What % level did you aim for in test papers?

[menagerie]

My children will be sitting the Surrey 11+. I know that for Tiffin and Sutton you have to be well above the pass level to get in. Just wondered, as we go through test papers, what % accuracy we need to be working towards. Is there a level, if they regularly reach it, which is a good indication of success?

[Doblinski]

Hi menagerie I think the answer is not entirely straight-forward; DD passed TGS exam but her test scores varied widely. During a period about midway through her years' tuition, she was getting low 70's to mid 80% ish for tests for several weeks, and particularly struggled with NVR and was quite demoralised. Then after a second visit to the school she got a second wind and scores improved. Overall, I'd say DD's scores were generally from mid 80%s to low 90%s. Alternatively a parent of a boy (who posted on here I think) said her DS got between 90% and 100% for tests and was apparently 4th highest scorer for Tiffin that year. Just to confuse everything, DDs friend got a better average score than DD and did not make it on the day. That sadly can happen to anyone no matter how prepared!

What have you found?

[whathappened]

Hi I would echo what doblinski says,if your child is capable of scoring 80-95% they would have as good a chance as any on the day.Sadly i know of a few who were considered dead certs,not performing on the day and not getting in.It really is so hard for these poor children (and us parents) good luck

[stressedparent]

Hi Meanagerie,

If it helps . I have pasted an old post of mine from the Berks section reference practice test scores and the 2010 Kendrick pass mark. I hope you find it helpful.




The cut-off this year was a standardised score of 109. I am providing this information to help future parents to gauge the standard needed to achieve a pass mark, under no circumstances it should be treated as show off, I hope you do understand, as I know some of you still waiting for offers from the waiting list. Good luck to all who have achieved an offer of place and all the best and best of luck to people who are still waiting. In the past I have spent days and nights trying to search for useful information that might help to gauge and benchmark my DD practice results with the real test results but sadly I could never find such information. I have decided to put this private personal info to help future parents.

My DD is an October born and started preparation for the 11 plus approximately one year before the actual tests, She has sat two mock tests before the real tests. When she sat the Sutton mock examination, I have made sure that she was not prepped for it ,thos will help me gauge her true potential and to give a clear indication of what is needed to be done. She has managed to score 286 in Sutton mock, which is roughly about average mark. She was a bit nervous and failed to finish the papers and left numerous questions unanswered. We have from this experience as I have followed similar method with my DD1. To cut the storey shorts, my DD2 sat 5 exams in total. I have accumulated useful data from all the practice test she has done, her verbal reasoning score always ranged from 90% to 98% giving an average score of 92% her Non-verbal score Ranged from 82% to 96% with an average of 88%.

Nonsuch VR 138 NVR 111 Total 249

Bucks test results Pap1 133 , Pap2 141

Berks test at st Bernard Average of 121, VR 124 ,NVR 117

Kendrick average standardised score of 121 , VR 126 , NVR 116 joint 37th in rank order.

Tiffin Girls Total score of 250 , VR 127 , NVR 123 .

“ Tiffin do not test you in maths, it is all vocab orientated so learn a lot of vocab it is a must otherwise you will be doomed” a lot of candidates that pass the Berks test find it very difficult to pass the Tiffin test because of the Vocab issue and no maths in the VR paper.

Bucks, berks and Tiffin use 21 VR types.
Kendrick use more than 21 types so be prepared.

When my DD was practicing different VR papers, she scored well in some and found others harder. This is a list with level of difficulties starting with easiest.

1. IPS
2. Tutors Level 3
3. NFER
4. Bright sparks
5. Learning Lab
6. Barbara Walsh
7. Premium series
8. Tutors level 4” the hardest around, with hindsight regret using them, you don not need them
Non verbal reasoning, once they have learned the technique, you will reach a plateau that you can never improve on, just practice time technique and accuracy with speed. I hope you find this information is useful. Good luck.


We have chosen Tiffin as first choice as DD1 is there already in year 11.
_________________

[menagerie]

Thanks.

Stressed mum, it looks from results you posted as if Tiffin scores need to be substantially higher. I know one boy who was constantly getting high 90s in his tests but didn't get in. I wondered if he used too light a pencil, as he didn't even pass.

Doblinski, my son veers from getting around 75% to getting mid 90s. Seems to vary from day to day. I'm using Bond papers, though, so will maybe get some of the others as I noticed you didn't even mention those - are they not very suitable for Surrey exams?

[fatbananas]

Stressedparent, Congratulations to your daughter!

When you say you didn't prep her for the Sutton exam, but to see where her strengths/ weaknesses lay, do you mean she took the test in that year before she started working for the 11+, or in the last few months leading up to the exam, to see what needed a bit of extra attention?

[Doblinski]

I'm using Bond papers, though, so will maybe get some of the others as I noticed you didn't even mention those - are they not very suitable for Surrey exams?

We used Bond and Walsh - all good practise. You need just Mulitple choice papers VR and NVR for Tiffin not the ones with Maths n English. But multi packs with Maths and English are useful if you're doing other exams too.

[stressedparent]

Hi fatbananas,

If I remember clearly, she had started the learning phase in January 2010 by doing some verbal reasoning book practice " dynamite and Susan Daugherty standard format etc", but we did not start full test practice and exam technique until after the Sutton test in the same year. We have learnt from the Sutton test a lot of positives and negatives, which helped us, make the right decisions moving forward. I have tried this approach with both my DD’s and it seems to work.

[fatbananas]

Thanks Stressedparent.

[menagerie]

Stressedparent, was that the Sutton mock you're talking about, or did you take the exam as practise for another school more suitable for her?