Support Thread for parents of children sitting the AQE /GL Transfer Test in 2012

Pmum

Has anyone heard what scores any particular schools have been accepting this year?

kyral

'Apparently' Antrim Grammar was 92 and above. Sourced from the playground lol.

Shaz3_2

Belfast High's lowest score was 99 so I've heard

Pmum

MCB accepted some pupils with scores in the band 100-104 but not all.

Strathearn admitted some with score between 95-97.

I got the info from the schools' websites.

andyD_2

Hi guys, I'm sure you are all glad its all over! Unfortunately I'm at the other end and only starting out with ds due to sit the test in November 2013. I guess we are lucky enough that school has put a programme together to do work towards the test, however the teacher concerned is not very supportive and is very negative towards the children resulting in quite a few pulling out of doing the test. They started work after the easter holidays and we were told there would b 2 papers done a week in school and one sent home to be done at weekends, although the weekend papers have been sent home the school ones haven't always been done, there seems to be no consistency at all. She is also getting the kids to mark there own papers!!!! When my ds receives a high mark he is accused of cheating. Ds is very smart but very lazy and laid back he is more than capable but will take the easy option if allowed! So far this has been a complete nightmare and we're only at the beginning not sure how we'll reach the end im already soooo stressed as is son. Can anyone offer me any reassurance? Also not really in a position to go down the private tutor route so trying to do ourselves any advice on this also welcome. Sorry about the rant but pulling my hair out. Thanks

Pmum

andyD,

First piece of advice is DON'T PANIC!!!

If your ds is smart you really should have no reason to stress and it will definately not help the situation. He is still in the very early stages of this whole thing. He is still getting used to the whole idea of how to go about the tests let alone anything else.

Think of the whole thing as a journey and he is just taking the first steps. When he makes mistakes or gets things wrong think of them as a great opportunity to spot what things he needs to work on rather than looking at them as negatives. It doesn't really matter what scores he is getting at this stage as long as you use the practice papers to highlight any weaknesses.

My advice is to not do much more than the school are doing. The last thing you want is to make them so sick of those practice papers that they dread to see them.

I found it was useful to go over the papers that the kids had done in school and just get them to show me the right way to do the questions they had got wrong. It really made them have to think about it so they could explain to me the right way to do it.

But, most of all, don't get stressed about it as that will not help either of you.

BOBS

Pmum wrote: »

Has anyone heard what scores any particular schools have been accepting this year?

has anyone tried ringing aqe office to find out ?

andyD_2

Hi all, just wondering did any of you use the revision pack you buy from The Transfer Test site? Or what about the online Transfer Tutor? Any recommendations or thoughts welcome. Thankyou

Pmum

BOBS wrote: »

has anyone tried ringing aqe office to find out ?

Would AQE know?

I think you would have to find out from each individual school. AQE would not have anything to do with individual school admissions surely?

BOBS

Pmum wrote: »

Would AQE know?

I think you would have to find out from each individual school. AQE would not have anything to do with individual school admissions surely?

sorry didnt really have brain in gear for that comment!! - yeah prob would be school then.