Are we doing the right thing

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SofiaCerano
Posts: 108
Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2018 9:57 pm

Re: Are we doing the right thing

Post by SofiaCerano »

I’m going through similar with my DD, she’s only doing full papers from her tutor now. I’m just doing short bursts with her when I’m not in work but I think they all just want it over now. We’re in Wirral so she’s sitting the 11+ and the Upton hall entrance test.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Are we doing the right thing

Post by mystery »

Thwaitsey wrote:What’s the difference between CEM and GL please don’t tell me I’ve brough him the wrong papers, definitely says 11+ 2018 :o :? :cry:
I don't know what "CEM papers" you are doing. But I am sure they are still good practice for whatever your son will be doing so don't worry.

If you say what area or school you are going for someone on here will be able to tell you whether it is an exam set by CEM or an exam set by GL. But really don't worry, there's not that much difference between the different entrance exams for different schools in different areas. Having done any work at all for it will have helped; lots of children will not have done. A lot of parents and headteachers think one should not do any work for it either. So whatever, just don't worry.

The best preparation is for him is to know that you don't have to get them all correct to pass and just to plod on during the test with the ones he can do, and make multiple choice guesses for the ones he can't.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Are we doing the right thing

Post by mystery »

Ah just realised you are the person who alerted people a while ago to the awful email KCC sends to out of county candidates only about the test being hard etc etc.

So your son is doing the Kent test. Is he doing any other test too? For the Kent school(s) for which you hope to apply, is it done on score and what's the cut-off score usually like?

CEM-type spatial reasoning questions will definitely be useful practice for this surprise element of the Kent test. I wouldn't worry too much about whether you practise maths and English with CEM-type material or GL material.

If a high score is needed, I'd definitely get hold of the GL papers in verbal and non-verbal to make sure he's had a go at each question type. You could buy the GL books "how to do non-verbal", how to do verbal as they give specific preparation for each GL question type.

Years back KCC was more helpful and made it clear in their bumph that the test was set by GL and that there are GL familiarisation papers on sale.

You said he had a tutor so they might be able to explain but if they don't know the Kent test well then just come back into the Kent section on here.
PettswoodFiona
Posts: 2134
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 11:24 pm
Location: Petts Wood, Bromley, Kent

Re: Are we doing the right thing

Post by PettswoodFiona »

Whilst there are lots of similarities, some tests gel better with a child then others. A few years ago DD for example liked the CEM style for Bexley and did really well in that test. She also did well in the other tests that were GL based but perhaps didn’t fly in them like she did with CEM but well enough to chose NW.

This may explain the discrepancy of results that your DS is getting between what you do and the tutor does as your DS finds one style suits him better.

In the summer holidays before the test DD was doing no more then half an hour a day five days a week (two ten minute tests and also a focus on any style of questions we’d identified that she was weaker at). Once she went back to school she didn’t do any more. Whilst I share that as an example, I appreciate every child is different. One of DD’s friends was doing intensive lessons during the holiday with their tutor plus homework from the tutor plus practice with Parents plus Explore Learning. Too much IMO.
Thwaitsey
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 1:57 pm

Re: Are we doing the right thing

Post by Thwaitsey »

I’m hoping Norton Knatchbull in Ashford Kent or Cranbrook. I think I’m on the right track with GL and CEM now.
Thwaitsey
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 1:57 pm

Re: Are we doing the right thing

Post by Thwaitsey »

Thank you for all the wonderful advice and tips. When we are not doing much in the day we are working on his VR (slightly weaker in that area) and maths in the morning for about an hour then in the late afternoon he does a practise paper. If we’re out and about he will usually just work on his VR and maths in the evenings. Do you think that’s ok or just to much for him??? We have a few big trips lined up still, Tower Of London andDuxford Air Museum, on those days he will have a complete rest. I go to bed though with all the questions flying around in my head and all the things I’ve forgotten to go through with him. I think I’m in more of a mess than him to be honest.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Are we doing the right thing

Post by mystery »

Sounds good to me. Others will differ, but if that is working reasonably well for you (and I mean that YOU can continue with it without needing to start up your own gin distillery) then I'd carry on -- but just keep on stressing that getting questions wrong now is fantastic as it is giving him something to learn and improve on whereas if he got it nearly all right most of the time it would be a waste of time doing some work this summer.

You know if he's getting too tired or muddled from it.

Don't set any store by the total mark he gets in any of the GL familiarisation papers. Each paper differs in "difficulty". They're intended as practice with all the different GL question types rather than something of equivalent difficulty to the actual test paper.

Best of luck.
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