Select Committee Meeting 19th November

Eleven Plus (11+) in Buckinghamshire (Bucks)

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Select Committee Meeting 19th November

Post by Sally-Anne »

Webcast hopefully available here: https://democracy.buckscc.gov.uk/ieList ... 6564&Ver=4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Less than an hour to go. Who's watching?
Hyacinth
Posts: 66
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 4:45 pm

Re: Select Committee Meeting 19th November

Post by Hyacinth »

I will try to watch if I can get away with it at work :)

I'm not sure how much sense it will make to me though - hopefully you experts will be able to 'translate'!
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Select Committee Meeting 19th November

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hyacinth wrote:hopefully you experts will be able to 'translate'!
Simultaneous translation, as per the UN and EU?

I can certainly give it a whirl! :lol:
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Select Committee Meeting 19th November

Post by Guest55 »

Sally-Anne - I'm impressed! Didn't know you were fluent in bullsh*t ... :lol:
MrsGrylls
Posts: 25
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2014 7:59 pm

Re: Select Committee Meeting 19th November

Post by MrsGrylls »

I'm off sick today so I will have the unexpected pleasure of being able to watch it live :)

But having read the GS Headteachers report just now, I don't expect it to be very enlightening. I too will await the expert analysis (thanks in advance experts :) ) but my reading of the report is that there's no desire whatsoever to change anything. They're happy with the test. Whilst they acknowledge that test tourism isn't desirable (paraphrasing) they're basically saying they can't do anything about it. No mention of how that tourism from 'pre-selected' candidates is potentially bumping up the pass threshhold leaving more families having to go through the stress of selection review etc.
MrsGrylls
Posts: 25
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2014 7:59 pm

Re: Select Committee Meeting 19th November

Post by MrsGrylls »

Sorry, just realised my use of "pre-selected" is misleading - meant to say self-selecting ie likley higher ability OOC children
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Select Committee Meeting 19th November

Post by Guest55 »

The comment that annoys me the most is about 'one years data' - there are two sets on bucks cc website!

The second is only the 'big picture' but its enough to see the problem. If these HTs can't see it then they must be deliberately ignoring it.

I think a small time shift of the exam, so it could not be used as a mock, would help ...
Hyacinth
Posts: 66
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 4:45 pm

Re: Select Committee Meeting 19th November

Post by Hyacinth »

Sally-Anne wrote:
Hyacinth wrote:hopefully you experts will be able to 'translate'!
Simultaneous translation, as per the UN and EU?

I can certainly give it a whirl! :lol:
Yes please!!

Having just read the reports pack I think it's clear that they are not impressed with the criticisms :wink: but I found this extract in the 'tutor proof' section quite interesting:

"It should also be noted that many primary schools use CATs test with children. Those tests follow a very similar approach to the new Secondary Transfer Tests so many children will already be familiar with formal test techniques from their experience of taking these tests at primary school."

So, what about the children that do not sit CATs tests at school - where does that leave them?
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Select Committee Meeting 19th November

Post by Sally-Anne »

Guest55 wrote:I think a small time shift of the exam, so it could not be used as a mock, would help ...
I couldn't agree more with that. The critical dates this year were:

Bucks prep test: Tuesday 9th Sept.
Bucks real test: Thursday 11th Sept.

On Saturday 13th September, the CEM test was sat in the following schools/areas: Kendrick, Reading Boys, Slough consortium, Latymer, CCHS (Essex), Redbridge, Gloucestershire.

Post corrected to remove HBS from the above list, as per Stroller's note later on the thread. The HBS test was on Wednesday 17th September.

The only area where the test was sat later than that was Bexley, and there can be very few people who would bother coming to Bucks to use the test as a mock from that far away.

Prep test on Thursday, real test the following Tuesday. Given how little real "prep" the prep test provides, I really can't see a major issue with that.
It should also be noted that many primary schools use CATs test with children.

I wonder if anyone will ask them exactly what proportion of Bucks primaries use CATs? My guess, based on many, many appeals over the years is that it is well below 50%. In comparison, every private school I've ever come across does do CATs, and usually every year from Y3.
MrsGrylls
Posts: 25
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2014 7:59 pm

Re: Select Committee Meeting 19th November

Post by MrsGrylls »

It's interesting - the things you've all highlighted (sorry I don't know how to do the quote thing!) are all the bits that jumped out at me - they do have 2 years' worth of data and the CAT testing - if it's good preparation then the state primaries need to be looking at doing it maybe?
Post Reply