2009 Nfer-Nelson exams feedback

[wiltsman]

I'm informed that:

a) the English test had two separate comprehension sections and no "choose the correct word from a list" section.

b) the Maths paper was noticeably easier than the Nfer-Nelson sample papers and The Tutors maths CDs.

c) the VR paper was approximately the same standard as the Nfer-Nelson sample papers.

[mattsurf]

Hi Wiltsman

Please don't go into too much detail as second sitting is next week.

DS siad that he found the standard to be very similar to practice work that we have been doing. We had told him to expect the papers to be quite tough, however, he said that he didn't struggle. Now fingers crossed that he didn't make too many silly mistakes - his problem on easy papers is that if he thinks that it is easy, he tries to take short cuts, which are often wrong!

In terms of organisation, I can't praise Bishops enough - the children were all greeted at the gate by the Head Master, Bishop's pupils then took them to the right rooms and chatted with the children, the invidulators chatted to the kids before the start and during the breaks. DS actually enjoyed the experience

Fingers crossed for March 2nd

[wiltsman]

Hi Wiltsman

Please don't go into too much detail as second sitting is next week.

I can't go into any more detail. It wasn't me who did the exam
All this info is now in the public domain of course, as several hundred people took the exams.

DS actually enjoyed the experience

My daughter told me that it was "fun". That was the last thing I was expecting.

Fingers crossed for March 2nd

Why do we have to wait so-oo-oo-o long ?

[mattsurf]

Wiltsman
What is worse is that the teachers know in December - I have been told this by a mother who works in one of the local primaries

[falcon]

Hi everyone, only just found this forum - i wish i had found it before the exam.
My concern is that my daughter thought the exam was easy, apart from the vr. She said that the practise tests she had taken were so much more difficult. If the exam really was this easy, surely so many more children will pass and then they will be oversubscribed - what happens should this occur - does anybody know?

[mattsurf]

This is a good question; I think that the results will be standardised, with the pass mark being set at the 75th percentile. What this means in practice is that the raw pass mark may be much higher than 75%

[falcon]

Thanks for your prompt reply Mattsurf. I have just read your post and i guess i am feeling exactly the same. My daughter is more inclined to make silly mistakes with easier questions and excels at the more thought provoking ones.
You are correct about the schools knowing in advance. They will have the results by Christmas, however are not allowed to give any indication to parents of the outcome until March - i for one will be "face watching" for any signs! lol

[mattsurf]

On easy papers, DS would get anything from 65% to 95% depending on the day and any number of other random variables. He could easily get 15 questions wrong through careless errors. Give him a really hard paper and he would get between 80 and 90% with far fewer careless errors.

I would feel much happier if the actual 11+ had been a real stinker. My real fear is that many other children will have found the test easy and the raw pass mark will be that much higher

[wiltsman]

I would feel much happier if the actual 11+ had been a real stinker. My real fear is that many other children will have found the test easy and the raw pass mark will be that much higher

I feel pretty much the same. When the test is hard, it selects by intelligence; when the test is easy, it selects by those who make fewest silly mistakes.

[falcon]

yes i totally agree!
my fear is that my daughter will not get through and therefore go to a school where her brain is not stimulated by the work set and therefore become bored and less able students will pass and struggle at the grammar school