KES Exam.. Apply by Dec 6th!

[reeyah]

No-one can be disorganised as me, but JUST IN CASE, closing date for applications is Dec 6th.

I still need my DS photo taken!!! Found some, but they had something spilt on them

[UmSusu]

Hi Reeyah,
You are not the only one. I only sent our form in on Wednesday and I had no excuse - the photos were ready, I just needed to put them in a pre-paid envelope.

I don't know whether you will be applying for an AP, but if you are, don't forget that they only send out the financial forms after you have registered and they also need to be back before the deadline.

UmSusu

[anxious_mother]

Hi UmSusu,
Do you have any idea of the model paper for KES ? if so do let us know
Thanks in advance

[UmSusu]

I am sorry anxious mother I don't, but Succeed, Mike and um made some good suggestions on another thread about the best way to prepare. I am not as concerned about the exact layout for the time being as DS already practiced VR for the Handsworth exam and I think we have done all that we can for the maths and comprehension. It is the writing that will let him down and their is no easy fix for that . I am just concentrating on trying to get him to write on different topics without zombies or time travellers arbitrarily invading bodies for no apparent reason He also feels the need to make everything humorous - I keep telling him they are looking for intelligence but he seems to think they are looking for a joker

[reeyah]

UmSusu, thank u soooo much for that info! Yes we r going to apply for an AP, but I had NO IDEA it has to be in by tues!!! MAJOR PANIC MODE

[twinsmom11]

Hi Reeyah

Yes you would need to send the AP form back by Tuesday. Best is to call Mrs. Phillips who normally is very freindly and ask her guidance on how to go about it as you do not seem to have much time. It might be a good idea if you go to the school on Monday and submit by hand as no documentary evidence is required at this stage. We too applied for AP in the last minute as we completely forgot about it until we got a reminder from them that we realised. I don't wish to panic you but once we started to fill it, there were so many questions which is far too complex than the actual 11+ exam

Umsusu, thanks for your inputs, we too feel the same now that the main exams are over and all the major parts were covered and only best thing to do now is to improve on their writing! Funny though why all the kids think of only adventures and my DS only thinks about Space and Rockets

[anxious_mother]

Thanks UmSusu,
DS has also taken the Handsworth exam and I hope that experience will help him as far as VR is concerned but I was just wondering if NVR would also come up Yes, we are also trying to find ways to bribe DS to write well bcoz the only thing that could let him down will be writing. Hope he does improve in writing. Although they are looking for quality , quantity will also be taken into account it seems.

[poppit]

I've only just sent the form in, but they were quick in sending the acknowledgement with some guidance notes on the exam.

English, Maths and Reasoning are tested. The Reasoning is described as mainly verbal and age standardised.

It seems that they make a bit of a day of it with a one and a half hour long break at lunchtime for the boys to unwind and "let off steam with activities such as cricket and indoor entertainment".

[UmSusu]

Anxious_mother, there has been nothing to suggest nvr coming up in the KES exam and they are quite straightforward about the exam content: VR, maths, comprehension and writing composition. I have put all my nvr materials back on the top shelf of the study so that I don't even come across them by accident - well at least not for another few months

I am afraid writing is a tricky area to teach and they don't do enough of it at school - they have plenty of short writing tasks but it seems even the teachers are not competent at the creative writing aspect. The schools use a formula to add variety to the style of writing but seem to completely overlook the fact that just because kids are varying the sentence length/using different time connectives/dropped in clauses etc, it doesn't mean that they make any sense when they write. I wish they would work on the content and rather than empty phrases.

My DS is a reluctant writer and came out of the Handsworth exam quite unhappy because he knew he did not write well. I hope we can make some progress before January.

[UmSusu]

Thanks poppit, I didn't realise it would take most of the day. I guess they would like to make sure they see all they have to offer and make it a positive experience - so that they go home and push parents into coughing up full fees! Very clever.......

As for the activities they plan, do you think they are being assessed in terms of how they interact etc?