Nature of the 11 Plus in Dorset.

These schools all use Quest Assessment

Quest Assessment Verbal Reasoning.

These tests focus on how confidently children can work with words, letters and patterns in language. Questions can involve vocabulary, word relationships, sequences, codes and other forms of verbal logic, so having a strong vocabulary is important but children also need to be able to spot rules quickly and apply them accurately. Speed matters because there is little value in knowing how to solve a question type if too much time is spent working through it. Regular reading and vocabulary development therefore help alongside specific Verbal Reasoning practice. The Quest Verbal Reasoning questions are broadly familiar in style to those used in other 11 Plus assessments, although children should become comfortable with the exact Quest format and the way answers are recorded on the separate answer sheet.

Quest Assessment Maths.

These tests are straightforward and use a mix of calculation based shorter questions and longer worded questions or questions about graphs, data or angles. Children will be asked to work quickly and so for this reason there is a real focus on having absolutely rock solid core skills. Children who have forged too far ahead and who are working on topics beyond KS2 risk having done so at the expense of not having the core skills required. There’s absolutely no point in going beyond KS2 during the preparation phase. The difference between the good and the excellent in this test tends to be marked by an ability to work both quickly and accurately, a faultless grasp of tables and the four operations is essential. The Quest Entrance Assessment maths has a mixture of free response and multiple choice answer options. With the only big difference that sets this aside from GL being the way the answers are recorded on the answer sheet.

Quest Assessment English

The English section is centred around reading comprehension and a child’s ability to understand and interpret written language. Children need to be able to retrieve information accurately, understand vocabulary in context and make sensible inferences from what they have read, while also recognising how particular words or phrases affect meaning. A broad vocabulary and regular reading are therefore particularly important, as children who read confidently are generally able to process passages and questions more quickly. The challenge is not simply understanding the text but doing so accurately under time pressure, so children should practise reading carefully without repeatedly returning to the passage unnecessarily. Quest places a clear emphasis on strong KS2 English skills and wide reading rather than learning material beyond the expected age level.

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