wallington vs sutton tests

Eleven Plus (11+) in Surrey (Sutton, Kingston and Wandsworth)

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christina
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2008 11:53 am

what is the difference between wallington and sutton tests?

Post by christina »

hi,

new to the site, my son sat the Wallington test :) and will be on the waiting list :( . We would like to try Sutton, how do the two tests compare :?:

thank you so much for any information
surreymum
Posts: 553
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:26 pm

Post by surreymum »

Hi. Welcome to the site. Well done to your son for passing the Wallington test.
The Sutton test has 50 minutes verbal reasoning (NFER type) multiple choice. A maths paper (can't remember think it's 30 minutes) not multiple choice and an English paper which is 50 minutes with a comprehension, some other questions and a 20 minute essay. There isn't usually a choice with the essay and it has not been a traditional story for the last couple of years.
It is a longer exam, but they do get a break in the middle. My boys found it harder than Wallington, but they do get another couple of months to prepare. However you will find others who say that their sons found Wallington harder.
In my eldest son's year the verbal reasoning was very hard and none of them finished.
So much depends on how they do on the day and whether the questions they get on the day suits them. If he was there or thereabout for Wallington it is well worth doing Sutton.
melinda
Posts: 226
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:40 pm
Location: surrey

Post by melinda »

Hi there and as ever ditto the above- mine was one who found the Wallington test harder on the day.
I think the extra time to prepare and the fact that the boys have been in year 6 for a couple of months makes all the difference.

Good luck :)
tomtom
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2008 12:24 pm

Post by tomtom »

Hi, Surrymum

Tomtom again. I've got some questions about your comments ealier.
I maybe ignorant but, what is NFER?
You also mentioned that " it has not been a traditional story'.
Do you mean a 'letter' or something?

Thank you for your help again.
melinda
Posts: 226
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:40 pm
Location: surrey

Post by melinda »

Hi Tomtom,
The essay in the last two years has been : what would you do if you were prime minister? and what rules would you change at your school?
So you see it does not leave much to imagination of the average boy!

:lol:
Giulio
Posts: 188
Joined: Thu Oct 02, 2008 4:31 pm
Location: London

Post by Giulio »

Melinda, I love you...
thank you very much for this!!!!
I am losing sleep at night on this school thing
surreymum
Posts: 553
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:26 pm

Post by surreymum »

Hi Tomtom

Essays as said by Melinda (we should meet up one day :D ) and there is no choice.

NFER is the company who write the papers (now known as GL assessment). You can buy the 4 practice papers from this site or smiths/waterstones. There are other papers for download on this site which are in the same format. Unfortunately there are only the 4 practice papers from the official company and they haven't changed for years. Make sure you get the multiple choice and not the standard format. Most people would advise saving the proper papers until the end so that you have done them quite recently. Otherwise, it is quite useful to photocopy the papers so you can give them to your son more than once. You will be surprised because although they will recognise that they have done the papers before, they won't remember the answers! That way you get more value out of them. If you read through the verbal reasoning forum you will find advice from Patricia on which other publishers papers are suitable for NFER types as I believe Bucks also do NFER, but what I don't know is whether Sutton do all 21 types or just the 15 (if you read the forum you will understand what this means) as I didn't really pick up on all of this till too late for us.
surreymum
Posts: 553
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:26 pm

Post by surreymum »

Giulio wrote:Melinda, I love you...
thank you very much for this!!!!
I am losing sleep at night on this school thing
Giulio I am afraid you will have many more sleepless nights before this is over-I must have lost weeks worth last year :cry:

However at the end of it you will know that you have done the very best for your son, whatever the outcome.
tomtom
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2008 12:24 pm

Post by tomtom »

Dear Surreymum and Melinda

Thank you for all your information and everything. You can not imagine how greatful we are! We are just worried about everything but not able to talk with friends' mums. (You know what I mean?)
This forum is great as we won't know each other but everyone is in the same boat...

In fact, we have been doing the nearly the same things what Surreymum has said though it is still great help and assurance.

Thank you very much!

Tomtom
melinda
Posts: 226
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:40 pm
Location: surrey

Post by melinda »

giulio that's very kind :lol: But they may surprise you by changing the essay subject completely this year - might make it a more fun topic!

Glad surreymum got you up to speed as regards NFER or whatever. I hope it all goes well on the day, but remember that even if it doesn't work out as planned it is not the end of the world. I have several friends whose sons made it through the system to secondary school, did not get their first, second or third choices, but are happy and settled. Their parents, after a little rehab, are also happy and settled!! :)

Anyway, good luck to all and I hope the police are not needed on the day at Sutton (it seems they were at Wally!!)
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