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Education

Non-Verbal Reasoning Tests

19 replies

suedonim · 12/03/2007 21:38

Dd (11yo) is sitting a test for a senior school on Wednesday which is going to include a non-verbal paper. Can someone give me some websites which show the sort of thing she's likely to come across?

I'm having problems with the internet here otherwise I'd google it myself!

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Callmemadam · 12/03/2007 22:08

Waterstones/Ottakars have packs of the test papers you can sneak in and look at, although IME if she is sitting the test on Wednesday it would be better not to show her at such a late stage - they are the 'what comes next in the sequence' sort of questions iyswim

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Tamum · 12/03/2007 22:11

I found this but it's for careers, so probably too old. Hang on, will keep googling!

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Tamum · 12/03/2007 22:12

Aha, more like it

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suedonim · 12/03/2007 22:25

Thanks, Tamum, that looks just the job and it's the sort of thing I thought it would be (am struggling with this English system!).

CMM, we're in Nigeria so have no access to book shops, except one that doesn't stock test papers, unfortunately.

I'm not wanting dd to do any practice tests (only just found out she was doing this!!), I just want her to know what she's likely to face on the day. The school says the tests aren't the sort of thing that can be tutored beforehand anyway.

Dd is the only one in her class of 20 who doesn't have a personal tutor. Some of the others have seven hours of tutoring a day as well as school. Dd's teacher said she thinks dd has a much nicer life than the other children - I could have hugged her for saying that.

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Milliways · 12/03/2007 22:31

I would personally get her to try some prac tice papers. DS got into a selective grammer last Sept & his school says "NO additional preparation is required" but it is Sooooo oversubscribed you have to prepare in order to compete. Loads of boys had tutors, just to compete with those from private prep schools that concentrate on entrance exams

We didn't have a tutor but worked through practice nfer papers from WHSmiths.

This
site is also good!
www.11plusswot.co.uk/?source=google

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Tamum · 12/03/2007 22:31

Blimey, that's scary. I'm sure she does have a nicer life though- wish her luck from me

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Tamum · 12/03/2007 22:32

I would offer to get you some test papers, but there's no way I'd get them to you by Wednesday!

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princesscc · 12/03/2007 22:36

suedonim - what tatum directed you to is exactly what non-verbal is all about. And your right, you can't really practice it, but it good to be familiar with it. I've just done some of those with dd (11) and I think she scored higher than me (39)!

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suedonim · 12/03/2007 23:09

Erk!!!!!!!!!!! Just did the test Tamum found and I got 10/20 "Oh, well," I tell myself, "Non-verbal reasoning hadn't been invented when I were a lass."

Do they do those sort of papers in their SATS? Dd did practice SATS last year but not the real thing as they never arrived in Nig. despite being sent twice from the UK (So no doubt your very kind offer would also go astray, Tamum. I'll give dd your good luck wishes, and she'll reply to you sometime on the other thread!)

I'm not sure how competitive this school is but but dd is quite bright, near the top of her class (despite a lack of tutoring!) and her reading age is off the scale at 15+. Also they've indicated that as an expat Brit dd should get a place. Hope that's right - I don't fancy home-edding dd, she argues too much.

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worzella · 12/03/2007 23:16

The SATs at 14 are in English, Maths, Science and I think IT. There isn't a verbal reasoning section - they are more like traditional exams... different abilities sit different exams and the pupils come out with a score between 3 and 8 - average 5.

CATs on the other hand (cognitive ability tests at 11 - not compulsory)do have verbal reasoning etc.

HTH

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suedonim · 12/03/2007 23:17

Oh heck, I'm panicking now and I don't do panic! We're also moving (within Lagos) so head is full of junk atm. Gloom.

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suedonim · 12/03/2007 23:19

Got to go to bed now - we're an hour ahead here and dd starts school at 8am. I'll come back to this tomorrow. Thanks for your help.

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Ladymuck · 12/03/2007 23:23

If you can I'd give her some practice. There are typically a few types of questions which come up each time, and she will save herself time in the exam if she has seen the type of question before imo.

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Callmemadam · 13/03/2007 19:23

Sorry Suedonim - I keep forgetting there's a world outside my kitchen window....

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DimpledThighs · 13/03/2007 19:31

stuff that does not include language - e.g. mazes, puzzle solving, number recall, sequencing of patterns.

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suedonim · 13/03/2007 21:16

Thank you for your input. It's been a bad day here for a number of reasons, one being no internet until just now, when dd is in bed again. So she hasn't even seen any tests, let alone attempted any.

I spoke to her head today, who told me not to worry, she'll be fine (why does that make me worry even more??). He was going to give her some NVR papers but didn't have any to hand (he's new so doesn't yet have all his stuff). I'll try and log on in the morning just to let dd see what she might come up against, and for the rest, I'll have to keep my fingers crossed.

Boy, am I glad I don't live in England, where this sort of thing seems de rigeur!

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christywhisty · 13/03/2007 22:21

you can be coached for nvr, my son sat a technical aptitude test for the school he will be going to in September.We got a tutor in who helped him.

There is a rule
look for differences in the following order

Shape
Position
Angle
Number
Shading
Size
the following website are good

www.athey-educational.co.uk/noaccess/nvmult1x.htm
apologise if it is the same as before.

Son got in 150 took the test and only 18 places, so very pleased

good luck to your daughter

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suedonim · 15/03/2007 00:44

After all that - there was no nonverbal reasoning, lol!!! But I do feel bad about taking up your valuable time. Instead, dd had verbal reasoning which she hasn't done before but thinks she did ok in. Maths and English were 'easy' - lets hope she's right. We'll probably hear on Friday whether she's passed and gets an interview.

I showed dd some tests this morning on the Athey site, which her school had recommneded, and she actually thought they were fun to do. Strange child.

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suedonim · 19/03/2007 17:46

I am more confused than ever about this school entrance thing - I'm so glad I haven't had to do it with any of my other children!

I was told that dd had "done very well" in the test but when I had the results, they were 60 for English, 53 for Verbal Reasoning and 48 for Maths. How can they be good results??

Dd and dh and I had an interview on Saturday, which I found rather demeaning, as though we were being scrutinised to see if we were to be found wanting. The interviewer was v pleasant but it's not a process I want to repeat, if possible! We don't hear the result until after Easter. Dh thinks there's no possibility dd won't get in as the school will be keen to have British children and also because if word went round that a British International School was rejecting British children its status would plummet. I hope he's right as it's the only school dd can go to here.