North London Girls Consortium papers - English Scores

[SleepyHead]

What scores should DD be getting on the consortium papers - specifically the group 1s

Would be really helpful if parents of DC who have been through the process could indicate from their experience.

thanks
Sleepyhead

[Daogroupie]

It really depends on which school you are aiming for. Now that NLCS has exited left it will be City that requires the highest scores to get a place. St Albans and St Helens will interview on lower marks. A lot of the girls you will be competing against have been preparing hard to sit DAO next week. Many of them will use it as a mock but will have done timed papers throughout the hols and will move onto the consortium papers straight afterwards. Some of the consortium papers are much harder than others so the pass mark will drop but marks in the mid 80's should see you safely through to interview. DG

[SleepyHead]

thank you DG - mid 80s for both Maths and English is quite something. DD is getting that for Maths now, but am aware that what DD gets at home, may not be what she gets in a hall full of other children - so we need to push on. Also need to speed up for English - more practice at this level is required.

[SleepyHead]

DG - are DAO comprehensions harder than the North London Consortium comps?

[Daogroupie]

In my opinion yes. There is a lot more involved that might at first appear. DG

[SleepyHead]

thanks

[Kingfisher]

In my experience, the English papers for the consortia are deceptively easy. The questions are straightforward, but it is the quality and depth of response for the longer questions that will make the difference. Too many people think that a basic response will get the marks, especially for the comprehension. Finishing the paper within the time limit is also an issue.

Which schools are you considering?

[SleepyHead]

Finishing the paper within the time limit is also an issue.

yes it is for DD at the moment. Looking at St Helens, SHHS, NHEHS. I have noticed the 10 mark questions towards the end of the paper and when time is running out, this is where marks will be lost. Also think the comprehensions are getting longer than they were a couple of years ago.

[Daogroupie]

This is where being up against students who have been preparing all over the summer for the state selectives will be a problem. They know all about depth of response and have to deal with three page comprehension passages. Timing is everything and they have become used to producing detailed comprehension answers plus a story in sixty minutes. DG

[Kingfisher]

Finishing the paper within the time limit is also an issue.

I have noticed the 10 mark questions towards the end of the paper and when time is running out, this is where marks will be lost. Also think the comprehensions are getting longer than they were a couple of years ago.

I think that the English papers for the consortia have moved away from having the heaviest weighted question at the end - this is certainly the case in the most recent papers. I can't say that I am in agreement that the passages are getting longer. They seem comparable to me. But DAO is right - it takes time and regular practice to achieve high marks on these papers.