CEM Topics for Study

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richard20
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2014 7:11 pm

CEM Topics for Study

Post by richard20 »

Hi. My eldest daughter is in a GS having been successfully tutored through the 'old' VR exam. I went back to the same tutor for my twins. The exam has now switched to a CEM exam and I feel a lot of the topics the tutor is covering are not really likely to come up on the CEM exam. This is leading to a lot of work and not so much learning.

Can anyone tell me are the following topics likely to appear on the new CEM exam -

MATHS
Complementary, Supplementary, Corresponding and Alternate Angles
Probability
Division of fractions

ENGLISH
Colons and Semi-Colons
Concord
Prepositions
Phrases, Compound and Complex Sentences - Connectives and Conjunctions

VR
Type 32 - coding
Types 2,4,5,21 - linking words
Type 16 - letter pairs
Type 19 - numbers and brackets

I've also been told to do the NVR with my children myself at home as it only represents 10% of the marks?!?

Any help would be appreciated as I am now thinking about switching tutor.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: CEM Topics for Study

Post by Guest55 »

richard - you posted this in Birmingham as well ... I'm totally confused - are you planning to relocate to Bucks?
richard20
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2014 7:11 pm

Re: CEM Topics for Study

Post by richard20 »

Hi, no I'm not moving anywhere. I was advised to post in the regions who have moved to the CEM exam as that would be the best way to get the most opinions on my question.

I realise there are limitations to what can be said with any certainty about CEM topics but my DD and DS have spent a lot of time and effort on the topics I have listed and I'm beginning to think it may have been wasted.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: CEM Topics for Study

Post by Guest55 »

You are better off looking at the ' CEM sticky' in the section your child is taking; not all CEM 11+ tests are the same format.
scary mum
Posts: 8840
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: CEM Topics for Study

Post by scary mum »

There are various threads on the CEM tests, such as this
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 12&t=30079" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But of course your area might be different. Certainly in Bucks the old VR is not relevant.
scary mum
Yamin151
Posts: 2405
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2013 8:30 am

Re: CEM Topics for Study

Post by Yamin151 »

richard20 wrote:Hi, no I'm not moving anywhere. I was advised to post in the regions who have moved to the CEM exam as that would be the best way to get the most opinions on my question.

I realise there are limitations to what can be said with any certainty about CEM topics but my DD and DS have spent a lot of time and effort on the topics I have listed and I'm beginning to think it may have been wasted.

Can't see that any of the stuff they have done is wasted time. I'm a big believer in working all around subjects exercises the mind to work even better when it comes to the specifics, but like scales help you play your pieces better. All of those topics look good things to have done and my twins did them all too. They both qualified so clearly not wasted.
Peridot
Posts: 2195
Joined: Thu May 16, 2013 5:02 pm

Re: CEM Topics for Study

Post by Peridot »

Hi - this might sound obvious but have you asked your tutor about it? Two years ago my daughter was one of the guinea pigs for the new second stage Tiffin girls exam, which is maths, creative writing and comprehension. We had no idea what the style or level of the content would be as it was a totally new test, written by the school, so the tutor and I talked about it and between us made sure she had covered a wide range of maths topics and had practised hard comprehensions and different genres of creative writing. She was already working at L6 at school so this will have helped too.

As Yamin says I think any general broadening of knowledge is helpful. If you were confident with the tutor for your previous child could you have a chat with them and discuss your worries? You can always change tutor if you're not happy with what they say or do more/supplementary coaching yourself if you can find the time.
Marylou
Posts: 2164
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:21 am

Re: CEM Topics for Study

Post by Marylou »

richard20 wrote: I've also been told to do the NVR with my children myself at home as it only represents 10% of the marks?!?
It's worth 20% in the Bucks CEM test.
Marylou
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: CEM Topics for Study

Post by kenyancowgirl »

Richard I have private messaged you.
KCG
richard20
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2014 7:11 pm

Re: CEM Topics for Study

Post by richard20 »

Hi, thank you for all the advice, it is very useful and I am in the process of checking out the various threads and links suggested.

I agree that learning, on any topic, is not wasted time. The amount they have been getting though has lead us to be more focused on finishing the task rather than absorbing the knowledge. I have recently started picking out the learning points and ensuring they are understood. That being said I'm a single Dad and I need to focus my time with the twins only on the topics they need to cover.

I have spoken to the tutor and was told there were still a lot more topics to cover and received some conflicting advice on the amount of time the children should be spending studying each week. I am switching tutors to someone who seems to have a better handle on what should be covered for a CEM exam. I'm nervous doing this at this stage but feel its the right thing to do for the twins.

Thank again,

Richard
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