Essex 11+ How did your child do on the day?

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Connie

Essex 11+ How did your child do on the day?

Post by Connie »

My son said he found the Essex 11+ easier than he expected! Is this good or bad? When I questioned him he said that he did not finish 6 of the verbal reasoning questions but did finish the english and maths paper.

He also said that there were a number of distractions - a mobile phone ringing, a boy dropping his pencil throughout one paper and the removal of a very full pencil case in another. Why do parents send their children to do these tests if they are not going to take it seriously?

Also I recommend to any parent doing the afternoon exam next year to give their child a sandwich or snack bar to eat in the break. The timing was quite difficult and we were told that the PTA would provide refreshments, this consisted of a drink of squash and a biscuit. Fortunately one of my son's friends had been given several snacks to take in with him, one of which he shared........

Any info on how your child found the exam would be of interest.
Essex Mum

Post by Essex Mum »

My son said there were a couple of Maths questions that he found quite difficult, but did put an answer. He finished the VR paper and put a answer for every question. The English he really enjoyed, but everyone else he has spoken to found the English paper very difficult and did not enjoy it. He did not say it was easy, by any means, but it was not the hardest Comprehension paper he had ever sat.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Thanks for the response. I know that speculating and comparing is pointless but the wait to find out the result seems so long. We have one private school exam left in 2 weeks so looking forward to getting that over and done with.
Guest

Post by Guest »

My daughter found it mixed. She found the English quite hard but answered all the questions; the maths OK and answered all the questions and the VR reasonably easy and left one question. As the time draws nearer I am feeling that she didn't do enough to get a grammar school place but maybe that is normal? She sat it in Essex but needs to come in the top 700 or so (out of 4000) to be assured of a place at one of the grammars which is asking quite a lot. In Essex the VR accounts for 50% of the marks, so maybe if she did a really good paper (i.e. over 90%) she stands a chance - we will have to wait and see. Good luck to everyone for next week!
Essex girl

Exams

Post by Essex girl »

Just to keep you thinking, one of my children gained (and I give rough figures to give nothing away)

92% for VR
76% for maths
60% for English and came between 650 and 850.

Another gained

60% for VR
60 for maths (it was one **** of a year for maths, apparently)
56% for English and came between 800 and 1000.
Guest

Re: Exams

Post by Guest »

Essex girl wrote:Just to keep you thinking, one of my children gained (and I give rough figures to give nothing away)

92% for VR
76% for maths
60% for English and came between 650 and 850.

Another gained

60% for VR
60 for maths (it was one **** of a year for maths, apparently)
56% for English and came between 800 and 1000.

Can I just clarify something with you Essex Girl. Did either of your children get offered a grammar school place? I would be surprised if child number one didn't with 92% in VR and 76% in Maths. Was this last year and if so, how did you get their marks (did the CSSE provide it?). Thanks for giving us the info.
Essex girl

Post by Essex girl »

Firstly, no it wasn't last year. Suffice it to say that it was during the past 5 years and yes the Consortium laid out the "raw" score for each subject which was easy to turn into a percentage.

Both gained grammar school places but each year is very different and you have to bear in mind that the scores only mirror what the exam was like that year. So, if, for example, the maths paper is particularly hard then a lower percentage might be one of the higher maths scores, whereas if the maths paper is easier (whatever that means!) then scores all round will be higher. In other words, it is quite feasible for 50% on each paper to get a child into their first choice school one year, whereas 90% on each may be required the next. It is all according to the papers and the abilities of the other candidates.
Connie

Thanks

Post by Connie »

Dear Guest and Essex Girl
Thanks for the comments. As I said no use speculating but it helps to share information. Lets hope and pray our children get a school that they can be happy in. I have heard stories of one or two children crying every day at one of the Grammars, presumably because they have been intensively tutored to get there. I would not want that for any child. Good luck for the 1st March.
Connie

Thanks

Post by Connie »

Dear Guest and Essex Girl
Thanks for the comments. As I said no use speculating but it helps to share information. Lets hope and pray our children get a school that they can be happy in. I have heard stories of one or two children crying every day at one of the Grammars, presumably because they have been intensively tutored to get there. I would not want that for any child. Good luck for the 1st March.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Essex girl wrote:Firstly, no it wasn't last year. Suffice it to say that it was during the past 5 years and yes the Consortium laid out the "raw" score for each subject which was easy to turn into a percentage.

Both gained grammar school places but each year is very different and you have to bear in mind that the scores only mirror what the exam was like that year. So, if, for example, the maths paper is particularly hard then a lower percentage might be one of the higher maths scores, whereas if the maths paper is easier (whatever that means!) then scores all round will be higher. In other words, it is quite feasible for 50% on each paper to get a child into their first choice school one year, whereas 90% on each may be required the next. It is all according to the papers and the abilities of the other candidates.

Essex Girl - I hope you don't mind me asking but did they gain places in the Southend grammars and do you live in the catchment for them?
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