New test for Tiffin Girls

LOL!

Soup, I wish all schools did like Wilsons. Maths and English (Reading and Writing). That should be enough. That's what they are doing in school. The reasoning is the problem. Scrap the reasoning NOW

The change clearly has nothing to do with complying with the new admissions code as Tiffin Boys are still testing only vr/nvr and are just bringing the exam forward.

Far from reducing the level of tutoring,the change at Tiffin Girls will massively increase it. "Familiarisation" with vr and nvr at home will not now suffice. The change will also disadvantage children at state primary schools unless their parents can afford extra tuition, especially in Maths. Most primary schools will not have covered the ground in Maths and this means there will be a gap in the children's knowledge, which is not a reflection of their aptitude.

I think the school should have at least provided details of the test (eg exactly which Maths topics will be tested, whether there will be an essay, whether the English paper will be multiple choice, how each paper is weighted etc). If Tiffin wants to go the private school testing route, then it might at least provide the sort of information the private schools do.

I don't think it's that unusual for children to be a level 5 in all subjects - certainly DS2 was at the end of y5 and DS1 was level 5 for everything but writing. I know of several other children who were as well. DS2 scored 100% on the first practice SATs test they did this year in maths - so definitely a 5a a couple of weeks into school.

You don't need to be 'rare and gifted', just academically very able. Tiffin is a highly selective school and wants to get very able girls.

I think it will be a better test of all-round ability too, regardless of the level discussion.

Although it won't help the 400 girls who pass the first test in the application process, it will help the 800 plus others who will know not to waste a slot for Tiffin.

Looking at DS1s Y5 grades, he was 5c in maths and 4a in everything else. He isn't gifted and is not an avid reader. I can't find DS2s Y5 report but (IIRC) his levels were marginally higher and, again, he is not gifted.

I really don't think it would be unusual for the bright children to be able to do level 5 stuff 3 months in to Y6 and for the real bright ones to grasp L6 stuff. DS had one hour a week, term time, maths tuition for one year to put the knowledge of how to do the questions. Since his brain is clearly wired for maths, this wasn't a problem and I doubt would present a significant problem for the kind of girls Tiffins would want to attract. They want the brightest - this will give them that (probably better than the current VR/NVR tests do). To try and claim there is any other reason or to persuade people that is was done due to the whole deadline thing is disingenuous on their part.

Interestingly, Wilsons have dropped the VR from their entrance exam altogether and didn't do NVR when DS1 sat it either. Perhaps because it is relatively easy to tutor for these two things even where the child is perhaps not naturally academic.

The thing is that this doesn't change anything about "wasting" a choice of schools on the application form. You still don't know whether your child is good enough to get a place - if they are 400th out of 400 who passed, they haven't got an ice cube's hope in hell and unless you know their position, you will be wasting a choice. DS2 passed Wilsons - however he could be anywhere from top or 324th with only 120 places to go for so I am in no better position than I was when DS1 sat it after the forms went in.

It says "level 5 and above" which means level 5 and 6 (or 7 I guess :o). It doesn't just say above level 5.

DSs were certainly at level 5 (for maths) on leaving Y5 and both passed the exams for selective secondaries. Their exams include questions at the end to highlight potential scholarship candidates which are certainly above level 5.

TBH, I count very much that any girl Tiffins accepts would be below the level they are now specifying.

Above level 5 is level 6, but the wording suggests that the tests will be focused on level 5 with elements of level 6. Otherwise they would have said 'at level 6'. You would expect many of the children going for Tiffin to be able to manage some elements of level 6.

But it doesn't say the tests will be Level 6. What it says is this:

Stage 2 testing will include three tests which will assess numeracy and literacy: one each of mathematics, reading and writing. All three tests will assess performance appropriate to the English and Mathematics National Curriculum at Level 5 and above.

What I would take that to mean is that they will mostly be Level 5 with a few harder questions as well. Those harder questions will be designed to challenge very bright children. Tiffin wants to select very bright children.

Still, more work for tutors then. (I'm not against tutoring, by the way, and my son was tutored for 11+ exams).

Do you think they're just justifying it with the fact that primaries are, as of this year, officially sitting a few DC for Level 6? It's a selffeeding snake, the pressure on our children.

notyet They still have to pass a first test, so it's not left to genuine ability. To be accepted to Tiffin you need to be prepared for the VR/NVR exam anyway with either a tutor or with your parents...Ability is how the child uses the preparation he or she has received. The only change is they now have to broaden the preparation to include maths and english. My guess is they are preparing for other selectives too which will test for this.

Well, lots of children in my DSs' primary school are at level 5 at the end of Y5/beginning of Y6. You don't need to be taught anything specific to be a Level 5 in reading/comprehension or writing - you just need to read a lot and write well. Maths is a bit different but I'd be very surprised if Tiffin Girls is really expecting Level 6 to be taught by that stage. All they're saying is that the child should be working at at least a Level 5, which is what you would expect.

Yes, you only have to look at the Eleven Plus exams site to realise that some people are tutoring their children (boys and girls) for grammar school for years before the tests. The narrower the test, the narrower the spread of academic abilities and aptitudes in the school.