

Every email we received, from test registration to the days prior to the test itself, reiterated that we could withdraw our child’s registration for the test at any time no questions asked with no reason having to be given. Each email stated that the number of candidates puts a huge pressure on council finances, that every year candidates don’t turn up despite having registered, and that out of county spaces in the kent schools are hard to get. It was very off putting and it would’ve worked to change my mind about my daughter sitting the rest had we not been interested in her attending one of the kent schools.
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