How are the exams weighted?

[toots]

This is my first post so my questions may seem a bit naive to others, but I'm hoping you can fill me in.

I am in Solihull and my child will be sitting the Birmingham and Warickshire GS exams. Could anyone tell me how, or if at all, the exams are weighted? Are NVR and VR scores weighted more than the English tests they sit?

My child excels in NVR and Maths, does really well in VR, but dosen't do as well with the english, although still obtaining average results within the class. Do they have to be really good at everything to stand a chance of getting a place?

[serendippyty]

In short, no, they don't need to be high achieving in every area to pass. My son id very goos at Non VR and maths and seeing teh breakdown of his marks, they were certainly what gained him his place. I'd say he is only a little above average for literacy.

[fm]

As far as the KE Birmingham schools are concerned, there was a change this year. Instead of non-verbal, English and maths making up 1/3 each of the final mark, they changed it so the English was 1/2 the mark and the non-verbal/maths the other half. This means there is now a greater emphasis on the literacy part and indeed I believe one of my pupils passed this year because of this change.

[no_ball]

does anyone know as to the reason for this change out of interest or was it done to freshen things up.

[toots]

Thank you for your comments.

I don't suppose we know if the change was just for this year, or if they are planning to stick with the new method?

[fm]

Just my opinion but I think they will keep this change.

I think the KE's may have found they were getting too many children passing on the back of maths and non-verbal whose English skills were not what they should be for grammar school children.

Certainly I feel this is a fairer selection process.