11-plus raw scores in practice papers - what is typical for Tiffin candidates?

[toomuchcricket]

My DS wants to do the Tiffin exam in October. He's bright, but hasn't been tutored, and has just tried his first GL Assessment 11-Plus practice paper today.

I want to encourage him, while managing his expectations appropriately. Trouble is I have no benchmark with which to compare him because only normalised qualifying scores are published, and they can't be translated back into raw scores.

So, my question is, if your DS has done the Tiffin test in recent years, what was their final score and, more importantly, what was typically their raw score in VR and NVR practice papers?

Happy to get answers from those who didn't get a place, as well as those that did, as it'll help me work out whether DS has a chance.

(I didn't particularly like the school when I visited at the Open Eve, so won't be too bothered if he doesn't get in, provided we get one of our other high preferences, but he seems keen).

I think it is about 85%.Although this is a bulge year so expecting a huge cohort and a corresponding very high qualifying score.One or two marks either way make a huge difference so try to cut out silly errors e.g. misreading questions.In previous threads one poster said nine marks separate the qualifiers and 60th on the waiting list.In a similar position to you ,why did you not like Tiffin and what are your other preferences?

Thanks Pop. DH and I would both prefer him to go to a mixed school, and a closer school (so he can have more local friends). He's quite competitive though, and influenced by playground talk about which schools are "best".

Hoping for either our local (outstanding, highly oversubscribed) comp or an attractive new school due to open Sep 2015, depending on its progress.

I agree with co-ed aspect.I would use the papers for what they are i.e. practice papers.IMO on the day anything can happen so take the Tiffin exam so you do not have what if moments.

I think to be in with a realistic chance of entry into Tiffin you need to prepare more thoroughly. Not sure if GL papers have changed but they used to only have 15 types of question in the verbal reasoning whereas there were 21 types in the real test.

There is a whole 11 plus industry out there. A website called elevenplusexams has various forums with advice on which resources to use for each school and also sections about how to prepare for verbal and non verbal reasoning tests. I also used a website called Chuckra which had videos about the various question types - that part was free but you could also buy various resources.

At the time my DD got into Tiffin Girls a few years ago it was thought that 85% was enough, subsequently I believe it was the high 90%s. My DD was getting one or two questions wrong on the practice papers. The girls' school has since changed the exams.

Your son will be up against boys who have been tutored for years and done thousands of practice questions. That doesn't mean he should not bother, but if he is serious about it you all need to put a lot of preparation in to it in the next few weeks.

HPparent, yes, the preparstion culture is another thing that puts me off, not because I can't be bothered, but because I don't want my DS to be surrounded by kids who have gone through that. Looking at the boys at the.open evening I didn't get a strong sense that my DS would fit in.

However, I am curious to benchmark him against those that have been tutored, so will manage his expectations accordingly. He's seeing it as a fun challenge rather than a high stakes pressurised activity.

Yes, the tutor effect is interesting! I have heard horrible stories about girls being tutored for years and not getting in though. There was quite a range of ability in my daughter's year. She thought a few girls had got in due to good tutoring and weren't particularly clever.

I think the key to verbal reasoning is learning the question types, but a good vocabulary obviously helps which is something the top tutors specialise in. Non verbal reasoning again is learning the question types and the different variations.

People say that the tests cannot be prepared for but that is totally untrue. My daughter got about 70% on the first test she tried but was getting close to 100% - sometimes full marks - after a bit of practice. I think she started at the beginning of the autumn term but the exams were late in the term then.

I think luck and keeping your nerve come into it in the real exam! A lot of the candidates are very stressed.

Yeah, well I'm thinking it's a win-win situation - if he doesn't get the Qualifying Score, there's no reason to feel bad about it as it's not such a big deal to us; and if he does get it then we can feel smug about not having wasted a pile of money on tutoring (and I would still be encouraging DS to put it as 2nd choice on the CAF after the local comp anyway).

He'll probably be exhilarated, rather than stressed, by the exam - I used to love those sorts of tests when I was a child too so I can identify with why he wants to do it.

We are in a similar predicament 'too much cricket' so sympathise. Our DS isn't very sporty but he is competitive academically. Him and three or four other bright boys from primary have got it into their head to aim for GS.
He is about to go into year 6. He enjoys the practice questions/papers at home mostly but does get stressed/upset about the timing side of things and his scores vary quite considerably. As we started late DH wants him to do timed practice papers (as feels this is more realistic as he would get 100% with no time pressure). This causes stress and upset and I question whether or not GS would be the right place for him (although it did seem lovely on Open Eve). I believe instead if he practices little and often without upset and extra pressure of a timer if GS is the right place for him he will get in. I am probably being naive but also don't want to stress my DS out and want him to enjoy the summer before going into year 6. We don't live in a super selective area so what should his scores be roughly in practice papers? We also have a very large fancy supposedly good comp 10 minutes walk away.

My son got a place a couple of years ago.
He was tutored for approx 9 months before
The exam and was doing 2 verbal and 2
Non-verbal timed papers each week, I would
Say timing is really important. He passed
And I worked out he achieved 92% which
Was a pretty high score, I think pass mark was
Equivalent to 85%.
Having said all this and he is reasonably happy
And not struggling, he does find friendships
An issue ie hanging out in holidays and
At weekends as lots of the boys just don't
Do that. With hindsight although it's great
Academically he would have a more exciting
Life at local outstanding comp where is
Primary school mates are. I'm very happy
With the school.

Great input GH.

Yep, thanks GH that helps.

DS has just done his third VR practice paper, and his scores have gone up significantly with each one (79%, 85%, 93%) as he learns to pace himself and becomes more familiar with the question style.

Toomuchcricket where do you get the papers?

We're using these ones which we got from Amazon, and we also got the Non Verbal Reasoning pack too. They're the ones that the school recommends on their website. You can't get the actual past-papers used by the school, but GL is the company that makes them, so these practice papers are the closest you can get.

Back in the day NFER as it was then didn't have all the question types on their practice papers. If anyone reading this is serious about Tiffin I would go to the elevenplusexams website and have a look at the threads there in preparation. Other companies also produce papers with questions in the same format but include all the types. The girls school have changed their exams completely.

Thanks Glory Hunter.

Happy to be of help, feel free to message me

I have looked at the qualifying scores for Tiffin and they are creeping up.Before Tiffin girls changed their exam format their results were slightly higher than the boys and equated to about 90% plus, now the boys score is creeping up to that level.I do not have statistical proof for this just a hunch

The boys school is expanding by 30 places from 2015 so there may be a dip in the qualifying score.

GloryHunter, when we went to the open eve the school felt smaller than I expected (ok, so it was busy, which didn't help). I asked the y8 boy showing me round whether there was enough space for 30 more and he seemed unsure. I know they're building new classrooms, but what's the general feeling among existing parents?

There will be plenty of room with the new classrooms and canteen, obviously it can't compete with KGS or Hampton for facilities, but nonetheless they will provide your son with a fantastic education.