Practise papers scores

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studymum
Posts: 29
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:25 pm
Location: Didcot Oxforshire

Practise papers scores

Post by studymum »

Maybe a question for those who have had daughters that were successful in Kendrick exam... What scores were your children getting in practise papers towards the exam dates? Did they think the practise papers were easier/harder than the real thing? Which papers were most similar to the actual tests taken?

We're trying Bond and GL books and papers but it's hard to know how they compare. When my DS1 and 2 took the Reading exam they said the papers were easier than practise ones but they never scored extremely highly on any of the Bond ones.

Thanks :)
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Practise papers scores

Post by Tinkers »

My DD said the Kendrick exam was about the same as the GL papers. DD found the bond NVR papers a little harder than the GL and Letts papers, but I think they are slightly different. (Don't use Bond for VR though!)

You need to be scoring over 90% judging by the raw scores this year to be sure of a place.
cocoa0101
Posts: 134
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 12:35 pm
Location: reading

Re: Practise papers scores

Post by cocoa0101 »

Hi

All of my tutees said that the verbal was easier than the GL verbal papers, more like the Athey papers in which they and been scoring well into the 90s in the final stages of preparation. None of them did any bond verbal. Non verbal was more like the Gl but not so easy to gauge what it is really like. Scores in the 90s again in the September but by this stage the papers were also being repeated . They found bond pack 1 quite easy in the final run up.
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Practise papers scores

Post by Tinkers »

Just to add for verbal, the GL papers are the closest in format, but the Susan Daughtry and Ips papers cover all the types you are likely to come across in the Kendrick exam whereas there are some types used in the Kendrick exam that are missing from the GL practise papers.
stevew61
Posts: 1786
Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 9:54 pm
Location: caversham

Re: Practise papers scores

Post by stevew61 »

I wouldn't worry too much about scores you still have many months to boost them.

Towards the end DD was averaging just over the 90%, ignoring the odd disaster paper when she was obviously too tired.

I took the opportuinity to view this year's Kendrick papers, DD December born raw score was 90% on both papers and gave a standardised score of 112 and sixth on waiting list at 1st March. So 90% looks like the mark on the day.

NVR was GL2 style paper, you couldn't look ahead when doing example questions. It was hard in the time available to form an accurate opinion on difficulty but I felt similar or slightly easier than the available papers.

VR was easier in content but contained lots of the SD 35 types that are hard to find examples of e.g. "gradations" which one would be in the middle. DD confused hips and waist, despite having them available to check on the day. :lol: I don't have my materials available to check as I have lent them out but IIRC SD, Athey and Learning Together? were good sources of the beyond 21 type vocanb based questions. I constructed a spreadsheet of all the feedback I've had over the last few years. Anagrams, gradations, bracket maths, 12 = ( * + * x *) seem to be regular favourites.

Good luck. :)
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Practise papers scores

Post by Tinkers »

A reminder to check the timings. Kendrick VR is 100 questions in 50 minutes. The GL practise papers are 85 questions in 50 minutes. Adjust the timing to only allow 42.5 mins instead ie 30secs per question.
studymum
Posts: 29
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:25 pm
Location: Didcot Oxforshire

Re: Practise papers scores

Post by studymum »

Thanks for all of the advice. It give me something to work towards. I've ordered some of the resources talked about.

We definitely need to work on timing as we're certainly working slower than 30 seconds per question!

I was guessing that we'd have to be getting above 90% to be in with a chance. Seems like October is ages away but time flies!

:)
BaileyLane
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2011 3:13 pm

Re: Practise papers scores

Post by BaileyLane »

Back in the day ( was it only last year??) I had the same queries, posted on here about whether we should give up, and got a lovely encouraging reply from stevew61. We kept at it and my DD has been offered a place in Sept. (BTW, have everything crossed for news your DD has a place too, stevew61. Am checking back on the forum all the time :) )

To add to the advice you've already been given, I've learnt that you need to ensure your child peaks on the day. It really helps if they are super familiar with the formats, but have not practiced so much that they are weary of it all and bored, so we mixed up our prep with lots of games, stuff online, vocab, even times tables. This seemed to help with general 'sharpness' and mental agility, and had a positive knock on effect at school.

I also believe that a lot of it comes down to timing, so would really encourage you to practice that. My DD HATED this, cue lots of screaming in the early days, but I believe it was probably the fact that she whipped through and answered all the questions, while many of her friends said they left out several, that made all the difference on the day.
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