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NFER VR tests

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 5:55 pm
by Sara
Hi,
I am hoping to start preparing my son for 11 plus soon, to take this October/November. Our LEA uses 2 VR tests from NFER. When my daughter took the tests she said there were some question types she had never seen before. I understand that NFER set question types which do not appear in their published material. Can anyone tell me what types may appear in real exams which do not appear in their published papers? Also which publications would you recommend as best preparation for NFER VR (standard type) tests?

Sara

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 10:20 pm
by Sally-Anne
Hi Sara

I can't answer the question myself, but I know that the first question anyone else will ask you is which area you are in - the tests differ from area to area.

Once they have the answer to that I'm sure one of our "resident experts" will provide the answers you need. Do also take a look at the area-by-area guide on this site as that will recommend which practice books are best for that area, and you can then buy them form the online bookshop.

Good luck
Sally-Anne

Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2006 10:31 pm
by Sara
Thanks Sally-Anne. We are in Lincolnshire. We used NFER and IPS papers last time and found them good, but as I said they did not appear to cover every type of question.

Sara

vr practice

Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2006 5:20 pm
by Maria
Hi Sara

Not sure if you will have seen my reply in another section. Our headteacher recommends the Susan J. Daughtrey practice books followed by the Nfer papers. Grantham is changing to one VR paper and one NVR paper and I think this may be the same for all of Lincolnshire. Also 11 plus is going to be sat in September this year - both papers, one week apart. Results in October - no long wait this year. My son sits this year. Don't know yet what nvr practice papers to get - there's a meeting with grammar school and primary headteachers next week so may find out more soon. Will let you know.

Maria

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 12:26 pm
by Mike Edwards
Hello Sara

NFER provide a familiarization pack that does contain all twenty-one types of questions, this is normally sent out to parents whose children will be taking the tests and will probably be received at the beginning of year six. This obviously does not give the children much time to practice the six additional question types.

The six additional types can be identified through IPS preparation material as follows H, I, K, N, O and S. There are also E-papers available to download from this site that also contain all the types of questions.

Good Luck

Mike

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 5:01 pm
by Dawn
Mike,

Are the extra questions the same type for the multiple choice NFER verbal reasoning papers as for the standard?



Thank you.



Dawn

Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 10:16 pm
by Guest
Thank you Maria for updating me about Lincolnshire. Only 3 weeks or so ago the admissions people at the LA were saying that they did not know whether there was to be a change to the system so that parents would know 11 plus results before filling in the form naming school choices.

Thank you Mike for your answer about the question types. When my daughter took the exam we had used IPS papers as part of practice but not being in area had never seen the NFER familiarisation papers only the published ones. We had covered the HIKNOS types but she told me there were still ones she had not seen before (one was a grid where she had to fill in the given letters so that proper words were formed in all directions) - she told me this was "fun" but I imagine that my son is more likely to be thrown by finding too much that is unfamiliar!

Sara