Hampton 11+: words and reasoning paper

[AC7001]

Does anyone know what the paper is about? Is it both VR and NVR or is it just VR? Or something else? Thanks.

We are practicing VR and NVR! I don't know the actual answer though.

CLOZE exercises I'd think, with VR

I did a bit more research, it seems it's a bit of everything.

It's their own exam, you can't practice for it. My ds room sat it many years ago and said understanding a train timetable and family tree helped.
It's better to spend time reading decent novels like Treasure island to help with vocabulary and working on wordy maths problems with many parts.

Also with Hampton I would say your ds is either bright enough or not, he is either going to get lots of offers from lots of schools along with Hampton or not get into Hampton because he isn't an all rounder at the top of his cohort so it's probably better to focus on general exam tips at this stage.

@hockeygrass you have a point but I don't want DS to be freaked out by one of those NVR questions which bear no relation to the real world.

This is helpful info though! Thanks.

He's read Treasure Island so hopefully he'll pass 😂

I know it is only a few days left but still want to give him a last push in terms of practicing. My concern is whether the paper is more about English, as this is his 2nd language. His average CAT is 130, which appears to be in line with those getting Hampton's offer based on various posts in Mumsnet. But that is average, and his quantitative/NVR/Spatial are about 132-137 while his VR about 116. I am concerned with the exam focusing on English (two-thirds of the papers), like some other schools, vs one quarter in the CAT, his actual chance would be quite marginal.

@AC7001 , I would say it's wider than that, they take more into account and the interview process also looks at the child as a whole. It's not Tiffin where it's totally based on the exam result. Best of luck, it's a lovely school but the pace of learning is fast and they only offer to ds who will be capable of keeping up.

@hockeygrass my son did an entrance exam this morning and they used an excerpt from Treasure Island 😂

@KindergartenKop , that's so funny! Many years ago my ds had just read it and then sat the Hampton exam which used the other well known book by Robert Louis Stevenson (which is a GCSE text) so he recognised the author. It must help if you are familiar with the language so I always suggest Treasure Island as a good book to read for 11 plus!

@Christmascactu
This thread could be helpful!

Thanks. Good luck to your boys.

When my son sat Hampton, during covid, when they sat the Iseb, the interview involved a comprehension which he had to read out and then answer questions. The text was not a famous piece of writing, I didn’t recognise the author, but the interviewer did ask what a certain word meant. DS took a wild guess (a wrong guess — I heard), so that was a bit unfortunate and it’s luck of the draw if you get a word to define that you do/don’t exactly know. Anyway: He got a place. With 130 your DS should be more than fine! The schools often don’t mind odd spikes if other highs balance out the “lows” (116 is still pretty good, in the great scheme of things!)

Good luck to everyone sitting this weekend and next!

Are the exam start times staggered today or is everyone sitting at the same time from 9am-12pm?

I know boys sitting at 1pm today.
Next weekend is 12 and 13 plus - in the past it's a different but similar level paper for the 12/13 plus.

Wish I’d read this on Friday!!! My son sat this yesterday and I can confirm the VR did indeed use a timetable!!! Which having seen his attempts at timetable questions in maths I can imagine he didn’t ace! It’s not an intuitive thing so I do think you’d have needed to seen a few to do well I. That question. The VR was different from any he’s done before, but I clearly didn’t read the provided material 🤦‍♀️

The English was different from all practise papers because it was a one paragraph comprehension (from Great Expectations) and two questions. The balance was a composition using an image prompt with no choice. It means they can’t easily use any “set pieces” they have!

Personally, I think they are trying really hard to weed out the over-tutored. I also think that it’s a huge expectation from a 10 year old boy….well my 10 year old anyway!! But we were very late applicants and we live quite far from the school so he’s not got his heart set on it or anything!

My terrible prep aside, fwiw I do think it’s a lovely, friendly school which is great for academic all-rounders.

Well done to all the boys who took it and to all the parent going through this circus!

Hampton use to use an image for the story/essay before the pandemic so looks like they are continuing. For anyone reading this in the future the take away tips are timetable, picture image and read the classic novels for language and vocabulary!
Was the maths difficult with the last few questions aimed at scholarship level as also pre 2020?

Think maths was 27 questions and similar progressively more difficult similar to primary maths challenge if that is familiar.

@sailingsunshine DS said the maths got harder at the end and he struggled on the last few questions.

@ it was a long time ago when my ds sat but the last few questions seemed to be for possible scholars as my ds didn't finish the maths but got a place and has had no problems academically at the school with maths or any subject.
I do know that the academic scholars in his class got very good entrance exam results - ie near full marks in the maths exam.

To clarify the scholars aren't told their results but are given lots of "you did really well" comments and have proved to be very able mathematicians.

Do anyone know how many kids gave Hampton 11+ this year? How many kids they call back for interview?

I saw lot of groups (different drop off/ pick up time) during exam. They had 8 am, 8:25 am, 8:45 am, 9 am drop off groups definitely. Not sure if any afternoon groups. There we 3 drop off points. So around 300 kids in one drop off time, so roughly around 1200 kids. I am not sure, if they will be calling 600+ for interview for 120+ seats. I think this year number of kids giving exam might be a lot. On another note, do anyone know around how much kid should score for admission. My son struggled in VR last question. Do they have subject level cut off too?

@11plus20221, it's less than 120 places as they have the assured places at hampton prep and 10plus pupils who already have offers. But it must be less than 1200 sitting, in the past it's more like 700. Yes you need to do well in all papers and it's fine to miss questions. The level needed to get an interview can be indicated by how your dc has done in the grammar school exams, ie getting to second stage Tiffin etc and if he sits in the top cohort of his year group at school.