New here Advice please.

[bexamy]

Hello, my daughter is due to take the Kent test in September. She's a bright girl but I am not sure that she is that bright! I have obviously registered her for the test, as she is desperate to take it, however one or two of the Mum's have suggested to me a (whos children are on the G an T register and who take great delight in telling everyone this fact) that its not worth people doing the test if they haven't got level 5b at the end of this year (Year5). Now I know that they are probably just saying that HOWEVER, my daughter didn't achieve this, and I am wondering if its worth putting her through the test and setting her up to fail, or whether I should withdraw her completely. Her levels she came home with are 5C Maths and Reading and 4A for writing (SO obviously the writing grade is of concern) It should be pointed out that I am very proud of her for achieving those grades as she has only been in full time education for Year 5, as from Year 2 to 4 inc. she was part time due to illness. Any advice would be welcomed. Thank you.

[ginx]

bexamy, I'm not in Kent which I believe is very competitive, but a year ago I didn't think my daughter had much chance. She's never been top of the class. She looked round the gs in July and agreed to do a few practice papers, and somehow passed and is going to gs.

Her school were amazed she'd passed (she is quiet so I don't feel they see her true colours)

I would try not to listen to other parents, your daughter is obviously quite bright, if she wants to do it, I would let her. My daughter's levels weren't great, like yours she was on a 5C for maths and 4A for writing. Sorry to hear she had time off for illness, I suppose that means you could appeal if she only missed by a few marks.

I would let her try it but try not to let her worry or get stressed. Give her a few practice papers (I'm a fan of Bond 10 minutes but don't know if that's appropriate for Kent) and see how she does.

Nobody expected my daughter to pass, lots of other mums assumed she was going to the comp because I never brag about her, and were most surprised when she passed. If I were you, I'd let her sit it. You just never know. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[fatbananas]

The writing is only looked at if DC are borderline and a 4A sounds rather good for end of year 5. There's still time between now and the exam to get your daughter to slip in a semi colon or whatever other criteria it is they use to judge these things

The other results sound very good; I would say she stood every chance. I'm sure more experienced Kent people will be along soon.

[yoyo123]

4A is good at end of year 5, ignore the competetive mums.

Where in Kent are you?

[mystery]

I am in Kent. Those other Mums sound rather unpleasant and not in the least G and T themselves. It sounds like they might even be a little bit worried that your DD has done so well despite being part-time for so long. How did you fill in for the missing education?

You are lucky to be sitting the Kent test this September. It is changing the following year and it is still not clear what it is.

The questions are set by GL Assessment. There are three papers - maths, non verbal reasoning and verbal reasoning. They are all multiple choice. No writing is even looked at unless your child is a borderline fail. Buy all the practice papers - 8 in each subject - and practice them all as they show you the question types that will come up. Also buy the book by GL assessment called "verbal reasoning explained" and "non-verbal reasoning" explained. These show you how to tackle all the different question types on these two papers.

A very high percentage of Kent children get grammar places - between 25 to 30%. Getting the NC results your daughter has obtained at the end of year 5 must place her very comfortably within this kind of band. There are some Kent schools which require a high score - check the admissions policies carefully for each individual school.

Don't be put off by these other parents. It is perfectly possible that your daughter will come out with higher scores than theirs. The NC tests do not test the same things as the Kent test. I wouldn't offer them any helpful advice unless they ask.

[bexamy]

Thank you for your replies. In February we were told by her class teacher that she had not improved significantly in her grades from end of year 4 to move her up a sub level. Year 4 grades were 4c maths and reading and 3a writing. My daughter is a hard worker, knows what she wants and will work hard to get that. She pleaded with me to get her a private tutor so that she could improve, which we simply cannot afford. I said to her that I would buy some Bond books and work through them with her which is the way we have gone. We just work through the books and help her if we can. I am no teacher and finding now especially with the maths work (which I am not good at) that the questions she can't do, are the questions I cannot help her with. It is like she has outgrown my help, a lot of the time I find myself looking things up on the internet whilst she is at school, working out how to do them so that I can tell her later. Like yesterday she had a question in a bond book 11-12+ about shape translation.........OKAY I have looked into it and will tentatively show her how to do it, and hopefully tell her correctly! I have done some of the GL assessment papers with her and she scores in maths and Verbal usually around the 78-84% mark, the Non verbal is more variable. She can score 85% one minute and 66% the next! I didn't fill in for her missing education whilst she was part time, as the nature of her illness meant that once she had finished school for the day she was too tired out to do anything else.

[peter5]

Hello Bexamy ,the more accurate the levels are the better it is for you .See the teacher and ask if they could note the specific areas where your DC need improvements . Take the summer and work on those areas and give her a better chance.

[mystery]

Yes, but remember that the kent test is not really the same this sept as schoolwork. Doing the gl assessment stuff is more relevant. Bexamy, look at the gl assessment papers to see that you probably do not need some of the maths that is coming up in those bond papers. Do as much as you can on the gl assessment practice papers. Worry about sat stuff once the eleven plus test is over.

If you go to appeal you want her "working at" levels to be high to impress the panel.

Sounds like you doing fine.

[mystery]

Oh, do try the gl assessment book explaining how to do the nvr.

[bexamy]

Yes, but remember that the kent test is not really the same this sept as schoolwork. Doing the gl assessment stuff is more relevant. Bexamy, look at the gl assessment papers to see that you probably do not need some of the maths that is coming up in those bond papers. Do as much as you can on the gl assessment practice papers. Worry about sat stuff once the eleven plus test is over.

If you go to appeal you want her "working at" levels to be high to impress the panel.

Sounds like you doing fine.

So hang on I am confused (don't take much)! So if her Sats work is not as relevant as the GL assessment papers, how do I impress the panel if it goes to appeal that shes at a "high working at" level, and how can they use those levels to assess the levels if they are not the same as the GL tests. I was talking to a Grammar school head teacher yesterday and she was very helpful. I mentioned about my daughters part time attendance at school etc and she said that if it came down to it I would have good grounds for appeal on that basis alone! How does that prove to a panel that she is Grammar school material though, they could use it against her saying that she could relapse and become ill again and not be able to keep up in a high performing school.