Tiffin Head

[SunlampVexesEel]

Hilda Clarke is to retire after the end of this academic year.

IMHO Ms Clarke has been (and will continue to be during this academic year) a great head and in particular was always to be seen out and about supporting the extra curricular activities come rain or shine!

She will be missed

Regards
SVE

[tiffinboys]

Hope some one else could look afresh at the admission arrangements and entrance test, though she seems to be a very effective administrator.

[nat47]

Interesting article in today's Guardian suggesting that the new 11+ tests, far from being "tutor proof" and fairer, have resulted in fewer state primary school children winning places in Bucks. Presumably there will be similar outcomes in the consortium of schools opting for the Selective Eligibilty Test.

http://www.theguardian.com/education/20 ... plus-tests" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[tiffinboys]

I think the Guardian is missing the point. More private school children are successful mainly because of the quality of education that they have received over the years and their socio-economic situation. Almost 100% of privately educated children have atleast level 5 in KS2 and that is reflected in Bucks tests, besides tutoring for 11 plus.

Having said that, it was pretty obvious from the beninning that CEM would result in increased coaching for 11plus tests, even though the test itself may be so called 'tutor proof'. Level of literacy and numeracy required and ability to quickly recall is much higher for CEM than that for GL tests, and parents would through money at tutors to enable their children to achieve that.

[nat47]

While VR and NVR do require coaching, and of course that's already unfair, it is nevertheless the case that a child from a state primary is not at a disadvantage provided they do get some coaching. There are privately educated children (the majority I suspect) who would never get through a VR /NVR Tiffin test no matter how much coaching they've had. I'm not so sure the new test has done anything at all to level that playing field - it just looks that way because English and Maths are taught in all schools - and that's what the Bucks results appear to demonstrate.

[tiffinboys]

it is nevertheless the case that a child from a state primary is not at a disadvantage provided they do get some coaching.

There are privately educated children (the majority I suspect) who would never get through a VR /NVR Tiffin test no matter how much coaching they've had.

I am lost.....

[nat47]

How so Tiffinboys?

Children who were tutored in VR and NVR for the Tiffin test were no more likely to get in if they attended private schools. That is what I have heard over the years. From that information I was concluding that when it comes to VR and NVR, provided the child is being tutored, attending a private prep school confers no particular advantage. Is that also the case in tests consisting only of English and Maths? The evidence from Bucks, as reported in this week's papers, suggests not.

So is ditching VR and NVR in favour of English and Maths really going to help level the playing field between state and private school children? A reasonable question I think (and not a rhetorical one) given that many grammar schools are switching their testing procedure to English and Maths only and away from VR and NVR.

If anyone has any evidence that contradicts the Bucks finding, please post.

[panicattack]

I think the big point about the Tiffin test is that NVR particularly is not something which is taught at school and so some form of tutoring is necessary. If it were English and Maths, following the national curriculum, then anyone can at least sit the exam, irrespective of having the cash for tutoring. Prep schools by their very nature are training children to pass tests for secondary schools. Most primary schools don't offer any extra help. So the current Tiffin test doesn't offer all an equal opportunity to sit the exam and doesn't require anyone to write a single sentence!

I'd also be interested in hearing more about any changes at the school itself which people would like to see with the new head.

[tiffinboys]

Don't prep schools teach NVR/VR? Some friends have mentioned of at least one session a week from year 3 onwards in their children's prep schools.

[J50]

Don't prep schools teach NVR/VR? Some friends have mentioned of at least one session a week from year 3 onwards in their children's prep schools.

Yes, yes they do.
So have you applied for the Tiffin Head job yet tiffinboys??? Good way to make changes to the admissions process...