CEM at Bexley

[christmasbonus]

Fred, yes, I don't mind sharing as long as I can come up with something worthwhile!

I will also look into mock tests with a group that I used for DS three years ago, as he found the experience very useful.

[fred]

This will give me a push to work on it. I will PM you when I have a draft.

If there is anyone else willing to join in please feel free, I am sure the different variations will be useful.

[LauraA]

Hello
Quick questions for those who have been through the CEM type exam with their children - the comprehension test, I read that they allow 15 minutes for this and children must answer around 20 questions - do 15 minutes include the time it takes to read the text as well? My daughter takes a good 3-4 minutes to properly read and understand a text (more if it is a long and a difficult one), and Im worried that this doesn't leave too much time for answering all 20 questions!
Anybody can clarify this?
Thanks

[fred]

Was wondering if anyone has consciously changed their way DCs work at home, assuming before the change to CEM it was probably one subject at a time. I now tend to give my kids less work but cover all the tested areas in one sitting.

[christmasbonus]

Up to a point! I'm still really using the old Bond books, with the addition of English, and staying away from the VR (tho' I suppose some bits of the old VR might be useful??!) Definitely seem to be doing less work with DD now than I did with DS three years ago, but that's probably more because we all have less time to spare now anyway! I sometimes feel I am letting her down, at other times I say to myself, well, these tests are supposed to be tutor-proof, so if she's meant to pass, she will anyway! I panic more because I keep remembering things we haven't yet looked at.

[fred]

more information has been released on the Bexley website regarding the test.

http://www.bexley.gov.uk/selectiontests" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

interestingly for maths they will not be tested beyond what they are expected to know in year 5

[christmasbonus]

Thanks for this Fred. I have been checking on the Bexley website quite frequently recently, but not over the last couple of days, so of course this is when the info appears! It's reassuring to know they should not be tested on yr 6 maths; I just hope DDs school covers everything they are supposed to this year!

[mystery]

What do you think they define as year 5 maths.

[Okanagan]

This is the 2014 version (technically still a draft) of the primary curriculum for maths - year 5 from about page 30. The current one is here but it's not as easily laid out all on one document, and it doesn't make it as clear what is year 5 and what is year 6.

[mystery]

It's unclear surely what c e m means by year 5 maths. The national curriculum is not prescriptive about what should be taught in any specific school year. The yearly blocks and units of the primary framework were clear but they are not statutory and are now archived off the main dfe website. And the new curriculum is not yet statutory and might never be?

Do you have reason to believe cem is working from the new draft curriculum? If so, the bexley reassurance to parent about year 5 work is even more meaningless?