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Maths Coverage - does it cover all of y6 ?

Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2021 2:00 pm
by elevenplusforum78
I spoke to several tutors about this topic and they all agree that the maths test covers all of the year 6 curriculum. However, when I posed this question to this forum a few months ago, I was shown official doc. from the county council that stipulates it only goes up to the end of year5. I have to do this test again with my younger children so would really appreciate some clarity.

Some of the tutors I spoke to were really trustworthy , or so I would like to think, so I am so confused over this issue!

Thank you.

Re: Maths Coverage - does it cover all of y6 ?

Posted: Wed Sep 29, 2021 5:44 pm
by ToadMum
:?:
elevenplusforum78 wrote:I spoke to several tutors about this topic and they all agree that the maths test covers all of the year 6 curriculum. However, when I posed this question to this forum a few months ago, I was shown official doc. from the county council that stipulates it only goes up to the end of year5. I have to do this test again with my younger children so would really appreciate some clarity.

Some of the tutors I spoke to were really trustworthy , or so I would like to think, so I am so confused over this issue!

Thank you.
Several really trustworthy tutors (not at all trying to drum up custom from desperate parents...) tell you that your DC will be tested on topics that their school will not have taught them by the time of the exam.

The actual organisation responsible for the commissioning of the exam tells you that only familiarity with content covered by every state school up to a point which will have passed by the time the exam is taken will be necessary.

What will I be tested on?
The English & Maths test looks at your skill in these subjects (sometimes also called literacy and numeracy), drawing on what you have been taught in lessons.
...
...The maths test contains a series of multiple-choice questions covering a variety of topics taught in most schools up to the start of Year 6. A small number of questions are based on things you will have been taught but may be more difficult than you are used to. This is so you can show how you use the maths skills you already have to solve new kinds of problem.

https://www.kent.gov.uk/__data/assets/p ... ooklet.pdf

Hmm, now which one to believe...?

Re: Maths Coverage - does it cover all of y6 ?

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 5:18 am
by Sorrel
'More difficult than you're used to' looks like the grey area here. Doesn't mean that without extra work it's impossible to answer the questions because you don't know the concepts. But if you've been working at that 'more difficult' level, with a tutor or just at home, and it's in fact not more difficult than you're used to, that's going to help surely. Unless you're a stone cold maths genius anyway.

Re: Maths Coverage - does it cover all of y6 ?

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 11:07 am
by elevenplusforum78
Thank you for your responses- great to have a discussion about this! I think I can be assured therefore that my children don't need to know the year 6 curriculum, but they need to be able to work at the highest end of y5 level to secure a place at a 'superselective.' The 11 plus material , Collins, CGP and Bond also I believe heighten the anxiety by producing questions at a level which the children won't be required to answer, eg the use of algebra. If we could take the 'business' aspect out of the whole process , publishers and tutors, preying on parents' anxieties, we could save a large percentage of children from unnecessary work and stress.

Re: Maths Coverage - does it cover all of y6 ?

Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 1:37 pm
by ToadMum
Think of it as 'MR', perhaps - may be required to use 'mathematical reasoning'? (Or even, 'arithmetical reasoning'). What aspect of this question's 'story' looks like something I already know how to do?

Re: Maths Coverage - does it cover all of y6 ?

Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2021 8:45 am
by Nella
elevenplusforum78 wrote:Thank you for your responses- great to have a discussion about this! I think I can be assured therefore that my children don't need to know the year 6 curriculum, but they need to be able to work at the highest end of y5 level to secure a place at a 'superselective.' The 11 plus material , Collins, CGP and Bond also I believe heighten the anxiety by producing questions at a level which the children won't be required to answer, eg the use of algebra. If we could take the 'business' aspect out of the whole process , publishers and tutors, preying on parents' anxieties, we could save a large percentage of children from unnecessary work and stress.
I completely agree with you. We’re Birmingham so a different area but we have the same hysteria about needing to cover year 6 (and sometimes yr 7) maths. My child had a complete meltdown when trying one of the Bond CEM style maths papers; the content was way above what was covered in yr 5 . This was a couple of months before the test (late to the party!). That was the first and last practice paper they did. Feedback after the test was that it was stuff that they had covered in yr 5 but it made them think a bit more to answer it, but they had the principles to tackle the questions.

During lockdown (the 1st one, so over half way through yr 6 ) we dug the maths paper out again and there were still things that hadn’t been covered.

My advice for what it’s worth- make sure your child is secure with times tables and knows how to fill in a multiple choice paper- oh and another thing - if they don’t know the answer- guess and move on!