AGGS - it's all over :)

[countrymum]

Have spoken to DD again, just asked casually about the time warnings and NVR. She can't remember now, though definitely remembers warnings in some papers at some point. I think the link gatleymum gave is probably correct in that warnings were given out in Maths and VR but not NVR. DD has also disclosed she finished one NVR paper ( kept her eye on the clock on wall ) having guessed some too. But didn't finish the second paper maybe 5/6 left out. Tbh we haven't gone over it too much, I don't think it is healthy for either of us, and what will be will be. She was under the weather as it was on the day (lots of bugs going round) so for me, she has done really well just getting through it

On a professional level I can't imagine for one second warnings given in NVR in some rooms and not others. Especially as it mentions it on the website. Like I say these girls were very nervous etc, and can be excused thinking something did/didn't happen in the exam room exactly as it was.

[Manchestermum]

Hi all
Not posted for a a while but have dipped in and out over the summer. Feedback from my daughter was that the exam was "okay", came out smiling but that might have been as much with relief it was all over as much as anything else! On further questioning, she found the NVR the hardest and had to guess 5 on the first one (usually her best paper). She though VR was a bit easier and what she expected and maths "quite easy". As you know though, it's very difficult to gauge. I am dreading opening the envelope which may well arrive when she is on a week's school trip and she said I can't open it without her there, which is fair enough. How difficult will that be!?!?! Still got 2 more exams to go though... wish they were a bit closer together. Am so looking forward to burning all those practice papers!
Someone said they thought 900+ took the exam which is a lot but quite a bit lower than last year as far as I know. Anyone know if that's correct? As Tesco says "every little helps"!!!
Good luck to you all anyway. Roll on the results......

[Halemum]

Just heard from someone who knows someone in the school who said that over 1200 girls sat the exam. Not all were present on Saturday due to the Jewish holiday but they will be sitting it later.

[countrymum]

Admissions have apparently confirmed that 900 ish (I don't know the exact figure) were registered for exam altogether, so a couple of different numbers floating about

I'd say ring the school and ask. I've heard all sorts of figures ranging from 900-2500 via jungle drums so would want to hear it from the horses mouth so to speak on the correct figure. I may ring and ask.

[Halemum]

If you do, can you let us know? Do you know how many from your DD's primary school passed it last year? I hear conflicting stories about that too. At ours apparently 6 out of about 30 girls passed.

[Aurorasaab]

Glad it is over. As I saw my daughter off I did wonder whether it was worth all the hassle as we live some distance away and saw it more as a practise for our local school. Arriving wasn't too bad - departure was chaos. So many ignorant, selfish parents, parking up on double yellows, blocking pavements. Some idiot in a 4x4, who had abandoned his car on the double yellows at the corner of the main road, almost reversed over my children. We were on the pavement as he jumped in make a quick escape before the police saw him.

I wish the police would take a firmer line with parents over parking. You can park in Altrincham and easily walk up to AGGS. It is ridiculous that a school exam should cause such chaos. I felt sorry for the locals, who had people parking over their drives, had cars blocked in etc..

As for the exam, my daughter thought the questions were easier than we had done at home, but struggled to finish the Maths paper in time. She persists in finishing tougher questions instead of leaving them and coming back later, time allowing. I was just relieved that she seemed unfased by it all, as there had been quite a few girls crying, apparently. She said the teacher supervising was strict and unfriendly - thanks mate, for making a tough day a little bit harder. Fortunately my DD didn't seem bothered.

As we stood at the gates waiting for them to come out, it felt like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. There we all were, awaiting Willy Wonka, but instead there were hoardes of exhausted 10 year olds.

[bns]

I've just joined, though I have been watching this forum since my daughter sat the Alty exam. My daughter also sat the Urmston exam this Saturday. She found the Urmston exam marginally easier than the Altrincham exam. It is reassuring to know that other parents are as anxious as we are, we were originally very confident since our dd never scored less then 98% in any of her practice GL papers, however she was unable to finish the last few quesions on section A of her NVR in both exams , which she had always completed within a reasonable time during practice and as we have gently probed her she now says she feels she "has not done very well and possibly panicked ". We are out of area for Urmston and she would need to be within the top 2% of her cohert to stand a chance of a place, things are not looking well, fortunately we live on the door step of an outstanding comp school, (Lymm High) which has a good number of students admitted to oxbridge and other Russell/ Red Brick Universities every year. so all is not lost.
Good luck to all!

[Aurorasaab]

We are in a similar position, being in the catchment of an outstanding high school (according to Ofsted...). In any other area we would be very happy that our kids were going there - it's just that when they have the 11 plus system you feel as though you should give them the chance to go to a 'better' school.

The more dealings I have with the entrance exam system though, the more I see that it is not really about selecting the brightest children. It's about who can afford a tutor, better still who can afford private schools where they are crammed for the 11 plus, and which primary you have gone to and whether they coach you for the 11 plus or sats. It is nuts to think that a child could turn up for any of these exams and pass if they had never seen a VR or NVR paper before. Even the Maths paper has stuff on it that they won't have covered on the National Curriculum by Oct of Year 6.

If your daughter was getting 98% in exam condition practise papers (ie. timed), I would think she has a very good chance of passing at least one of the entrance exams. Even so, Lymm has a great reputation and I know people move there just to get into the catchment area.

[countrymum]

Welcome to new posters My DD also sat Urmston and came out more confident than AGGS. Her strength is literacy etc and she enjoyed doing the English and creative writing aspect of the exam there. I think they only look at the creative writing though if 20 marks off pass mark. Again Good luck to all!

[bns]

yes she was strictly timed to the second!
it just goes to show it's one thing to get 100% in the comfort of your own home , but doing your first public exam in an unfamilar surroundings is a completely different ball game!!
however I always had my reservations reguarding her emotional maturity.