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St Olave's to run mock tests

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 12:37 pm
by salsa
Hi. I'm not sure if this is considered advertising, however, I think that this is not fair at all. I'm sure that all parents entering their children for the Saint Olave's test will feel compelled to take their mock test!
They'll charge £60 per test.

Re: St Olave's to run mock tests

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 12:51 pm
by Daogroupie
Great news. When are they? DG

Re: St Olave's to run mock tests

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 2:37 pm
by SydenhamDad
Hi Salsa,

The website for this http://www.saintolavespa.net/testmock/index.php says that "a limited number of free places will be available to those who would otherwise be unable to afford these Familiarisation Tests. To apply for one of these, please write in confidence to the PA via contact@saintolavespa.net".

Thanks

Re: St Olave's to run mock tests

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 2:55 pm
by Goodheart
salsa wrote:I'm sure that all parents entering their children for the Saint Olave's test will feel compelled to take their mock test!
Do all parents hoping to send their boys to Sutton Grammar School feel compelled to enter them for the mocks arranged by the school's PTA?

Re: St Olave's to run mock tests

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 3:01 pm
by salsa
No idea, however, there are parents who will not know of the test and will be at a disadvantage.
How many spaces will be free? What type of feedback will be given? How detailed?
About 1200 take their exam.

Re: St Olave's to run mock tests

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 3:22 pm
by boardfleet
These are being offered by the PA and not by the school though? They clearly have the school's blessing as they are using the school hall and are raising funds for the school but there is no indication that the school itself will be setting the questions.

Who's to say that it's a realistic SET mock? Surely all the PA have to go on are the CEM and GL style papers available elsewhere? My ds definitely came out thinking that the Olave's SET asked questions that were very different from the ones he'd seen elsewhere?

Re: St Olave's to run mock tests

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 3:24 pm
by nervousnelly
The Sutton practice tests are considerably cheaper, but have a lot of uptake and numerous sessions. Perhaps St Olave's are hoping for lower numbers but then need to charge more to make it cost effective?

Re: St Olave's to run mock tests

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 7:38 pm
by ToadMum
salsa wrote:Hi. I'm not sure if this is considered advertising, however, I think that this is not fair at all. I'm sure that all parents entering their children for the Saint Olave's test will feel compelled to take their mock test!
They'll charge £60 per test.
Unfortunately, now they will probably find that they have been beaten to it by those from north of the river...

Re: St Olave's to run mock tests

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 8:05 pm
by PurpleDuck
nervousnelly wrote:The Sutton practice tests are considerably cheaper, but have a lot of uptake and numerous sessions. Perhaps St Olave's are hoping for lower numbers but then need to charge more to make it cost effective?
Sutton mock covers maths and English, while St. Olave's mock is to include comprehension, maths, VR and NVR, so four subjects. I imagine this must be the main reason for the price difference between the two mocks and it works out roughly about the same per subject offered.

Re: St Olave's to run mock tests

Posted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 11:54 pm
by crazytime
It says the actual test will last 60minutes so less time than the 2 combined papers offered at sutton
The Sutton English paper includes comprehension

St Olaves have just named the different sections of the paper

£60.00 does seem a bit steep. Especially when they have not run them before and also £30.00 to change the date