What did the old exams look like?
This year’s (2018) examinations consisted of a paper based English and Maths examination.
What will the new exam look like in 2019?
At the moment, nobody knows definitively. The consortium have said that the exams will be as follows in their statement: “a one-hour long bespoke cognitive ability test including reasoning and Maths.” They have also said that it is likely to be paper-based and will primarily consist of multiple choice questions.
Despite the fact that this test will not be taken online (like so many 11+ assessments these days!), it is likely that it will not be all that dissimilar to the current online 11+ Pre-Tests in existence (e.g. ISEB Common Pre-Test) which test reasoning and mathematical ability. Please see our blog entitled, ‘A Guide to Computerised Pre-Tests’ for more information on their structure, content and recommended preparation.
What else is changing in 2019?
The Consortium have said that the reduction in time spent examining will afford schools the opportunity to develop a more comprehensive interview process: “There will be no further written assessments at our Schools, and we will develop the creativity of our interview processes.” To this end the ‘creative interview part’ is likely to consist of a group activity and an individual interview. Problem solving, working collaboratively and an ability to communicate effectively are all likely to be highly important.
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