Also if a nanny working with school aged children can't add two two digit numbers in their head then not sure they should be in the post tbh

Fair enough
I did actually notice my own flaws after I posted it which was a bit That will teach me to proofread and be antagonistic.
Was having a bored moment. Did not mean to cause offence.
Wish the other nannies in my household who does the nursery duties I don't knew how to wash. I spend loads of time trying to explain but they don't speak much English so no joy there so now I sort the clothes and make them do the ironing because she's much better at that than I am.
I think I just get tired of what I think the op was sayingb at one point. Some parents want everything but don't want to pay for it or sometimes even acknowledge the contribution. I would have thought nannies for school aged children should be capable of understanding and supporting the primary curriculum and the extras as well.
Will cuggest this way of interviewing to my boss when she recruits my succesor when I decide to leave. She'll love it.

I must say that is pretty high level math for a six year old charge. I definitely won't be doing that. I would just be looking to see if you could help DD work out 34 + 8 in her head, without fingers. I would ask you to explain it in terms my 6 year old would understand. And I would ask wht you would say when she says "I hate Kumon. Why do I have to do this? Why di I need to know math?"

I imagine she did not warn you because she wanted to know what you really now and did not want to prompt you to cram for the test.

I can't imagine very many nannies are going to hit a 95% pass rate on that test. So I think there's a good chance you might hear from her again.

Perhaps she is saving childcare related questions for the next phase of interview?

pmsl athene

db would fail this - he added a blue top to no 1's school white pe kit day BEFORE sports day

hence this fab nanny dashing to shop to buy colour restorer and spending hours bleaching kit

I wasn't taking a test at a job interview in my last post. But, since you mention it -- and I disagree that a sentence can not start with "but" -- shall I point out your flaws? You forgot the comma after Athene and a triple exclamation mark is very poor punctuation indeed.

I was thinking about this this mornign and I think the test I would choose it to wad up a variety of clothes in a pile and then ask him/her how he/she would do the laundry. What things can be washed together? Which need to be hung up, and so on.

Athene you would have failed on two counts.
A sentence cannot begin with and or but!!!

TBH I was just completely shocked to be expected to sit these tests at an interview, especially given the person spec MB had sent round, wich is completely fair game I hasten to add! She specified a degree in a primary curriculum core subject, which certainly implies A-levels or equivalent, GCSEs to include maths, english and science (which is standard for a primary teacher) and previous experience in a similar role so I don't quite see the need to set tests, unless the education system is completely devalued!

When I interviewed for my PGCE we were warned we would be sitting literacy and numeracy tests, which is fair enough. But that job you get at the end of that is actually as a teacher and you have to pass the QTS tests at the end so there's no point starting the course if you won't pass the QTS tests! The maths test was definitely above primary level, I would hazard a guess at GCSE, possibly KS3 but I'm not up to speed on the current secondary maths curriculum. Definitely more complicated that the end of KS2/PYP. Algebra, but not calculus! There was some trig but seeing as I had to leave the expression as a function of cos! Sadly I haven't memorised my log tables and I'm not in the habit of carrying a scientific calculator around with me....

She wasn't advertising for a teacher, or even a tutor, she was asking for a nanny. The skills set of a professional nanny, I feel, goes way beyond basic maths and english skills although I would probably expect any future nanny of mine, if I ever happen to employ one, to be capable of supervising the pimary curriculum. Good nannying is about developing the child as a whole: instilling good manners, respect for others, self-respect etc as well as developing cognitive and creative skills. Thinking back the strangest thing was that it was all about my academics and job history, nothing about me as a person or how I could do the job. I suspect she couldn't do it, but none of my previous employers have had my skills set - that tends to be why they hire me even when they do have the time to do it themselves. They concentrate on skills I don't have, like predicting the stock market (I kid you not....my ex-charge was freakishly good at this).

I would hope that my 10 GCSEs, including in maths (A), english (2As) and science (2A*, 1 A), 3As at A-level (plus ASes in maths and general studies), a degree, and being qualified to teach English were enough...but clearly not. If she was serious about my ability to educate then I would have expected her to ask me to bring lesson plans, or prepare one on the spot. And the payscale was nothing like what I get for tutoring. I don't mean to brag about my qualifications there but it might explain why I was slightly to be handed tests, and those lifted from Bond papers at that!

It just made me laugh! But please, employers, if you're going to set your nanny tests do warn them. It's not the fact she set them, although I found that a tad odd and it's not something I've ever come across before, but the way she handed them to me. athene if you do decide to test your nanny then don't set nanny a written test, make your 6 year old cross examine them on complex additions!

Still haven't heard - will keep you posted. Expect she's busy marking...

Perhaps it depends on how difficult the tests were. I'm assuming it was addition/subtraction/multiplication/division/word problems/etc. since the child is 6. I agree if she got calculus final exam then that might be a bit odd.

But, for example, my DD (age 6) does Kumon every morning. And the nanny needs to be able to help her add double digits in her head. I usually jump in and do this in the morning. But, if I wasn't there in the morning, I would need nanny to do it.

In my job there is an educational element although do not hold the grand title of nursery governess. How marvellous that would be
I worked in a primary school for five years and it was a requirement of the job that I could do maths, English, science, could teach the piano, and had excellent general knowledge especially of history, geography and related social studies; was proactive enough to plan educational activities, understood active learning and was creative.
As well as that I had to be well presented, well spoken and have high standards of cooking and cleanliness.
My mb is hard work but she did not do these tests. Not sure what I would have done if she did as I'm useless at non verbal reasoning.
It must have made for a funny start to the day and have never heard of it happening before. The question I would be curious to know is whether she could get 95% and I know for a fact my mb can't meet most of what she requires from me. Cest la vie

When I interview at work I want to see the candidate at his or her best - no ambushes. I think tests like these are sufficently unusual for a nanny interview that candidates should have been warned in advance.

When I interview both at home and work I do have standard questions for all candidates, because I find it really useful to compare answers and it reassures me I have asked all the important questions.

Last time I looked for a nanny there were plenty of primary school teachers looking for a job. I think your interviewer should have gone for those, myself.