WUS, CC and KCJS 7+/8+

[firsttimer08]

Starting this thread for those sitting the 7+/8+ for these schools. Have found last few years' threads useful in understanding the process as a newbie; and now that it is our turn, thought we can exchange notes or have an idea of when the dreaded letters/emails arrive!

All the best for this week and the next.

Lady, there was too little of DS' composition written for them to assess his writing ability.

Sorry to hear that Gobzilla - hope it wasn't truly as bad as you dear.

fear

We didn't get anything out of DS except that it was v easy. He didn't mention running out of time though - but maybe he is just scared to tell us!

I might be wrong, but I think they set a lot of store by the maths and verbal reasoning. Of course the English components are also important, but possibly more as an indication of reading age. Any views?

kcw23 Thu 07-Jan-16 14:30:17
Our DS sat all 3 last year, and is in one of the above school.

All I would say, don't go with the hype here OR on the internet. If your DS has worked hard, he will get through.

Good luck everyone!

MASSIVE DITTO

As I was searching my son's class room at Wus on Friday for a missing book, the 7 or 8 (don't know which) labels were being laid out on the desks - really took me back!

Hopeful - I think it's the opposite! They appear to place more emphasis on the English than maths. Reasoning being that maths can be improved with good teaching (which neither of my DS had had) but a love of words can't.

It seems that ability in maths isn't that unusual in the boys sitting these exams but ability in English is rarer - so a strong performance in English is a big positive.

Michaelapurple - what was asked at the WUS 8+ interview at the one to one stage please?

I heard CC has an emphasis on Maths whereas KCJS is light on Maths historically. WUS sits in middle in terms of maths but is hardest on English. Is this true?

Yes I heard same about CC and WUS. Interesting on where in the spectrum KCJS lies which lines up with what I have heard of their math curriculum in year 3 (eg times tables consolidation)

Wus questions - it may be different this year as we have a new interim head. Mrs Hill used to have a set of cue cards with questions on them and see the boys three at a time, each drawing a card. I think my son got talk about a boom you have loved. Another boy in his group got talk about a vivid memory and talked about his parents telling him they were getting divorced , leaving the other two open-mouthed in horror.
The interview was v short - I think they rely more on the boys' behaviour in the classroom - most of the "interview" day is spent I. Various sizes groups and classroom situations Being taught imaginary languages, sorting pictures of famous buildings into age order, working together on a collage etc.

So onto Colet... 45 minutes on the composition? Presumably expectations for this are going to be pretty high...

Exam card arriving at the door today. Panic panic. Big day coming on Friday. Are your DS ready?

Composition: 15 minutes for planning and structuring your thoughts - which need doing on a separate sheet and then phrase these thoughts with proper sequencing in the last 30 minutes.

I guess marks are for both sheet....

I thought the 45 minutes for English writing included comprehension?

My understanding is what kcw said.

Comprehension is separate. My biggest worry when my ds took the exam was how he is going to sit for so long :-) but somehow he managed....

Thanks kcw - very kind of you to comment with the benefit of your experiences. Hope your son is loving his school.

Can anybody shed light on the structure of the WUS 7+ exam? I heard there are 2 maths papers: formal maths and practical maths? Do they split up the English papers into comprehension and composition? How long are each of the English papers? Do the boys get a break in between? How long is the reasoning paper?

Gonzilla - I can't remember the gory details of individual papers but can reassure you that there are lots of breaks. Wus is o e of the gentlest sessions I thinks - it feels more like some quiet class work with lots of classroom chat I between a a they even get to play outside of weather permits. Unlike Sussex house where they can't even get up to shake their legs between papers

I totally agree with Michaelahpurple.

Coming to math, its only 1 paper, though 2 sections in the same paper and time is allocated for each section. Kids are asked to stop working after 10 mins (or 15 dont remember) on section 1 and move to section 2.

How did CC 7+ today go? DS said maths was quite easy and most kids finished well before time.

I was told the same about the Math. What about other papers. DS said he "rocked it" but I know that means nothing!!

Didn't get the feeling that DS "rocked it" other than the maths. So mixed feelings.