Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

Secondry school entrance exam

2

Comments

  • #32
    implausible
    Registered Users Posts: 3,937 ✭✭✭implausible


    Even calling it an 'entrance exam' is a misnomer. Schools have to accept whoever they get nowadays. More than likely, it's an assessment of the child's reading and numeric skills that will be kept on file and not make a difference what class the child is in, as many schools have mixed ability groupings now.

    Chill out, your attitude is going to stress your child out:rolleyes:


  • #33
    neil_hosey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,712 ✭✭✭neil_hosey


    it is worth putting the effort into revising. It will mean you will be in a higher class which usually receive the better teachers (in my old school anyway) and more opportunity to do honours when junior and leaving cert come around.

    Some things i remember from the maths section:

    -simple interest
    -compound interest
    -LCM
    -long division
    -i think there were some quadrtic equations.

    English:

    -some essay


  • #34
    Cool Running
    Registered Users Posts: 451 ✭✭Cool Running


    Dont worry about it! Its just a simple assessment to determine what level of class to put students in, which will determine how many honours thay do in Junior Cert etc and will ulimately decide the rest of their lives. But dont worry about it;)


  • #35
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,087 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    neil_hosey wrote: »
    it is worth putting the effort into revising. It will mean you will be in a higher class which usually receive the better teachers (in my old school anyway) and more opportunity to do honours when junior and leaving cert come around.

    Some things i remember from the maths section:

    -simple interest
    -compound interest
    -LCM
    -long division
    -i think there were some quadrtic equations.

    English:

    -some essay


    Heh, I wonder how many of use could do that stuff now.
    I don't even know what LCM stands for and as for quadratic equations - either you're winding up the OP or your memory is fudged; there's no way a primary school kid in Ireland could do one of those (there's no way I could do one either, for that matter).


  • #36
    4zn76tysfajdxp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,944 ✭✭✭✭4zn76tysfajdxp


    CrazyRabbit wrote: »
    That's what happens when you leave school aged 9. You miss these critical moments in education.

    That's okay, I was never one for words and such.


  • Advertisement
  • #37
    5starpool
    Subscribers Posts: 32,846 ✭✭✭✭5starpool


    Is this done for every secondary school now? It was only the posh schools in my day that did this.


  • #38
    DeirdreD
    Closed Accounts Posts: 44 ✭DeirdreD


    neil_hosey wrote: »
    it is worth putting the effort into revising. It will mean you will be in a higher class which usually receive the better teachers (in my old school anyway) and more opportunity to do honours when junior and leaving cert come around.

    Some things i remember from the maths section:

    -simple interest
    -compound interest
    -LCM
    -long division
    -i think there were some quadrtic equations.

    English:

    -some essay


    Most schools do not place kids in ability classes anymore, and furthermore I am sure things like compound interest are not in the revised primary school curriculum anymore


  • #39
    implausible
    Registered Users Posts: 3,937 ✭✭✭implausible


    neil_hosey wrote: »
    it is worth putting the effort into revising. It will mean you will be in a higher class which usually receive the better teachers (in my old school anyway) and more opportunity to do honours when junior and leaving cert come around.

    Some things i remember from the maths section:

    -simple interest
    -compound interest
    -LCM
    -long division
    -i think there were some quadrtic equations.

    English:

    -some essay

    I'm afraid that this poster's experience is so out of date, it's pre-historic!


  • #40
    Novella
    Registered Users Posts: 13,713 ✭✭✭✭Novella


    My advice would be to pop down to the local school and when you see the calibre of some of it's students, you will know that the secondary school entrance exam is most certainly not one of a taxing academic standard. :pac:


  • #41
    jiltloop
    Registered Users Posts: 2,182 ✭✭✭jiltloop


    My advise would be to relax! My god I dread to think how worked up you'll get over the leaving cert exams. It's not something you are meant to study for its just to check your child's level of natural academic ability.


  • Advertisement
  • #42
    Pygmalion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,082 ✭✭✭Pygmalion


    It doesn't do anything.
    They may get put into a slightly different group if they fail incredibly hard (keep in mind that only one or two freaked out kids with pushy parents ever study for this).

    If they try and put her into an Ordinary level class all she has to say is "Could I try the Higher instead? I think I'm able for it.", the school can't make her do the Ordinary level, they want as much people in Higher as they think are able (showing interest is a big plus btw) and any teacher who wouldn't let her into the class is most likely a **** teacher anyway.


  • #43
    neil_hosey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,712 ✭✭✭neil_hosey


    pickarooney wrote: »
    Heh, I wonder how many of use could do that stuff now.
    I don't even know what LCM stands for and as for quadratic equations - either you're winding up the OP or your memory is fudged; there's no way a primary school kid in Ireland could do one of those (there's no way I could do one either, for that matter).

    Your slagging me and you dnt know what LCM stands for?? :rolleyes: maybe you should be the one taking the test.

    Im 23 years of age and went to St. Aidans in whitehall, the things i listed were definately on the test, i still remember... also stil remember the little bastard beside me trying to copy me! Im hardly that old that its changed that much? i was 12 starting secondary so thats 98! my school was graded though, A to D.. like one poster said thats gone now?

    The only thing im not certain on is whether quadratic eqns came up, i could be confusing it with something else. There was certainly some basic number theory and arithmetics..

    But if classes arent graded anymore, its probably pointless then no??


  • #44
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,087 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    neil_hosey wrote: »
    Your slagging me and you dnt know what LCM stands for?? :rolleyes: maybe you should be the one taking the test.

    I'm assuming there was no reading comprehension on the syllabus at either your primary or secondary school?


  • #45
    neil_hosey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,712 ✭✭✭neil_hosey


    pickarooney wrote: »
    I'm assuming there was no reading comprehension on the syllabus at either your primary or secondary school?

    ??????? riiiiight...


    for future reference LCM is least common multiple, you generally learn it towards the end of primary school. I can read just fine, i think you need to brush up on your primary school mathematics..

    this is ghey offtopic bullsh1t


  • #46
    toiletduck
    Registered Users Posts: 2,379 ✭✭✭toiletduck


    adrieanne__x wrote: »
    "The cat lives in the box - Where does the cat live?"

    Was a question on my secondary schools entrance exam.

    They were obviously looking for you to expand on that and discuss Schrödinger's cat.


  • #47
    bonerm
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,595 ✭✭✭bonerm


    Hi OP. Very important to get your kid to see this exam beforehand so they can cheat their way to a high mark and get into a top class. It'll make all the difference and remember ... once you're in the 'D' class , you're there for life (or at least til you finish your Junior Cert).


  • #48
    antodeco
    Registered Users, Subscribers Posts: 13,423 ✭✭✭✭antodeco


    I did one about 15 years ago. They simply get you to them to show you are interested in the school.


  • #49
    Ollchailin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 334 ✭✭Ollchailin


    OP, do not be one bit worried about this exam- I'm a secondary school teacher (I know, boo, hiss!) and this exam is more than likely only to give the teachers an indication of what kind of level someone's at, not to place your child in a particular level.

    Most schools have mixed ability classes now- I know after we do our entance exams we just keep the results on file in case any problems pop up so we can flag them in case a student might need particular help with something.

    One thing I have noticed though, and I'm only teaching in my school 3 years, is that the standard is getting worse and worse every year which is extremely depressing- but that's neither here nor there. Just don't be worried about it!


  • #50
    implausible
    Registered Users Posts: 3,937 ✭✭✭implausible


    neil_hosey wrote: »
    .Im 23 years of age and went to St. Aidans in whitehall, the things i listed were definately on the test, i still remember

    Im hardly that old that its changed that much? i was 12 starting secondary so thats 98!

    That's 12 years ago!!! The entire primary school curriculum has changed!


  • #51
    neil_hosey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,712 ✭✭✭neil_hosey


    deemark wrote: »
    That's 12 years ago!!! The entire primary school curriculum has changed!

    oh right... makes me feel old. Remember like it was yesterday.

    They can hardly change the fundamentals of maths though?


  • Advertisement
  • #52
    Fukuyama
    Registered Users Posts: 3,023 ✭✭✭Fukuyama


    bellapip wrote: »
    No I am not looking for her to brush up with the actual exam, I was just looking for a previous exam so that she could have an idea of what to expect, I most certainly not condone 'Cheating' and as the post primary school keeps pointing out, it is not an exam, it is just an assessment.

    The junior school is being very vague and saying revise, however they have never done winter or summer exams with the class over the years and she feels a little nervous about it, understandably as far as I am concerned.

    Anyway, not to worry, I have asked in another forum and have been pointed to the 'Irish board of education' who give a guide to what the students should brush up on, which is exactly what I was looking for,.

    Thanks for the help.

    Bell:D

    There nothing! Stuff like figuring out how many triangles are in a picture. Basic math. Circling pictures etc.... Can't really study. TBH, you sound like one of those parents who work both themselves and their kids up. I remember seeing other kids when I was in school with parents like that. Sometimes the best thing to do is let your kid go through a stressful situation all by themselves. There's such a thing as smothering a child. ;)


  • #53
    Corkfeen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,940 ✭✭✭Corkfeen


    Theres no need to study for the fecking entrance exams. Let the child off till they get to their actual exams.;) Its not the Hpat. :D


  • #54
    weeder
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,469 ✭✭✭weeder


    I remember our primary teachers working us up saying how important the test was and then you get into it and its a feckin basic aptitude test.


  • #55
    Mike 1972
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,021 ✭✭✭Mike 1972


    In theory couldnt the school use the test to decide who to admit in the event of being oversubscribed ?
    weeder wrote: »
    I remember our primary teachers working us up saying how important the test was

    Teachers do that or hadnt you noticed ?


  • #56
    oppenheimer1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,084 ✭✭✭oppenheimer1


    pickarooney wrote: »
    Heh, I wonder how many of use could do that stuff now.
    I don't even know what LCM stands for and as for quadratic equations - either you're winding up the OP or your memory is fudged; there's no way a primary school kid in Ireland could do one of those (there's no way I could do one either, for that matter).

    No they have partial differential equations on it rather than quadratic afaik.


  • #57
    oppenheimer1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,084 ✭✭✭oppenheimer1


    Dean0088 wrote: »
    There nothing! Stuff like figuring out how many triangles are in a picture. Basic math. Circling pictures etc.... Can't really study. TBH, you sound like one of those parents who work both themselves and their kids up. I remember seeing other kids when I was in school with parents like that. Sometimes the best thing to do is let your kid go through a stressful situation all by themselves. There's such a thing as smothering a child. ;)

    Isn't murder illegal?


  • #58
    implausible
    Registered Users Posts: 3,937 ✭✭✭implausible


    Mike 1972 wrote: »
    In theory couldnt the school use the test to decide who to admit in the event of being oversubscribed ?

    Legally? No. Schools aren't allowed to discriminate against someone based on academic level, special need, race, religion or ethnic background. Some nonsense about equality or somethin'....:rolleyes:


  • #59
    RMD
    Registered Users Posts: 2,662 ✭✭✭RMD


    My one 5 years ago was an apptitude test. You can't study for them, that's the point, it's to show what your child is good at and what her faults are.

    She can't study for it, it's like trying to study for an IQ test.


  • #60
    iLoveTwilight
    Closed Accounts Posts: 90 ✭✭iLoveTwilight


    Hi OP . The assessment asks basic maths questions , spatial awareness questions and general logic really like "hand is to glove as foot is too .. a) hat b) coat c) sock d) scarf " .. Your child doesn't need to worry about it at all ! There were 3 classes in my year and each were full of those with mixed abilities . The tests doesnt mean anything , children may not do well in it but they could be really smart . Its just an indication of their level at that time .


  • Advertisement
  • #61
    Mike 1972
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,021 ✭✭✭Mike 1972


    deemark wrote: »
    Legally? No. Schools aren't allowed to discriminate against someone based on academic level, special need, race, religion or ethnic background. Some nonsense about equality or somethin'....:rolleyes:

    Funny from reading the 5782 AH threads on religion and Schools I was under the impression that the exact opposite was the case ?


Advertisement