Assessment for entry to Years 8, 9 and 10

English Examinations

For entry into year 8 and year 9 the examination format is identical. The papers themselves are different according to the age group. Candidates are given the opportunity to show their ability and potential, and positive marking is practised throughout. There are two main components of the entrance examination in English. Comprehension and Composition.

Comprehension

Candidates read a range of passages and then answer questions on what they have read. The answers expected will range from brief to more lengthy responses.

Some indication of the length of the answer required is given by the number of marks allocated to it and the space available on the paper for the answer.

Composition

Candidates select one title from several sets and write a composition.

There will be a variety of tasks set, for example a story, a description, an essay in which an opinion is invited.

Candidates should write in a lively, imaginative way, selecting words with care, and paying attention to punctuation and spelling. We are looking for quality rather than quantity, and therefore, excessively long answers to the composition should be avoided.

French Examinations

French is not tested in the 11+ entrance exam level. At other entrance exam levels the main areas in the French entrance examinations are:

12+ (for entry into Year 8)

The present tense, Adjectival agreement, the Negative Adverb, Dates, Time, also: French questions, a Reading Comprehension (French answers), a Letter/Story in French.

13+ (for entry into Year 9)

The Present tense, Adjectival agreement, Time, Numbers also: French questions, a Reading Comprehension (French answers), a Letter/Story in French.

14+ (for entry into Year 10)

The Perfect tense, The Future tense, also: French questions, a Reading Comprehension (English answers), a Letter/Story in French.

Mathematics Examinations

The Mathematics paper lasts for one hour and fifteen minutes. At 13+ and 14+ the majority of questions will require the use of a calculator. Students at this school will have been working from ‘Formula One Maths’ Books A2, B2 and C3, Senior Editor: Roger Porkess, published by Hodder and Stoughton. The following list of topics for each entrance year gives a rough guide to the content of a typical entrance examination for that year. However, not all topics mentioned will necessarily be on a particular paper. Each examinations assumes knowledge of the previous year’s topics.

12+
Arithmetic - 4 Rules; Fractions; Decimals; Percentages; Ratio; Indices; Multiples;
Fractions; Prime Numbers; Sequences.
Algebra - Substitution; Adding and Subtracting expressions; Equations.
Geometry - Angles and angle properties; Regular Polygons; Triangle
construction; Scale Drawing.
Mensuration - Area; Volume; Speed.
Statistics & Probability - Bar charts; Mean of a set of data; Probability.
Proportion - Change of units; Problem Solving; Scales.
Graphs - Grid References; Reading of Scales; Using graphs.

13+
Arithmetic - Directed Numbers; Standard Form; more on Percentages.
Algebra - Brackets; Problem solving; Sequences; Multiplication and Division; Fractions; Factors; more Substitution and Equations; Formulae.
Geometry - Parallel lines; Line and Rotational Symmetry; Polygon Angles; Bearings and Maps; more Scale Drawing.
Mensuration - More Area; Graphs and area.
Statistics & Probability - Pie Charts; more on Probability.
Proportion - Exchange Rates; Problem Solving; Science Problems.
Graphs - Drawing and Using graphs; Travel and Information Graphs.
Transformations - Reflections; Rotations; Translations.

14+
Arithmetic - Percentage Profit and Loss; Tolerance; Wages and Salaries; Taxation; Interest and Loans; Discount and H.P.
Algebra - more Brackets; Algebraic Fractions (and in the context of equations); Simultaneous Equations; more Inequalities; Formulae for Circumference and Area of a Circle; Pythagoras' Theorem; Cylinder formulae; Rearrangement of Formulae.
Geometry - Angles in a circle; similar Triangles; Gradients; Enlargements; Loci; Maps and Bearings; Three Dimensional Figures.
Mensuration - See Algebra.
Statistics & Probability - Misuse of statistics; Scatter Graphs; Averages; Frequency Distributions; Probability of single and combined events.
Proportion - Comparative costs; Inverse Proportion; more science problems.
Graphs - Graphs of y=ax; y=ax+b; y=2ax etc.
Trigonometry - Basic principles; Tangent; Sine and Cosine ratios; solving problems.