Newstead - 2018 entry

[FlowerPink18]

That's right bluesea. Our DD's score was 220 and was 19th in the wl initially.

[FlowerPink18]

Thank you sobz70. I am sure she will love it

[bluesea]

FlowerPink18. Many thanks for telling us about the re-marking of your entrance test for Newstead which helped you to secure a place.

I've been saying for years that the NW test is not infallible. My point were due to the papers being photocopied, not printed and the procedure of 15 mins per section but the child is left with each "finished" section on their desk, with penalty points if they touch them again. Now we have incorrect marking to add to the list. The teaching staff mark the papers.

I would suggest anyone still high on the waiting list asks for a re-marking. You have nothing to lose.

[thickasabrick]

I've been saying for years that the NW test is not infallible. My point were due to the papers being photocopied, not printed and the procedure of 15 mins per section but the child is left with each "finished" section on their desk, with penalty points if they touch them again. Now we have incorrect marking to add to the list. The teaching staff mark the papers.

I would suggest anyone still high on the waiting list asks for a re-marking. You have nothing to lose.

Now why didn't I think of that?

The idea that lots of desperate parents are now also trying to renegotiate their DD's score is quite frankly hilarious.

If the school can't organise a piss-up - sorry - entrance test, they could always ask Kent or Bexley to use theirs.

[bluesea]

thickasabrick. I see what you mean about hilarious and you did make me laugh, but it is actually quite serious. If one family can ask for a re-marking, then why can't all? To add 20 marks on re-mark there has been a serious error in the original marking, this is not just one or two marks. How many papers did that examiner mark and were they all checked as a result of FlowerPink's example coming to light?

The main examining boards would be checking all an examiner's marking if such a mistake came to light at GCSE or A level.

Another point is that not all DDs who fail to get into the school will go to another gs or comp state school. As happened with parents I know, some put their DDs into the local all girls indie as a second choice. That will currently cost over £115k for seven years.

May make you start to think that asking for a recount is worth a simple email?

[PettswoodFiona]

Thickasabrick it is rather unfair to bemoan a parent and their DD who found the marking as wrong as a desperate parent. If a bank took ten percent of your money for no reason other than incorrect calculations would you say others shouldn’t also investigate that something similar had happened to them?

[bluesea]

PWF, I don't think thickasabrick meant it other than lightheartedly.

It could mean the school's admissions email inbox might be full by tomorrow though!

[bluesea]

I see Flowerpink has now edited her post and taken off the info re re-marking.

[thickasabrick]

Firstly, I have no doubt that something went very wrong with FlowerPink DD's papers and that she deserves her place.

However, my daughter's scores also do not reflect the scores from the other tests she took. From the FOI requests I can see that she has some of the top scores, yet, in the NW test even girls who didn't pass the other tests have scored higher than her!

Can we be fair to my daughter too and give her an extra 20 points? That would have given her a first round offer.

Regarding mistakes in marking:

This is a simple is-the-mark-in-the-right-box-or-not issue. There are no subjective questions where people could have differing opinions. According to NW each paper gets marked by 2 people so any mistakes would have had to be made by both people - on several questions?

Even if you believe it, it is unacceptable and a complete shambles.

[bluesea]

thickasabrick. Yes, no-one is disputing the correcting of the other exam result. The school say 2 people check the test papers? So how was the former poster's DD given an extra 20 marks on a re-mark? Surely mistakes in the marking would have been picked up by the second examiner? Or is the second examiner the re-marker?

The school will not want concerns about their entrance exam procedure. Their staff read this forum and have previously told posters (parents at the school) that they know who they are. They will be very aware of this thread.

If your DD's results seem very unusual why not:
Write to the governors (copied to the head and admissions) explaining your concerns the test results seem odd compared to her very high scores in the other gs tests. List them.
Tell them you would like to see your DD's papers (why could they possibly refuse?).
Ask for them to be remarked in front of you.
Take another person with you.

It will be a simple and completely transparent way to show you the exam process and result. It will bring your concerns to a close. All schools' procedures around admission must be watertight.

If proved your child did not get the pass mark you will be in the same position as today, nothing lost, but an embarrassing hour spent.