GL Assessment Information Evening

Our Lady and St Patrick’s College

Welcome to Our GLA Information Evening

GL Assessment and PPTC Post-Primary Transfer Consortium [PPTC] is made up of 35 Grammar Schools It uses GL Assessment to produce and mark assessments in English and mathematics based on the Northern Ireland Key Stage 2 curriculum 2

GL Assessment and PPTC GL Assessment tests are used by over 85% of all UK primary and secondary schools every year. This makes it the UK's largest independent provider of educational assessments. GLA provide a bespoke, standardised test to the PPTC for the purpose of determining transfer from Primary School to Grammar School. 3

Key Dates 27 Sept 2013

Deadline for Registration

16 Nov 2013

Entrance Assessment Day

25 Nov 2013

Deadline to request the Supplementary Assessment

7 Dec 2013

Supplementary Assessment

13 Dec 2013

Deadline for claims of Special Circumstances

31 Jan 2014

Outcomes posted to parents

14 Feb 2014

Deadline for re-mark requests 4

Registration Pack Contains:  Registration Form; photograph required Specification for English and Maths Sample English and Maths Booklets Sample English and Maths Answer sheets Guidance Notes and Access Arrangements Frequently Asked Questions www.pptcni.com has this information 5

Arrangements on 16 November Everyone who applied to sit their Assessment in Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock will be able to do so. Classrooms will be used rather than large halls. P7s to wear school uniform As far as possible children will be in a room with some children from their Primary School. 6

Assessment Day 16 November Parents will leave their children at the front door of the College at 9.00am

Parents are welcome to stay in the College during the morning – tea and coffee will be provided. 7

Arrangements on 16 November Staff will welcome each boy and girl and check the Information Card which they bring with them. A member of staff will stay with each group and bring them to their room at 0930. 8

Details of GLA Tests There are two standardised assessment papers in English and Mathematics Multiple choice format with 4 or 5 potential answers

First paper – English followed by BREAK Second paper - Mathematics

Separate answer sheets There is no charge to parents

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Details of GLA Tests English Familiarisation and Practice:

1 short reading passage with 3 familiarisation questions (answers and explanations given)

7 Practice questions (correct answers will be read out) English Assessment – 3 reading passages and 60 questions in 50 minutes Comprehension, spelling and punctuation.

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Details of GLA Tests Maths Familiarisation and Practice: 3 Familiarisation and 6 Practice questions Maths Assessment – Number, Money, Measurement, Geometry, Processes 45 questions in 45 minutes 12:30pm Children escorted to school exits and collected by parents. 11

Access Arrangements For pupils with: Special Educational Needs; Medical needs; Factors requiring reasonable adjustments to be made to the assessment process; Complete Forms AA1, AA2 and/or AA3. and claims will be considered by Centre. 12

Entrance Assessment Outcomes 1 There is a Supplementary Assessment for children who were absent, with good reason, or were unable to complete both papers through illness If a child sits the Supplementary Assessment on 7 December 2013 then only these outcomes will be used Individual PPTC schools are free to use the outcomes in ways which suit the school and are in accordance with its Admissions Criteria. 13

Entrance Assessment Outcomes 2 Parents will receive the following outcomes on Saturday 1st February: 1 An Entrance Assessment Grade – i.e. A, B1, B2, C1, C2 and D and awarded in percentages. 2 Standardised Age Scores (SAS) for both English & Mathematics 3 National Percentile Ranks (NPR) for both English & Mathematics

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Entrance Assessment Outcomes 3

Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, will use Entrance Assessment Grades as the first criteria i.e Grade A before B1 before B2, before C1 etc. Other criteria such as siblings, eldest child, SAS, etc will be used to differentiate between children in the same band – see Transfer Booklet from SEELB. 15

Special Circumstances If your child has experienced adverse circumstances which have affected his/her performance in the Entrance Assessment you should complete and return Form SCR before the deadline of 2.00pm on Friday 13th December, 2013 Form SCR is available from the College and from our website www.knock.co.uk 16

Familiarisation Day 11 November Supervisors will take you to the assessment room; Birth certificates will be returned and questions answered; You can see the location of the toilets;  Remember the rooms will have no visible aids. 17

Open Day – Saturday, 11 Jan The College will be open from 9.15am to 12 noon for P6 and P7 pupils and their parents to visit and meet staff and students. 18

To Conclude More Registration Packs available at Reception If you have questions wait in the Hall Best wishes to all P7s 19