Sitting exam late - which papers do they use?

Eleven Plus (11+) in Buckinghamshire (Bucks)

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kiki4
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:39 pm

Sitting exam late - which papers do they use?

Post by kiki4 »

Hi,

I have been approached to help tutor for a delayed 11 plus exam to be taken in November (they have just moved into the area).

Does anyone know at what point the papers are changed? I assume if you take the paper only a week late due to illness it would be the same. But surely if the exam is sat a month late it would be different, perhaps from a previous year.

I have tutored some students who took the 11 plus last week and today and therefore I have heard a fair amount of the vocabulary which has occurred.

I have not found myself in this situation before and just wondered if anyone knows how it works.

Thanks.
Ambridge
Posts: 374
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 2:46 pm
Location: Bucks

Post by Ambridge »

Strange question from a tutor?

Would have thought that as a 'tutor' you will prepare your pupil for a normal Bucks 11+ exam - regardless of what actual paper they are given on the day... :?:

You probably know that tests to get into most Bucks grammar schools only alter at 13+ when you apply to the actual school and they issue their own tests.
Greta2
Posts: 180
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:21 am

Post by Greta2 »

I would assume it's the same paper - but I don't know.

However your questions has made me realise that there must be quite a few tutors who will ask the children they've tutored what questions have come up but are still tutoring other children who haven't taken it - do you feel this puts you in an ethical dilemma? Is it just me that feel's uncomfortable about this?

Please don't take this wrongly - i think you have asked a reasonable question but the whole thing seems unfair to the chidlren who have already taken it including those other chidlren you have tutored.
kiki4
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:39 pm

Post by kiki4 »

Hi Greta and Ambridge,

Thanks for your replies.

Obviously, the enquiry I have received has special conditions due to the child only just coming to this county. I just wondered how county ensures that their is no passing on of information. I thought that one of the tutors on this forum may have come across this situation before. If I can work out how to send a personal message I might target Patricia.

I have agreed to help prepare this child and will use exactly the same material and methods I have used in the past. Personally I do not feel I am put in an ethical dilemma, but I did stop and question whether I felt 100% comfortable and would prefer to believe the paper would be different.

All of the children I tutored went in to their exam having practised material available to all. My own daughter also sat this years exam plus many of my friends' children and I would not want to jeopardise any of them having a fair assessment.

The reason I asked the question is because it occurred to me that this could potentially be an unfair situation and I wondered if county responded to it as such. I feel it is unfair if the question paper is different and yet there is a possibility of cheating if it is exactly the same.

I have no insider knowledge nor access to exam papers apart from what a small group of excited ten year olds chose to randomly remember. I note that this forum quite rightly did not allow parents to discuss what came up on the first paper.

Hope that all makes sense.
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi Kiki4

I have to reluctantly confirm that the test papers remain the same.

The advantage is very limited, because the children are unreliable at reporting back, and because the potential "advantage" is only on the easier vocab question types, where one would expect children to be pretty secure anyway. Codes and other question types can almost never be reported back.

I am glad that Greta has raised the ethical dilemma of any tutor faced with this situation.

I would hope that you are a "tutor with a conscience", and you will approach this child exactly as you have done all the others you have tutored for Bucks until now.

If you would like to discuss this with me by PM, I would be happy to talk to you.

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

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi Kiki4

I was busy drafting a reply to you and getting kids to bed all at once, so we overlapped. I think we are on the same wavelength!

I wil PM you shortly!

S-A
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