Practice test results

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:35 pm

Is it usual for a school to let the children know the results of their practice test results (the ones they take just before the actual day)? My son's school has given him his, and he got less than the 75% the headteacher says is a pass in two of the papers, even on the NVR where he has scored 90%+ at home.

This has badly shaken his confidence (and mine!) and upset him. I'm working on building him up again, but any advice would be very welcome.

Or should we call it a day based on this and withdraw him? Does anyone have any experience?

Many Thanks

Cass

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:42 pm

My daughter had her practice results today, and like your son, it has shaken her.

I aked her, on a scale of 1 to 10 how hard she had tried, as she knew that this was not the real thing. She said 6.

Dont let this worry you, I know its easy to say.

I think, given her practice scores, and a bit of a boost knowing that she will be doing the real thing tomorrow, then I hope that he scores will be as I expect, and simular to those that she has been getting

Good Luck,

Cindyx

Post by **hermanmunster** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:46 pm

I'm not from Kent so can't advise on the local set up - but don't make any rash decisions just based on the percentage figure. Try having a word with the head and see what they say about this - they seem tohave alreadyindicated that some of the papers were OK for a pass.

Also it may be trickyto compare papers done under test cricumstances with those done at home and the variation may be there for all the children.

thehorder · Post by **thehorder** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 6:20 pm

I wouldn't worry my daughters school they marked their own papers and were all talking about their scores... the practise papers were NFER 1a, which we had done at home at least one of them, my daughter only scored late 60% in the papers, she does a little better at home. It all depends on what schools you are going for... for if you read on this site the pass mark can be fairly low. Although if they are marked absolutely correctly, which is not how my daughter got her score, using the birth date etc. they do say you need to be around 75% in the country, which is not the pass mark for these tests. I wouldn't worry I do not see how the school could give you an accurate score in such a short time, there are factors which are used which mere mortals cannot fathom.

Practise paper our head always used to say was more difficult.....

Best of Luck for Tomorrow.

denis denis · Post by **denis denis** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 6:27 pm

My son has only done his practice papers on Friday and today, and I'd rather not know the results! I was thinking about this today and I thought if the results are good, it's not really an accurate reflection because they did paper 11A which everyone has already done anyway, and if the results are bad, it will knock his confidence which we have been careful to build up, so I think I'm better off not knowing!

cindy · Post by **cindy** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 6:42 pm

Hi there,

I too realised that it was 11c paper, which we have, but have not done.
We have done the 11a.

It was usefull for me on Friday to know that she had done the VR 11c, and that when she looked at the paper she could tell me where she had stopped due to time.
It did help me to give her some advice on time.

good luck to all for tomorrow...

Cindy

P.S. Please register, and give your opinion/advice it costs nothing, and you can still be anon.

Cindy

kentmum1 · Post by **kentmum1** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 6:49 pm

Cass - I would definitely not withdraw at this stage. The percentages the schools give you are a raw score and not comparitive with the real thing which will be standardised and impossible to predict at this stage. As a general rule of thumb, one should be able to pass with a minimum of 50% correct. Last year, 75% correct was standardised to a very high score, and often 140! Good luck!

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:26 pm

Thank you all so much for your comments and advice. We're both feeling much better about things. I spoke to his headteacher and found my son got just under 70% in two papers and 76% in the other, and that was largely down to him not focussing on the task in hand (what was happening outside the window was just so much more interesting!) - so a pep talk and hopefuly he's going to be OK.

It's also very encouraging to hear that the pass mark may in fact be lower than 75% - it is a great relief to think there may be a bit of a comfort factor.

Good luck to all of you and your kids who are going through this right now.

Won't it be WONDERFUL when it's over?!

thehorder · Post by **thehorder** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:22 pm

I am releaved to read kentmum1 comments even though I have read this before.... as posted before my daughter on the practise wasn't too good also at home her maths is between 60-70% so began to think she may not do it. Of course not letting her know this. But hearing about the 50% does help me believe we might get there. She was tired this evening and went to bed early but not before we did look at some maths!!! A friend of mine who is a teacher has been helping us when she can and she said this evening to me that she was almost certain that she will pass. I nearly cried!!! I realise we are not out of the woods yet!! but made me hopeful and spend the evening praising my daughter telling how clever she was!!!

Sweet Dreams all and a good nights sleep!!! just two days to go!!!