Wandsworth Test

[ModeWeasel]

Does anyone know how many children tend to sit this test each year?

It used to be all children in the borough. Now it's opt-in, so just depends how many choose to do it.

Thanks! Are there out of Bourough applicants too? Someone said around 800-1000 from out of Wandsworth tend to sit, but I can’t find any numbers.

*borough

Does anyone know in what year the test became opt-in? Was it this year? If so then that might well have an impact on the scores.

It's been opt in for years as DD2 was an invigilator at her school for two or three Saturdays every year for the external candidates - I think they had circa 60 each week.

Thanks. My DS scored waaaay lower than we expected based on all previous scores, including CAT4 data, and hoped that this change might explain the disaster. Ah well!

This year was the first year tests were done at a different school to the kids’ primary wasn’t it?

That could possibly make a difference to number of kids going to the test.

@LanguageTestQuery We have had exactly the same experience, you aren't alone. I do think if they'd been able to do it in their primary schools, as in previous years, it would have made a difference at least to my dc.

It was compulsory until 2022 I think. You could arrange to do it outside of the prescribed day if you needed to. Now it's purely opt-in - you have to register.

What constitutes a disaster? Boundaries could actually be lower this year.

Unfortunately not low enough, I imagine. Last year was opt-in and the boundaries hardly shifted. My DS scored 223 so you'll understand my dispondency! Such a shock as he has passed for the Sutton grammars, has CAT4's in the 130's and his brother, who has a slightly less academic profile, scored 251 two years ago.
Just a bad day for him, I guess.

It's quite a blunt instrument, to be honest. Sorry you are disappointed but it sounds like your DS will do well wherever he goes - clearly very able.

Is his brother at Graveney? If so he should get in on sibling rule.

The whole 11+ system is crazy and any of the 10/11 year olds taking it could easily have a slightly off day.

We ummed and aahed and went with another school in the end, but slightly regret that now as Graveney would suit our younger one much better!
I agree that the system of high stakes testing for young children is crazy. It needs fixing but that is a huge problem.
I always wondered if all children should take just one test but twice, and they use their best score.

Theoretically, it would bring the scores down. Assuming that it is more highly motivated families opting in, the raw scores would be higher and therefore the mean of 100 would equate to a higher average score. But that did not seem to happen last year, so I am not sure whether it makes a difference in reality.