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Secondary education

Emanuel School entrance exam today

112 replies

Ginandtonictime · 13/01/2018 16:59

Anyone have a dc who did the 11+ entrance exam today? How did it go? Getting the impression that the current exam season is harder than ever this year ...

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SugarRush123 · 13/01/2018 17:06

Same impression here. DC felt the Emanuel exam wasn't too bad compared with the other two they've sat so far, but not very hopeful considering that they closed the lists at 1000+ this time (as opposed to 600 in previous years)...

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Ginandtonictime · 13/01/2018 17:17

Dear god!! We spent hours prepping classic texts for comprehension exercises ... but ds said they chose an obscure text about a teacher who doesn't like a kid ...? Could've ditched bloody Great Expectations then!

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helloallllllll · 13/01/2018 17:21

DC said it was easy compared to others but quite liable to have got the wrong end of the stick in English so I'm not asking any questions! Was surprised VR wasn't multiple choice.

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sitdownandbequiet · 13/01/2018 17:39

So what was the comprehension story they chose then? Will be facing this next year (eek!)

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SugarRush123 · 13/01/2018 18:06

Anyone else's DC find the VR reeeealllly long? Worried about this as DC only managed half. English and Maths went ok, apparently.

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Ginandtonictime · 13/01/2018 18:35

My dc didn’t mention the length of vr - just relieved that it was a proper vr test (as in what the bond books say it should look like). Apparrantly Hampton’s vr was nothing like what we practised - just a test of how good their vocab was!

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jeanne16 · 14/01/2018 14:57

Do they still have a sibling policy?

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helloallllllll · 14/01/2018 15:22

They currently still do but also say they will be reviewing their admissions for next year...
IF DC were to get a place I would seriously consider it just because of the sibling policy (although we both really like it anyway) as have a younger DC of the opposite sex and it would be really nice to have it as a slightly easier option for them...

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testbunny · 14/01/2018 20:21

They will be reviewing admissions policy for 2020 intake. The word is that it is unlikely they will get rid of the sibling policy as it being a family school is a big part of their ethos. More likely they will remove the early registration to fall in line with other schools so they 'fish in the same pond'; probably a big reason why they went to 1000 this year!

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testbunny · 14/01/2018 20:45

plus make more money (wink)

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jeanne16 · 15/01/2018 06:32

Since they interview every pupil, I don’t see how this is a money making exercise.

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Battleax · 15/01/2018 06:35

Dear god!! We spent hours prepping classic texts for comprehension exercises ... but ds said they chose an obscure text about a teacher who doesn't like a kid ...? Could've ditched bloody Great Expectations then!

They're obviously trying to make it fair.

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sh1111 · 15/01/2018 13:55

DD came out of the exam rather hopeful cheerful. She was quite pleased she had managed to complete all three papers (left out a couple of maths questions). Not sure of what standard though! Let's not count our chickens but certainly looks much better than our 10+ experience last year.

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Kutik73 · 15/01/2018 15:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Kutik73 · 15/01/2018 15:07

Oh sorry, a wrong school.... Off to disappear... Sorry...

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orangina · 15/01/2018 20:52

DS said he found it easy, but I don't really view that as a good sign. Am dismayed to hear that they increased registration to 1000 this year.... damn! I am so ready for this whole entrance process to be OVER, it has been so nail biting this time round.....

Shock

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helloallllllll · 15/01/2018 21:43

I know registration is 1000 for 2019 but did they actually increase it for this year given that they closed it ages ago before they changed to the new system? Just clutching at straws slightly...
DC said it was very easy but so did all their friends so I don't think that means much!

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jeanne16 · 17/01/2018 07:22

I suppose the new Head has decided to change the numbers.

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testbunny · 17/01/2018 08:12

They said at one of the taster days they went to a 1000 this year (2018). Plus, at the Open Day, the Head said if anyone missed the cut-off date to let him/them know. They may not interview every applicant going forward - I'm not sure how they could? The GDST schools do, but I assume they get less applicants (albeit still a big number!) as single sex schools? Possibly group interviews?

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helloallllllll · 17/01/2018 08:38

It's so tricky. There are Prep schools round here who tell everyone every year to apply and then 1 or 2 maximum take up offers. I wonder if their place/ offer ratio is higher than others. Ibstock also interview everyone but Emanuel's is about 3 times as long as all the others so it does seem important to them.

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testbunny · 17/01/2018 09:26

Ah, yes, I forgot about Ibstock. I doubt, though, they have as many applying (or potentially applying) as Emanuel because of the location?

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sakurabashi · 21/01/2018 03:43

They say the minimum pass mark is 60% for siblings and scholars and average 75% for the rest. I always get confused by those percentages. Are they the average of the total score? Or each subject has to mark this high? DS is strong in Maths and VR but weak in Comprehension/Writing. DS may have managed 75% or more for Maths and VR but the latter two could be around 60% (if not lower...). He applied for a scholarship and did well though.... Suppose exam results play a huge part this year due to the number of the applicants and assume lots of bright DCs who are aiming for much more academic schools also took the exams (so for them, Emanuel papers are peasy). Anyone who is at the borderline would literally have no chance I guess...? Having sleepless nights as Emanuel is his first choice. Sad

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testbunny · 21/01/2018 15:08

Please try not to worry.. The fact your DS has done will in the scholarship stands him in good stead. Emanuel also look at the school reference and interview (in fact they deliberately reference this) so, if he did really well at maths, say, and not so good at the other two, but did well in the scholarship, interview and had a good reference, then he would still have a good chance.

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sakurabashi · 21/01/2018 15:32

Thank you testbunny. But their website clearly states the minimum pass mark is 60%... DS did a mock in December and he scored 42% for comprehension, 58% for writing. Shock He scored 80% or so for Maths and VR. He got a good report/references, the scholarship went very well, zero idea about interview. His English may not be as sophisticated as the school expects for their students as it's his second language (but he is British). Basically there is a fat chance that he may have not scored their minimum pass mark for the English papers.... I just wonder how strict their rule on the minimum pass mark....

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Tolacar · 29/01/2018 17:53

When do the Emmanuel results come out?

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