Caistor Tests
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Caistor Tests
Hi
This is my first time on the forum and I'm hoping somebody could give me some advice about the Caistor Grammar tests. We attended the open evening last week and the advice from the school seemed to be very general - just buy verbal reasoning papers.
I have started working through the Susan Daughtrey practice and technique books 1-4 with my son and was then planning to go through practice papers when we've covered all the techniques. He seems to be enjoying the challenge and wants to get stuck into the code breaking in book 4! Does this seem a good plan? Do we need to cover all the question types in the Daughtrey books? What are the most appropriate practice papers for Caistor? There seems to be a variety of types and I'm not sure what the structure is going to be - standard or multi-choice.
Any advice would be appreciated.
This is my first time on the forum and I'm hoping somebody could give me some advice about the Caistor Grammar tests. We attended the open evening last week and the advice from the school seemed to be very general - just buy verbal reasoning papers.
I have started working through the Susan Daughtrey practice and technique books 1-4 with my son and was then planning to go through practice papers when we've covered all the techniques. He seems to be enjoying the challenge and wants to get stuck into the code breaking in book 4! Does this seem a good plan? Do we need to cover all the question types in the Daughtrey books? What are the most appropriate practice papers for Caistor? There seems to be a variety of types and I'm not sure what the structure is going to be - standard or multi-choice.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Hi, my first time here too. We were at the open evening last week and asked about the tests. We were told that there were two verbal reasoning tests, one multichoice and one standard (where the answers need to be written into a box). From looking elsewhere on this site it appears that a score of about 75% is needed to get in if you live in catchment, although birth month is taken into consideration when calculating scores.
My impression of the school was that it had very good opportunities for pupils, small class sizes and a good ethos, but some of the facilities were very old fashioned and staff enthusiasm varied considerably. We're going to look at Yarborough as well before deciding.
My impression of the school was that it had very good opportunities for pupils, small class sizes and a good ethos, but some of the facilities were very old fashioned and staff enthusiasm varied considerably. We're going to look at Yarborough as well before deciding.
Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, we live out of catchment, so it would appear that a score of 85%+ would be needed. One of the reasons I would like to make sure we choose the right papers to practice!
I agree with what you said about the school itself. We thought the pupils themselves were the real stars of the evening and that's what sold it to us. Most importantly, our son really liked it and is keen to try and get a place.
I agree with what you said about the school itself. We thought the pupils themselves were the real stars of the evening and that's what sold it to us. Most importantly, our son really liked it and is keen to try and get a place.
Hi
My daughter is just finishing her first year at Caistor and loves it
I'm afraid I can't be much help with the practice papers, I did have some but we passed them along to someone else sitting the test, hopefully ourmaminhavana will be along, her son recently sat and passed the Caistor test and is due to start in September and maybe she might be able to point you in the right direction We were also out of catchment and needed 85% to be in with a chance of getting in.
I understand what Davelincs was saying about the school and how some of the facilities are old but I think the quality of teaching and the education the children receive more than makes up for it. My daughter was very quiet and had little confidence but in the past few months she has really come out of her shell and confidence in herself has grown, alot of this I put down to the school and how they really praise the children and give them loads of encouragement.
My daughter is just finishing her first year at Caistor and loves it
I'm afraid I can't be much help with the practice papers, I did have some but we passed them along to someone else sitting the test, hopefully ourmaminhavana will be along, her son recently sat and passed the Caistor test and is due to start in September and maybe she might be able to point you in the right direction We were also out of catchment and needed 85% to be in with a chance of getting in.I understand what Davelincs was saying about the school and how some of the facilities are old but I think the quality of teaching and the education the children receive more than makes up for it. My daughter was very quiet and had little confidence but in the past few months she has really come out of her shell and confidence in herself has grown, alot of this I put down to the school and how they really praise the children and give them loads of encouragement.
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ourmaminhavana
- Posts: 966
- Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:14 am
Well here I am, but I'm not sure I can be much help. Raine, we actually used the Bond Books which may or may not have included more question types than we needed- I never could get a direct answer as to what question types would be in the exam- and then a supplementary S.D. book to use on one area.
When I did it Ididn't even know until he'd taken one of the papers that one was multiple choice and one standard.
I too started by going through the different techniques until I set him a couple of papers and realised that DS could do most of the question types and that I really needed to just focus our efforts in a few very specific areas.
I think when I asked him after the exams DS said that they were easier than the papers with which we'd been practising.
(BTW we are OCC too.)
Very good luck to your DC! Will they take the consortium test too?
Floss, it's great to hear about the confidence building, that's actually the main thing I'd like them to instill in myDS!
When I did it Ididn't even know until he'd taken one of the papers that one was multiple choice and one standard.
I too started by going through the different techniques until I set him a couple of papers and realised that DS could do most of the question types and that I really needed to just focus our efforts in a few very specific areas.
I think when I asked him after the exams DS said that they were easier than the papers with which we'd been practising.
(BTW we are OCC too.)
Very good luck to your DC! Will they take the consortium test too?
Floss, it's great to hear about the confidence building, that's actually the main thing I'd like them to instill in myDS!
Thanks Floss. It's good to get an idea of what current pupils and parents think. We're at the point of looking at the various options but have decided that we should give him the chance to sit the tests. His teacher has said we should consider the grammar schools so we will probably have a look at Louth as well. To be honest, it all feels like a bit of a minefield when you just want your kids to go to a school which will suit their abilities and where they'll be happy.
As your daughter is out of catchment, can I ask how she copes with the travelling?
As your daughter is out of catchment, can I ask how she copes with the travelling?
Hi RaineB
My daughter is fine with travelling to and from school, we live in Grimsby and she gets a dedicated school bus (also goes to Yarborough) organised by Mr & Mrs Grayson - they also have coaches to Louth and Alford schools. She catches the bus at 8.15 and it drops her off at 4.15. They have the same driver everyday so they get used to him. Its was one of my worries, how my daughter would cope going on the bus on her own, but we've had no problems at all
My daughter is fine with travelling to and from school, we live in Grimsby and she gets a dedicated school bus (also goes to Yarborough) organised by Mr & Mrs Grayson - they also have coaches to Louth and Alford schools. She catches the bus at 8.15 and it drops her off at 4.15. They have the same driver everyday so they get used to him. Its was one of my worries, how my daughter would cope going on the bus on her own, but we've had no problems at all
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ourmaminhavana
- Posts: 966
- Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:14 am
Thanks Raine, the trouble is even now I don't know how many different question types DS really needed, so please just do what you think is best. My DS did the consortium tests too which were different again- there's a NVR paper too- so at least you're covering all bases if you're also looking at Louth.
