Late Medway tests
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I would imagine that the admissions team would argue that it is acceptable to hold these late tests as they will be age standardised and comparable to the cohort that took them earlier in the year.
However, I don't see what they could do to balance the fact that the children taking the later tests would have covered more curriculum than the original children back in October.
These spaces must be filled however, in order to keep these GS's thriving.
Difficult one, I must say.
However, I don't see what they could do to balance the fact that the children taking the later tests would have covered more curriculum than the original children back in October.
These spaces must be filled however, in order to keep these GS's thriving.
Difficult one, I must say.
My view on this is that they really need to reconsider the early test date. As a result of moving from January some years back this I feel has put more pressure on the children, teachers and parents and may have put a lot of parents off entering their child as so much of the maths curriculum is yet untouched come Ocober of year6.
I know you will all shout and say this is catered for under standardisation and they are all in the same boat but standardisation does not allow for those children that do not sit the test.
As we now see many of the schools have places available and a chance to sit a test later in the year to gain one of these places is a viable option I think a review of the test date is a necessity otherwise I can see more and I see more parents opting for this route once the possibility "leaks" out. At the moment it seems to me that only the few in the know will take the opportunity. I see a BIG BLACK HOLE looming!
I know you will all shout and say this is catered for under standardisation and they are all in the same boat but standardisation does not allow for those children that do not sit the test.
As we now see many of the schools have places available and a chance to sit a test later in the year to gain one of these places is a viable option I think a review of the test date is a necessity otherwise I can see more and I see more parents opting for this route once the possibility "leaks" out. At the moment it seems to me that only the few in the know will take the opportunity. I see a BIG BLACK HOLE looming!
I don't live in this area, so I don't have the same feeling some of you have about the late opportunity to take the test. I do feel that it is only a tiny weeny problem though; I don't think that the late sitters have an unfair advantage as long as the pass mark is roughly equal allowing for age standardisation.
The only paper where having covered more of the curriculum would make a difference is maths ( is there a maths paper?), and even there, I'm not sure it would make a huge difference. After all, it would not be too onerous for an intelligent child to have covered the KS2 maths syllabus by the end of Year 5 whether at school, or at home from a few books from a high street retailer or this website.
I can't imagine that there would be that many sensible people who would take the risk of deliverately waiting for the late chance to sit the test. After all, there is always the possibility that almost all the places would be full. And even if it was slightly easier to pass, there would not be much point if there wasn't a place for you.
I would think that it is must a mopping up of people who have recently moved into the area, or who have not got a satisfactory school option elsewhere who did not consider the Medway test.
Moreover, it begs the question why there are (so many?) spare grammar school places in this area. If the demographics showed that this would continue to be a problem going forward, it is more likely that the school's standard numbers on entry would reduce, rather than that the test date would be changed.
Of course at the moment they need to fill the places if they possibly can. Live and let live, and don't assume that the kids who get in late had a cushy number getting in. They could just happen to be the most intelligent in the school! One will never know.
The only paper where having covered more of the curriculum would make a difference is maths ( is there a maths paper?), and even there, I'm not sure it would make a huge difference. After all, it would not be too onerous for an intelligent child to have covered the KS2 maths syllabus by the end of Year 5 whether at school, or at home from a few books from a high street retailer or this website.
I can't imagine that there would be that many sensible people who would take the risk of deliverately waiting for the late chance to sit the test. After all, there is always the possibility that almost all the places would be full. And even if it was slightly easier to pass, there would not be much point if there wasn't a place for you.
I would think that it is must a mopping up of people who have recently moved into the area, or who have not got a satisfactory school option elsewhere who did not consider the Medway test.
Moreover, it begs the question why there are (so many?) spare grammar school places in this area. If the demographics showed that this would continue to be a problem going forward, it is more likely that the school's standard numbers on entry would reduce, rather than that the test date would be changed.
Of course at the moment they need to fill the places if they possibly can. Live and let live, and don't assume that the kids who get in late had a cushy number getting in. They could just happen to be the most intelligent in the school! One will never know.
