IPS/The Tutors Practice Papers
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Guest
IPS/The Tutors Practice Papers
Hello All
I, like alot of you reading this, are entering into the advanced phases of preparation for this October with my Lad.
I have been using IPS from day one (which effectively was last august! - I may explain in another thread my rationale and experiences
and have just about completed all 14 of their available practice papers.
I have an opinion that these papers are not of equal difficulty. Paper 2 versus Paper 6 for example (at least with my Lad, anyway).
Last week I downloaded the first two Tutors papers and wondered if anyone has an opinion as to whether they are designed to be of equal difficulty.
(Lad managed 77/80 on paper1 which in't bad, I suppose).
I would just like to be able to put his marks 'in context'.
Thanks in anticipation
Michael
and many thanks to the regular contributors to this site, I have spent many weeks 'lurking' and found it very much of a comfort blanket
I, like alot of you reading this, are entering into the advanced phases of preparation for this October with my Lad.
I have been using IPS from day one (which effectively was last august! - I may explain in another thread my rationale and experiences
and have just about completed all 14 of their available practice papers.I have an opinion that these papers are not of equal difficulty. Paper 2 versus Paper 6 for example (at least with my Lad, anyway).
Last week I downloaded the first two Tutors papers and wondered if anyone has an opinion as to whether they are designed to be of equal difficulty.
(Lad managed 77/80 on paper1 which in't bad, I suppose).
I would just like to be able to put his marks 'in context'.
Thanks in anticipation
Michael
and many thanks to the regular contributors to this site, I have spent many weeks 'lurking' and found it very much of a comfort blanket
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Shining Levels
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2006 12:49 pm
- Location: Village with Heron, Buckinghamshire
Re: IPS/The Tutors Practice Papers
Not sure why I was given the name 'guest' to the above.
Anyway, it was me "wot wrote it"...
Michael
Anyway, it was me "wot wrote it"...
Michael
Where the air and heaven knows what else collides.
Dear Shining Levels
Yes - you are right about IPS. I found with mine that he scored around the 46/50 mark for most, but papers 5 and 6 were full marks. Paper 4 was the worst, going over the time, too. I do like IPS tho' - that 30 min paper is just about right........a 45 min paper brings with it a moan!
Have not yet tried the Tutors - I will though soon. Going thru' Daughtrey at the moment - they are good. We did Nfer during the holidays and he was well in time, getting around 75/85. In some peculiar way the layout of the answer sheet helps....dont ask why!!
Good luck and keep on going!
USA
Yes - you are right about IPS. I found with mine that he scored around the 46/50 mark for most, but papers 5 and 6 were full marks. Paper 4 was the worst, going over the time, too. I do like IPS tho' - that 30 min paper is just about right........a 45 min paper brings with it a moan!
Have not yet tried the Tutors - I will though soon. Going thru' Daughtrey at the moment - they are good. We did Nfer during the holidays and he was well in time, getting around 75/85. In some peculiar way the layout of the answer sheet helps....dont ask why!!
Good luck and keep on going!
USA
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Mike Edwards
Hello Shining Levels
Having co-wrote The Tutors paper with my partner Janet, who often gets overlooked, perhaps I can comment.
The Tutors papers were originally written for part of a course that we ran in the Wirral. We tried to make the papers progressively more difficult up to paper 6, then we made papers 7 and 8 slightly easier to boost the confidence of the kids on the course and made papers 9-12 more difficult.
Our standard for the questions was based on the contents of the NFER familiarization packs and the NFER practice papers. The familiarization packs cover 21 question types whereas the practice papers contain 15 question types.
The papers need to be completed in pairs to get the full coverage of question types, so depending on the childs abilities he/she may find all the odd number question papers easier than all the even number papers and vice-versa.
The overlap of the question types between the odd and even numbered papers was provided by that wonderful contributor to this forum, Patricia. Who had a broader knowledge of paper contents than we had.
Hope this helps in some way.
Regads
Mike
Having co-wrote The Tutors paper with my partner Janet, who often gets overlooked, perhaps I can comment.
The Tutors papers were originally written for part of a course that we ran in the Wirral. We tried to make the papers progressively more difficult up to paper 6, then we made papers 7 and 8 slightly easier to boost the confidence of the kids on the course and made papers 9-12 more difficult.
Our standard for the questions was based on the contents of the NFER familiarization packs and the NFER practice papers. The familiarization packs cover 21 question types whereas the practice papers contain 15 question types.
The papers need to be completed in pairs to get the full coverage of question types, so depending on the childs abilities he/she may find all the odd number question papers easier than all the even number papers and vice-versa.
The overlap of the question types between the odd and even numbered papers was provided by that wonderful contributor to this forum, Patricia. Who had a broader knowledge of paper contents than we had.
Hope this helps in some way.
Regads
Mike
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Shining Levels
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2006 12:49 pm
- Location: Village with Heron, Buckinghamshire
Thanks for your comments usa and Mike.
Hmmmmmm IPS Paper 4 - he did this one towards the end of July and forgot the 'golden rule of the house' - leave the type Z's till last !
He only managed 33/50 correct in the time and achieved 41/50 when he finally completed at about 37 minutes.
The information about The Tutors papers is invaluable - looking at them in pairs that is. I had planned to use AFN 1-8 next but might keep these in reserve and get the rest of The Tutors.
When my daughter did this two years ago, I noticed a pattern of sorts with the NFER types.
Type A, E and Z are present in both Paper 1 and 2 familiarisation then the rest are mixed - but some never (or at least rarely) appear together.
Right, that's it ! - I'm going to pour my heart out to you all in a seperate thread probably entitled "DIY 11+ !! Just look what it has done to me!!!"
The bit about going through the whole dictionary (Junior!) looking for words that contain a three letter word within will make you laugh (at me)
Michael
Hmmmmmm IPS Paper 4 - he did this one towards the end of July and forgot the 'golden rule of the house' - leave the type Z's till last !
He only managed 33/50 correct in the time and achieved 41/50 when he finally completed at about 37 minutes.
The information about The Tutors papers is invaluable - looking at them in pairs that is. I had planned to use AFN 1-8 next but might keep these in reserve and get the rest of The Tutors.
When my daughter did this two years ago, I noticed a pattern of sorts with the NFER types.
Type A, E and Z are present in both Paper 1 and 2 familiarisation then the rest are mixed - but some never (or at least rarely) appear together.
Right, that's it ! - I'm going to pour my heart out to you all in a seperate thread probably entitled "DIY 11+ !! Just look what it has done to me!!!"
The bit about going through the whole dictionary (Junior!) looking for words that contain a three letter word within will make you laugh (at me)
Michael
Where the air and heaven knows what else collides.
Dear Michael/Shining levels
At this stage, I would not be bothering with AFN as tests, they contain the correct 21 types, but DO NOT look like the real thing. use them a section at a time for some daily practice.
Papers that 'LOOK' the best are Susan Daughtrey [Bright Sparks] and of course NFER, in that order. [ Remember HIKNOS, when completing NFER ]
I do believe, the child needs to 'get used' to the format. each time I change to a different publisher, I always get a 'moan' and the first test is always of a 'lower' standard.
Glad you are keeping to the rule of leaving Zs till last!
Re equal difficulty of tests, another insight into the 'psychology' of tutoring is that children without a doubt have 'favourites' some just look at the codes and think 'oh no, I hate these, they take too long' this puts them into a mindset of a negative frame of mind, which has a knock on effect, on timing and 'attitude' towards the test being completed.
Look forward to your new thread.
Patricia
At this stage, I would not be bothering with AFN as tests, they contain the correct 21 types, but DO NOT look like the real thing. use them a section at a time for some daily practice.
Papers that 'LOOK' the best are Susan Daughtrey [Bright Sparks] and of course NFER, in that order. [ Remember HIKNOS, when completing NFER ]
I do believe, the child needs to 'get used' to the format. each time I change to a different publisher, I always get a 'moan' and the first test is always of a 'lower' standard.
Glad you are keeping to the rule of leaving Zs till last!
Re equal difficulty of tests, another insight into the 'psychology' of tutoring is that children without a doubt have 'favourites' some just look at the codes and think 'oh no, I hate these, they take too long' this puts them into a mindset of a negative frame of mind, which has a knock on effect, on timing and 'attitude' towards the test being completed.
Look forward to your new thread.
Patricia
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Shining Levels
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2006 12:49 pm
- Location: Village with Heron, Buckinghamshire
Thanks Patricia
you make sound points about AFN - now is the time to get used to the format and how things look.
I will use AFN to dip in and out of for his relatively weaker areas - the Classic M's, D's and H's.
(noting also your tips on other threads about boosting the vocabulary).
M
you make sound points about AFN - now is the time to get used to the format and how things look.
I will use AFN to dip in and out of for his relatively weaker areas - the Classic M's, D's and H's.
(noting also your tips on other threads about boosting the vocabulary).
M
Where the air and heaven knows what else collides.
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Tim
For Patricia
Hi Patricia
Sorry to but in this thread, but I'm a little confused!!! What is HIKNOS and what do you mean by Z questions? Forgive me for being stupid but I have never come across this before. I am doing some "DIY" and would really appreciate some advice.
Kind regards
Tim
PS. Patricia, I think your threads are fab, lots of useful info.
Sorry to but in this thread, but I'm a little confused!!! What is HIKNOS and what do you mean by Z questions? Forgive me for being stupid but I have never come across this before. I am doing some "DIY" and would really appreciate some advice.
Kind regards
Tim
PS. Patricia, I think your threads are fab, lots of useful info.
Dear Tim
Thanks for the vote of confidence! I found this site by accident last year, found some posts about Bucks that were complete and utter rubbish, giving totally incorrect advice.
HIKNOS are types of questions identified by a publisher called IPS, this site calls them 16-21, see
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/vr-que" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... region.php
Z, also from IPS, a small amount of reading information is given followed by a question, some of these questions can approx 3 mins to complete, as only one mark is awarded per question, I tell all my students they MUST leave till last, 6 mins could answer another 10 questions!
Good Luck with your DIY
Patricia
Thanks for the vote of confidence! I found this site by accident last year, found some posts about Bucks that were complete and utter rubbish, giving totally incorrect advice.
HIKNOS are types of questions identified by a publisher called IPS, this site calls them 16-21, see
http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/vr-que" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... region.php
Z, also from IPS, a small amount of reading information is given followed by a question, some of these questions can approx 3 mins to complete, as only one mark is awarded per question, I tell all my students they MUST leave till last, 6 mins could answer another 10 questions!
Good Luck with your DIY
Patricia
