Virtual 4+ Assessment

[Naliny]

Hello,
My son (4) is supposed to do a 4+ entry exam for a prep school starting in September. Because of the current situation they are doing these via Zoom now (rather than an observed playdate sort of thing). Essentially it’s a chat between the headmistress and the child. She also asked to have pen and paper and some other bits and bobs ready.
Has anyone been through one of these virtual assessments? I have no idea what to expect and am worried my son will just walk off as he finds talking over Zoom very boring and doesn’t even communicate with his grandparents that way (irl he’s very chatty and sociable).

we are living in unprecedented times, no one has done this before. remember even the head teacher is improvising here and is only human. she will be well aware that a zoom call isn't the best way to do an assessment but is doing the best she can. it is ok to share your concerns with her. she might be able to agree to meet you and your DC in-person socially-distanced in a local park if she isn't able to adequately assess him via a zoom chat. if she is any good as a teacher and as a head of school she will definitely realise that there will be a lot of kids who can't be adequately assessed in that way and will understand that if a child wanders off/fails to engage with a zoom call then that is a flaw in the method not in the child. however I suspect that she will have put some thought into this and will be trying to make the zoom activity as engaging as possible.