Practice tests

ktw · Post by **ktw** » Fri Jul 17, 2009 11:20 pm

Can someone please tell me what happens with the practice tests? I have asked at the primary school, and some poorly photocopied tests have been sent home. Is this what normally happens?
I am a bit out of my depth at the moment and the school seems to be totally unsupportive and uninterested.

david55 · Post by **david55** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 2:26 pm

The moderators might be able to help but there are some primaries in Lincolnshire who just don't support the selection process.We moved to Bourne recently and spent ages picking a supportive school.What part of the county are you in?
I gather that a couple of practice papers are sent out some time before the September tests to candidates' schools' .Are you aware of the procedures for testing?Again I'm sure the moderators on here will help.

Good luck.

sallyj · Post by **sallyj** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 3:01 pm

Sorry,can't be much help either. A lot of Lincolnshire-including where we are-is non-selective. Our DS took his practice papers in the GS on a Saturday morning the week before the proper exams. We never heard anymore about them.
A bit difficult to talk to a member of staff now the holidays are upon us. The mod you require here in Lincs is Alex,who will no doubt have some suggestions where you can go from here.
Try not to worry too much,Best wishes,Sallyj

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:53 am

Apologies for a very late reply.
The way practice tests are administered seems to vary from primary school to primary school and even between the Grammar schools for those who sit them there. Some schools merely give the tests out and let the children mark them themselves - "familiarisation" at its most basic; others give them under exam conditions and use the marking of the tests as an opportunity to explain how and why the answer is as it is.
Some Grammars administer the practice tests in a session in July; others do them in the September a week before the first real test.
I always thought the schools were not supposed to send them home as they are repeated year on year!

emmgemuk · Post by **emmgemuk** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 11:25 pm

Our DD has taken 2 practise tests for each exam in school which were sent by the grammer school. Apparently they only sent out enough for the children that had registered, and we were allowed to look at their results but stricktly no taking away!

Sarah. · Post by **Sarah.** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 5:16 pm

Our daughter has had verbal and non-verbal practice papers,four of each,all of which have been sent home to complete. They have gone through the papers in school and marked them themselves, the marked papers are then returned home again.

david55 · Post by **david55** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 6:14 pm

One of the primaries in Bourne gave the children their one and only practice paper on Friday afternoon prior to taking the real thing the very next day!!!!
Seems to me they don't give a jot for the process.

ourmaminhavana · Post by **ourmaminhavana** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 10:03 pm

My son's primary gave the children a number of papers-, both verbal and NV- under examination conditions and marked them. In fact I didn't do any NV preparation at home!