Cgp full length tests

CEM 11 Plus is the selective entrance exam administered by the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring, Department of Education, University of Durham.

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bluesymum
Posts: 86
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 9:33 pm

Cgp full length tests

Post by bluesymum »

What sort of scores have your dc scored in cgp full length cem tests? It's says in the book that a target score should be 145 out of 175 which equates to 80 percent. But my poor dd has not been able to go over 131.,in all the tests.,,and in fact has gone under in pack 3.,to 111 . We haven't attempted pack 4 yet(gulp!)
Also, is the layout in the cem tests very similar, 2-3 VR sections plus short maths in first 45 minute test and then long maths and nvr in the second 45 minute test?
Trafmum82
Posts: 91
Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2017 8:04 pm

Re: Cgp full length tests

Post by Trafmum82 »

They are tough these tests aren't they... I did a pack 3 test (first one) with DS and he got around the 100 mark - way off what he needed according to the front of the pack :shock: I think the pack 3 tests are particularly difficult. I guess it depends what school they are going to also. Our school isn't a super selective, you have to hit the pass mark and be in catchment, rather than them taking the top highest scorers.

Our tutor said that the tests all vary in difficulty, some are more difficult than others. I think that pack 3 is particularly hard! And the tutor has told us to ignore the pass mark at the front of the book of 80% as she had students that were getting 50% on those tests last year and passed. I'm trying to just think of it as good experience and not worry about the marks too much.

My DS is also a very young one, very end of August. So I'm really proud of how well he has done and how much effort he has put in this year regardless of outcome :)
bluesymum
Posts: 86
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 9:33 pm

Re: Cgp full length tests

Post by bluesymum »

Thanks for that Trafmum82.,.I thought the comprehension bit in pack 3 was hideous, and obviously really challenging for 10 year olds.,
I can't imagine my dd achieving the 80 percent( target) ever.,.even though she's working her socks off.,bless her,,
Good luck to your DS, must be especially hard for the younger ones.
Trafmum82
Posts: 91
Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2017 8:04 pm

Re: Cgp full length tests

Post by Trafmum82 »

Luckily my DS is really relaxed (a bit too relaxed maybe!!), he doesn't seem worried about the exam at all. It's me who worries for him! :lol:

We are doing pack 3 test 2 tomorrow, so I will let you know how he does on that. DS did fine on the maths and NVR sections in the first test, and is fine with cloze, but struggles on the comprehension and the shuffled sentences. He managed 3 out of 16 of those shuffled sentences in the time! He got the 3 he did right, it just takes him a long time to work them out and he wont move on until he has!
bluesymum
Posts: 86
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 9:33 pm

Re: Cgp full length tests

Post by bluesymum »

Thankyou.,.yes.,the shuffled sentences were infernal
Trafmum82
Posts: 91
Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2017 8:04 pm

Re: Cgp full length tests

Post by Trafmum82 »

We did the second one today... he scored 95 :( :shock:

It was his birthday 3 days ago (finally 10!) and he has been busy using the new games on the playstation, and has had a few late nights. He didn't concentrate particularly well - he said his legs were sticking to the chair and annoying him and he couldn't get comfortable, then he was yawning all the way through. He didn't finish the maths or NVR sections (usually his stronger subjects) either.

Trying not to stress too much as I think these were particularly difficult papers and he really didn't concentrate. But I'm almost wishing we hadn't done this mock now :shock:
Stokers
Posts: 358
Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2012 9:48 pm

Re: Cgp full length tests

Post by Stokers »

My DS did Pack 3 yesterday as his final prep for DAO today and, co-incidentally, his sister's attempt from two years ago ago was tucked in the back of the pack. She had only managed 3 of the shuffled sentences (but be re- assured she got a place at HBS and scored highly enough to have got a place at DAO) and so I told DS to skim this section and do the ones he could do straight away and come back to the others if he had time. He was able to do many more of the latter questions in this section than the earlier ones - yet another example of how a key skill for CEM is moving on straight away if a question is taking more than 30 seconds.
So, if there is one thing you can instruct/tell/encourage your DC to do is 'move on' and spend their time on the questions they can answer, rather than waste time on the ones they can't!
Trafmum82
Posts: 91
Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2017 8:04 pm

Re: Cgp full length tests

Post by Trafmum82 »

Fab advice thank you! DS does find it hard to move on from questions... he is getting slightly better at it but I think he needs reminding again. In the comprehensions there are often 'what does this word mean' type questions at the back, and when we go through it he always knows those so they would be easy points but he never gets to them because he spends so long on the first few questions!
Trafmum82
Posts: 91
Joined: Wed Aug 09, 2017 8:04 pm

Re: Cgp full length tests

Post by Trafmum82 »

Did you attempt pack 4 of the CGP practice tests? DS did the second papers today. On paper 1 he scored 68% and on paper 2 he scored 55%, giving him an overall score of 62% in total.

Really interesting that DS is better at maths than the verbal reasoning, but actually scored lower in the test on his maths compared to his VR sections!

In tutor this week he scored 87% on a maths paper, which was similar questions but not so tight time wise. So I just think its a timing issue rather than a knowledge one. He is strong at maths but he finds the timings very difficult and never finishes the maths section.
A_Mum
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2017 11:10 am

Re: Cgp full length tests

Post by A_Mum »

So relieved to hear that it isn't just my DS who finds these tests tough! He has fluctuated between around 62-74% with his scores lowering on the 3rd pack - accordingly to his tutor, he doesn't know anybody who has got the 80% mark, and these tests are very difficult, possibly more so than the exam itself! I just hope that the practice our DS has had with these tests and any other work has prepared him enough - I must admit, I was very worried with his scores being so low.
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