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yr 3 entrance problem

3 replies

janet41 · 13/01/2012 15:32

hi we are looking at dd taking the entrance exam in autumn term 2012 for entry in 2013 into yr 3; reading the chosen school's website they expect level 3 of the nc when doing the tests (so in first term of year 2)....dd's school doesnt aim for them to get to level 3 until end of yr3! she is in a lovely pre prep but turns out i hadnt realised that they go very slowly on the nc until yr 3 and then speed up to go hard at the common entrance at 13. I am slightly appalled that my very bright dd (i am told by her teachers she is top notch and a long way ahead of the majority of her year) will need to be tutored to cover the nc that her school wont have done - not just for the exam, but for her to have a hope of being ready if she does get in. This is not a capability issue but a huge gap in the school's approach to the currciulum compared to other private schools (and my state school teacher sister tells me, a lot of state schools too). Anyone been in this position? i feel a fool to have been paying out quite so much money to date, and now have to pay again (oh and the school have offered tutors to us, but at additional cost of course, and in the evenings which my 6 year old could live without really!) Job move forces us to change schools/parts of the country. Please no lectures about the wrongness of tutoring - no 6 year old is going to knowhow to approach some of the maths for example unless she has seen it before!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
startail · 13/01/2012 15:39

DD got level 3 maths and English in her Y2 sats. Ordinary village school, last year they were externally assessed. Not difficult. She's a very good reader, but not outrageously clever.

janet41 · 13/01/2012 15:46

startail - thank you; i guess though that your dd's school covered the curriculum that allowed that to happen as well as your dd being very capable? which the school admits is not going to be the case for DD...which is why i am worried. the risk we now have is that we have to move, and she will be a year behind her new peers in any 'good' school whether state or private, and prob wont get into a good private school. I just think the school is at fault to be going so slow on the nc

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LIZS · 13/01/2012 15:46

I'm surprised a preprep is even looking at NC levels tbh Hmm. I'm sure she'll cope fine with a bit of practice certainly no tutoring. Find out the format of any formal tests and have a look at Bonds papers - they are generally looking for aptitude and potential rather than a specific level.

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