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CEM time warnings

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 11:34 am
by Trafmum82
Does anyone know if there has been a change to the CEM format with them not giving time warnings in each section anymore?

When my son did the exam we were told they got a time warning a minute before each section would finish, and he did get that time warning in the test (2 years ago)

My daughter has just sat a mock for a CEM style exam, but did not do as well as expected. However she said there were no time warnings so some sections she had quite a few left empty at the end. After talking to the tutors regarding this they said they have reason to believe no time warnings will be given?

I know realistically no one will know the answer to this as it’s just speculation, but surely they wouldn’t change that aspect of the exam?!

Re: CEM time warnings

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 1:36 pm
by Deb70
Hi, I don't think we are in the same area but last year our exam switched from CEM to GL, and there were no time warnings, also no start and finish times written up. It threw my DC.

Re: CEM time warnings

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 1:48 pm
by Tinkers
As it was a mock it may or may not be a true reflection of the real thing in various ways.

However, in this scenario, it might be worth making sure your DC knows how to handle whichever situation crops up. Whatever happens they will then deal with it without panicking.

Re: CEM time warnings

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 2:28 pm
by kenyancowgirl
CEM used to give time warnings in longer sections but not in the short sections. Children need to learn to listen carefully to instructions given - some of the sections are very short that the invigilators probably wouldn’t have time to put start and finish times - certainly the two times my sons sat it, no start finish times were on the board, they were just told how long the section was and had to check the time on the clock.

Managing time - in all senses of the phrase - are the biggest part of CEM.

Re: CEM time warnings

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 4:21 pm
by Trafmum82
Thanks for the replies.

When my son sat it he definitely got time warnings (at the end of each section he got a 1 minute time warning) and the advice at the time was to fill in as much as you could in that last minute. I had given my daughter the same advice so it really threw her in this exam that there were no time warnings. I suppose it shows her not to rely on them as they may or may not be there and hopefully it won’t throw her on the day now she is a bit more prepared for that!

Re: CEM time warnings

Posted: Tue Jul 09, 2019 11:34 am
by Daogroupie
As already stated CEM is all about managing your time.

In our area, no matter how short the section, there is always a one minute time warning for each section.

I suggest you contact the school or examining body to see if they will let you know if or not this is going to happen this year.

Have you asked the mock provider why it is different this year?

Did your older dc do the same mock and get time warnings and now they have been removed? DG

Re: CEM time warnings

Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2019 9:20 am
by Trafmum82
Daogroupie wrote:As already stated CEM is all about managing your time.

In our area, no matter how short the section, there is always a one minute time warning for each section.

I suggest you contact the school or examining body to see if they will let you know if or not this is going to happen this year.

Have you asked the mock provider why it is different this year?

Did your older dc do the same mock and get time warnings and now they have been removed? DG
Hi, yes my son did the same mock and got the time warnings, and also said that in the test they got 1 minute warnings. This year the mock didn’t have the time warnings (which I had told my daughter it would have, due to the experience my son had, so I probably shouldn’t have to be honest!). When I queried it they just said they aren’t sure if the CEM will have time warnings this year, and no info has been released, so they wanted them to experience a mock without time warnings.

Re: CEM time warnings

Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2019 5:26 pm
by poppety
My DD sat the Trafford test last year and says that they did get warnings on the audio when they had a minute remaining on a section

Re: CEM time warnings

Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2019 6:27 pm
by SIT
Deb70 wrote:Hi, I don't think we are in the same area but last year our exam switched from CEM to GL, and there were no time warnings, also no start and finish times written up. It threw my DC.

Yikes, which area was this. My DS is writing the Bucks exam this September.

Re: CEM time warnings

Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2019 6:46 pm
by Tinkers
SIT wrote:
Deb70 wrote:Hi, I don't think we are in the same area but last year our exam switched from CEM to GL, and there were no time warnings, also no start and finish times written up. It threw my DC.

Yikes, which area was this. My DS is writing the Bucks exam this September.
Bucks is GL, so a different test provider.