kes verbal reasoning

Eleven Plus (11+) in Birmingham, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Wrekin

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
catwoman
Posts: 192
Joined: Mon Jul 08, 2013 3:32 pm

kes verbal reasoning

Post by catwoman »

Hi All
My Ds hasn't done too well in the 11 plus exams so far :( ...so i am considering the independent school assisted place kes (didnt really want to take this route) but feel i may have no choice ...does anyone know what the verbal reasoning consists of? is it the same as the 11 plus exams i.e synonyms/antonyms or is it altogether different?

All replies appreciated
quasimodo
Posts: 3854
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2014 2:47 pm

Re: kes verbal reasoning

Post by quasimodo »

There will be three 1 hour papers in Maths, English and VR. The VR revision requirements are simply to use the standard VR papers eg Letts Nelson etc. The English paper will require a comprehension and a imaginative piece of writing. The Maths will be at level 5 but on both the English and Maths some of the questions are designed to find the scholarship candidates. What is also important is the report your school sends.
My eldest sat the paper at the sister school but it is difficult to remember its contents in detail since 9 years have elapsed. The exam is very different from the CEM Durham Test.
Speak to the Admissions Office they will assist you.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

Abraham Lincoln
WoolEyes

Re: kes verbal reasoning

Post by WoolEyes »

I think Q is right about the kind of VR papers you should give your son. You may consider downloading the many freely available past papers from schools like Manchester Grammar, Dulwich College, City of London School, Perse School etc. These schools are academically similar to KES.

I have prepared a number of boys for the KES test and non have yet to fail! even though some did not pass the 11+. Some of the children who passed were shocking at story writing (I mean really bad......'I hit him then his dad hit me and then we all had a big fight and then I woke up and it was just a dream'......). The inability to write well stems mostly from not reading enough so little can be done now to counter this. However, the boys all had one thing in common, they were very good at maths and two even got scholarships. I still teach two of them and they seem to be plodding along happily enough.
clearsky
Posts: 62
Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 12:51 am

Re: kes verbal reasoning

Post by clearsky »

Hi wooleyes, from your experience what level of maths is required, childrens that you helped to get in did they manage to finish the last sections of maths or just upto the 2nd part as the last part is very difficult. Also are you saying kes offers places to children's who has average or below average English, are this fee paying or assisted places. I have a ds who has done well on qm but still really wants to do the kes test.
WoolEyes

Re: kes verbal reasoning

Post by WoolEyes »

I think the level of maths required to get a scholarship is at level 6 but very few boys get SS as the last section of the maths is difficult, unsual questions which require inherent ability rather than something which can be learnt.

I don't know what admission system KES are running but they do appear to be reaching out to inner-city communities and offering some generous fee reductions. Of the boys I have come across, two are paying full fees, one is paying about 2000, one about 1000 and one about 500. I don't ask much about fees and these are figures which parents volunteer.

One thing is that the boys visit the school on open day and get hooked on it and even if they pass the 11+ they still want to go to KES! So avoid taking son to open days unless you have very deep pockets.
clearsky
Posts: 62
Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2012 12:51 am

Re: kes verbal reasoning

Post by clearsky »

Woolyeyes thank you so much for the reply my son is already hooked, he has asked to go to the open days I never took him, will this go against him if ds is offered interview. He is working towards level 6 in maths, only problem is we want to do the practice papers from schools you listed but most don't come with answers and I don't think I'm confident enough to come up with my own answers.
quasimodo
Posts: 3854
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2014 2:47 pm

Re: kes verbal reasoning

Post by quasimodo »

There are a number of schools who do have answer papers. Manchester Grammar, Emmanuel College, City of London School for Girls and Haberdasher,s Askes School for Boys. There are many others in the Independent sector. The papers are tough eg the Manchester Grammar maths paper questions start easy and get tougher I Know my dd found them tough as we worked through them for the 11 plus.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

Abraham Lincoln
quasimodo
Posts: 3854
Joined: Sun Sep 07, 2014 2:47 pm

Re: kes verbal reasoning

Post by quasimodo »

A very interesting article in yesterdays Daily Telegraph.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/ed ... areas.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

Abraham Lincoln
UmSusu
Posts: 1015
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2011 2:42 pm
Location: Birmingham

Re: kes verbal reasoning

Post by UmSusu »

I understand why wooleyes might suggest not taking him to the open day but if you have decided to apply and need a scholarship (non means tested) or an assisted place (means tested) then you really need to get him to see the school before he applies. If he is asked in interview what he likes about the school or why he wants to go there, he really should have an idea about what appeals to him based on his interests.

I would caution that I don't know of anyone who got a scholarship at KES without having done very well in the grammar exams - unless there was a reason for the blip. Yes, a few children still manage to get a standard place but not a scholarship/AP.
UmSusu
catwoman
Posts: 192
Joined: Mon Jul 08, 2013 3:32 pm

Re: kes verbal reasoning

Post by catwoman »

Thank you all for the replies, yes you are right the admissions lady at kes was lovely, explained the exam really well, going to print some papers off for my ds and i thought it'd all be over... back to it ( KE results out in a couple of weeks so hoping for the best)

Thanks again everyone :)
Post Reply