Support thread for parents of chilldren sitting the transfer test in 2011

beccasmum

Hi All
I have just been on Deni website and there is an aticle saying that schools will no longer be expected to hold transfer interviews in 2012 in the light that there is now no "transfer test", apparently it is a money saving exercise as Deni have to pay to cover for the teachers involved. I also thought I heard the tail end of a radio report saying that John O'Dowd is looking into complaints from GL assessment which claim that it was illegal for AQE to allow copies of their 2009 and 2010 transfer tests to be circulated for pupils to use as practice papers.I sure hope he doesn't try to diqualify this year's results I don't think I could go through all this again!!

RikM

beccasmum wrote: »

Hi All
I have just been on Deni website and there is an aticle saying that schools will no longer be expected to hold transfer interviews in 2012 in the light that there is now no "transfer test", apparently it is a money saving exercise as Deni have to pay to cover for the teachers involved. I also thought I heard the tail end of a radio report saying that John O'Dowd is looking into complaints from GL assessment which claim that it was illegal for AQE to allow copies of their 2009 and 2010 transfer tests to be circulated for pupils to use as practice papers.I sure hope he doesn't try to diqualify this year's results I don't think I could go through all this again!!

I saw a news article on the beeb about the GL test papers. The issue seems to be that they had agreed with the test provider that past papers were not to be provided for preparation. Which means, of course, that some kids got them and some didn't, as it's impossible to police something like that...
But it should be purely a GL issue. It's that some kids got the 2009 GL papers for prep, against the rules. The "villain" will be whoever let the papers loose against the rules. Probably someone who didn't even realise that there were rules...

But I don't think the assembly has any call to interfere; they don't run a transfer test, after all.

flymetothemoon_2

Hi all

Just in case you missed it, the Belfast Telegraph carried an article on Thurs (5 Jan) announcing that Incas tests have been axed after just 4 years. If anyone wishes to see the article it is on Bel Tel's website in the education section.

Happy New Year to all and fingers crossed for good results in Feb.

travellinglight_2

Enjoying the grand tours? Grosvenor and Inst under our belts so far...

beccasmum

Went to open morning on Saturday and was surprised to see how much the cutoff mark had fallen since first year AQE was used. The head master was very strong in his putting across the fact that you should put your choice of schools in order of preference no matter what mark you get as last year he was bombarded with calls from parents after allocations were released saying they would have put their child in for a place if they had thought their score was high enough and as a result chilldren with higher scores missed out. I expect cutoffs will be higher this year if all heads are saying the same. Only 3 1/2 weeks til we have to fill out the froms:-)

Catherine_:]

Off to see Wellington tonight

iamaworriedmother

When you go to the open days at school...ask what the class/year percentage in exams were....as all schools can look bright and shiny on the open day.

one2escape

Was at one at Hazelwood last night. Very very draining just how long you are there and all the walking and the things thrown at you. It was interesting and informative but by the end me and wife were drained. Still have to decide on how we are going to proceed.

travellinglight_2

Wellington = done..... wee break for us now til next week. Think it's Newtonbreda and Aquinas/Lagan.... To be honest it is draining and I'm fed up with the same cool experiments.... actually seeing some 1st year books - a whole class worth was good and the teachers are interesting when they engage.... some are not naturals! Worrying. Not long til results....

RikM

iamaworriedmother wrote: »

When you go to the open days at school...ask what the class/year percentage in exams were....as all schools can look bright and shiny on the open day.

I'm not altogether sure that helps, unless you have figures on the level of attainment of that particular class/year when they entered the school.
There's no easy way of telling whether the school has improved/damaged the performance of that class from just looking at the final figures.

Of course, if they are below the NI average for that year (in a selective school) that would probably sound warning bells, but in that case there's likely to be a lot more obvious warning signs (e.g. staff and principal attitudes).