Dubai College Entrance Exam | ExpatWoman.com
 

Dubai College Entrance Exam

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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 August 2012 - 13:43

Hi all,
DD really wants to attend DC next September as her step sister went there and did very well, leaving in 2009 with 3 A stars in her A' levels. However step sister went to Jess Jumeirah primary and DD goes to Gems DSO, which we have been delighted with but understand that Jess is traditionally a feeder school for DC. Myself and DH are finding it very hard to evaluate whether DD will be up to the entrance test this January. Step daughter recalls that test was hard and she thinks it consisted of Year 6 Level 5 and 6 SATS questions. Do any of the EW ladies have a DD or DS who sat the test in January this year? or anyone have any advice. TIA
<em>edited by Mareas on 28/08/2012</em>

47
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 27 September 2012 - 08:55
I never said that there was anything wrong with tutoring a child, I said you shouldn't tutor them to get in to a school that they are not capable of getting in without it. Believe me, I see it every day. Students who can't keep up in class, students who have to constantly have tutoring to maintain a decent standard, homework that comes back and has obviously been done by a tutor and then students who are tired and withdrawn because they are trying to be someone that they are not. It makes life difficult for the students and very difficult for the teachers because they are the ones who have to tell Parents that there child is not achieving the grades that the rest of the class are. Just let your child have a go and if they get in, brilliant and if they don't send them to a school where they will be able to work at a pace and level that suits them. As for Bolt, it was his natural ability that started him off and then he practiced to maintain and improve the high standard that he already had.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 26 September 2012 - 21:23
Thanks DollyDuck I totally agree with you. Still struggling to find the correct person. My daughter is extermly bright that's why looking for someone to guide her.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 26 September 2012 - 12:07
There is absolutely nothing wrong with tutoring a child. Would you expect Bolt to run a race without practicing first? Practice makes perfect as they say !
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 26 September 2012 - 11:29
Please please please don't have your children tutored to sit entrance exams. If they are not able to get in off their own backs, they are not the right children to be going to these schools. It is very apparent to teachers during the first year at school if they have been tutored or not and they will struggle to keep up with the the others. When they can't keep up, many end up being tutored throughout their whole school life. It's not fair to put them through this when there are great schools in Dubai which are much more suited to particular needs. Surely it is better for a child to be happy at school and able to cope with the work rather than constantly being stretched to a level that is above them? I wouldn't want my child to always feel like they were the 'weakest' in the class and to feel inadequate because most of the other children were naturally brighter than them.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 25 September 2012 - 20:06
Hi can anyone recommend a tutor for my daughter to prepare her for the DC and JC entrance test.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 14:50
Hi i know a lady tutor she is really excellent in teaching maths and science in JLT, but really dont know if she prepare the students for college exams.But prepare them for boared exams
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 September 2012 - 13:23
Hi just read this thread. Did anyone find or can anyone recommend a tutor for DC entrance exams?
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 September 2012 - 17:16
DXBagain - thank you for your insight and comments, it's certainly not an easy decision and I am going to consider all options. It was great to hear that your eldest had done so well in A levels and had good uni offers. Thanks again.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 September 2012 - 15:57
Mareas, my response would have been different with the knowledge that your daughter is bright but lazy, I too have a bright but lazy student at home! My older child is less academic but works very hard and I can say from experience that JC has delivered for them. They had 4 good university offers for a very strong degree. I have poured over the DC/JC results for many hours and the pass rates are similar albeit DC get more A*'s at GCSE and A Level, this I believe is a reflection of their selective admission policy. On this basis JC was my choice as they are obviously doing something different to achive strong results, again my experience at JC influenced my decison. My friend has wanted DC for her child since they arrived as toddlers, who was a JESS student and despite an offer from DC she has this year decided on JC. Good luck with your decisions.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 September 2012 - 13:58
Mareas, Most Grammar school tests in the UK are IQ based (my friend is a head at a top grammar school) they don’t even mark the maths and English papers if the IQ results are not up to standard. Personally I feel SATS papers are not sufficient standard (unless you are doing level 6) the DC entrance test is more on par with UK private school entrance exams. HTH Hi DollyDuck So 11+ common entrance papers then? how would I get copies of public school entrance exams? Just googled this it appears they all use CE papers, so I will continue with this and IQ tests. Thanks for your help.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 September 2012 - 13:53
Mareas, Most Grammar school tests in the UK are IQ based (my friend is a head at a top grammar school) they don’t even mark the maths and English papers if the IQ results are not up to standard. Personally I feel SATS papers are not sufficient standard (unless you are doing level 6) the DC entrance test is more on par with UK private school entrance exams. HTH Hi DollyDuck So 11+ common entrance papers then? how would I get copies of public school entrance exams?
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 September 2012 - 13:11
Many children, mine included were not tutored for the exam and no doubt many others are tutored. They did not find it at all quirky but it seemed a familiar approach for those who had studied the English national curriculum in primary school. Children coming from other curricula may find it different I guess but they certainly gain places from Choiefat and from IB schools but maybe have tutoring, I don't know. The year 5 report and primary head teacher's report is also important. Perhaps not too much information is given out to avoid too much tutoring to the test and children getting stressed and seeing it as too big a deal. Thank you March - that was useful to know. DD studies English curriculum. She did not get a head teacher's report only a class teacher report. My step daughter told me that DC visited Jess and JAPS to talk to the kids and their teachers, I don't expect this will happen at DD's school as it has a secondary school and I can't imagine they would be welcoming a competitor through the doors.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 September 2012 - 13:08
Mareas, Most Grammar school tests in the UK are IQ based (my friend is a head at a top grammar school) they don’t even mark the maths and English papers if the IQ results are not up to standard. Personally I feel SATS papers are not sufficient standard (unless you are doing level 6) the DC entrance test is more on par with UK private school entrance exams. HTH
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 September 2012 - 13:02
Many children, mine included were not tutored for the exam and no doubt many others are tutored. They did not find it at all quirky but it seemed a familiar approach for those who had studied the English national curriculum in primary school. Children coming from other curricula may find it different I guess but they certainly gain places from Choiefat and from IB schools but maybe have tutoring, I don't know. The year 5 report and primary head teacher's report is also important. Perhaps not too much information is given out to avoid too much tutoring to the test and children getting stressed and seeing it as too big a deal.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 September 2012 - 12:35
Good morning ladies, DXB again - I take your point of view, however my DD is bright but lazy and all her teachers since Year 3 have agreed that she needs that extra push to achieve what she is totally capable of and she is the youngest in her year, hence the extra home tutoring. She has plenty of spare time to enjoy playing and extra curricular activities and is a happy girl. She has expressed the wish to attend DC since we came to Dubai as she wants to follow in the footsteps of her big sister. I have to give her every advantage that I can as she wants to study medicine and she will be up against students from other cultures in this field that are intensively tutored from a very young age. In my opinion DC is still the top secondary school for British Curriculum here, what I dislike about the other schools is that they boast in the media that they got excellent results but the way they publish them is misleading. DC is very transparent with their results and you can see exactly what was achieved on their website, moreover they publish the accepting Universities of leavers whereas the other schools only publish the universities that students have applied to not if they have been accepted or not. If their results are so great why can't they publish them clearly like DC does? You are lucky that you and your daughter needed no extra tuition - do you know that these days the pass rate of 11+ in UK for Grammar school has to be 96% and above - wow! I don't know any kids that could achieve that without tutoring. If she does gain entry and struggles and is unhappy then of course we would review the situation. My step daughter was pushed very hard at DC and I remember phone calls with her in tears over English essays but she had nothing bad to say about the school and it has done her proud. Emmsie - I agree, I think tutoring a 10 year old is fine as long as they can handle it and it is not causing any stress. flydiver - It is scary trying to make the right decisions for them, its a tough world out there now and you have to give them every fair advantage that you can. DollyDuck - Thank you, I am using Year 6 Sats and 11+ papers - Hopefully this covers it!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 September 2012 - 11:40
My DS passed the test a few years ago. I recommend practicing entrance papers from good UK public schools.
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EW GURU
Latest post on 04 September 2012 - 10:47
As a mum who's LO is not even enrolled to attend anywhere yet, this post scares me of the things that await his future. My best friend has a PHD from Oxford, and was pushed and coached all his life. where My hubby went to a local government school and earns just as much as him and is a lot happier as a person. I hope you manage to get a few tips for your daughter for her interview, as it sounds scary. I also really hope your kids get a place somewhere that makes them happy. Where learning is fun and they have good friends :)
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 04 September 2012 - 10:20
I'm not sure children should be tutored for an entrance exam, whilst this may help them gain an offer, it possibly isnt the right school for them. Placing a child in an academically driven school could impact on their morale if they feel they are struggling. I did 11+ in UK many years ago for the grammar school and had no extra tuition, likewise my child had none for the DC exam. I'm not sure JESS is a feeder school, I know several JESS parents who have declined places at DC this year in favour of Jumeirah College, a less selective school with excellent academic results. DC was obviously the correct school for your step daughter, but don't put additional pressure on your daughter, let her sit the exam without tutoring, if she doesn't get an offer then it's not the right school for her. I believe at one time DC was 'the school' however now Jumeirah College is up there and doing incredibly well. I agree wholeheartedly that a child shouldn't be sent to a school where he or she may struggle. When I my daughter won a place at an incredibly academically selective school at 7, I did not have her tutored for the entrance exam for exactly the reasons you speak of. I'm not sure, however, that I agree with not having your child tutored for an exam when all the other children will have been tutored. By the time a child is 10 or 11, you probably have a fair idea if that child is especially academic or not (and it's not the end of the world if they're not; so many successful people have few academic qualifications). Failure at an exam where all the competition has been tutored may suggest to that child that they are not bright whereas the reality is that they were not tutored but maybe exceptionally bright. Sorry to disagree, I just thought it worthwhile suggesting another possibility. I know that some entrance exams are quite "quirky" and preparation is necessary. I know nothing about the DC exam, btw, although I would love to know more.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 September 2012 - 23:52
I'm not sure children should be tutored for an entrance exam, whilst this may help them gain an offer, it possibly isnt the right school for them. Placing a child in an academically driven school could impact on their morale if they feel they are struggling. I did 11+ in UK many years ago for the grammar school and had no extra tuition, likewise my child had none for the DC exam. I'm not sure JESS is a feeder school, I know several JESS parents who have declined places at DC this year in favour of Jumeirah College, a less selective school with excellent academic results. DC was obviously the correct school for your step daughter, but don't put additional pressure on your daughter, let her sit the exam without tutoring, if she doesn't get an offer then it's not the right school for her. I believe at one time DC was 'the school' however now Jumeirah College is up there and doing incredibly well.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 September 2012 - 18:14
Hi Suze63 You can delete your e-mail address. Sorry I edited mine out! I have sent you mail.
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 03 September 2012 - 18:03
Mareas...are you user name here at hotmail. i'll try that anyway. Mine is Let me know and I can delete edited by suze63 on 03/09/2012 <em>edited by suze63 on 03/09/2012</em>
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 September 2012 - 17:19
Hi Suze63 My DD was 10 in July, surely they must take this into consideration when they will be up against kids of 11+? I was given a number for a tutor who charges 300 dhs an hour, I did not contact him because we cannot afford it and I don't know if he has any knowledge of the DC test, if you want his number I can pass it onto you. My e-mail is hotmail.com - please let me know when you read this so I can delete. Would be nice to have a chat as getting very stressed about this. <em>edited by Mareas on 03/09/2012</em>
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 03 September 2012 - 16:53
Very useful info thanks Mareas...do you have contact details for a tutor? Best of luck with your tutoring efforts. I agree with you about lack of info...lots of people in UK uses tutors for these tests but deny it or wont share the details because it's soooo competive to get in these top grammars in UK (certainly London and south East anyway). To be honest, my DD isn't exceptionally bright (and was only 10 last week so is young)...but if we don;t even apply then she definitely won't get in will she?!! I've asked a few colleagues for info (one of whom is on the alumni board) so will share as I get it if you like.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 September 2012 - 16:33
Duh!! I meant Year 6 SATS papers - I certainly wouldn't pass the test!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 September 2012 - 16:16
Hi Suze63 Good luck with getting any info on this! it seems that when it comes to DC nobody wants to impart any info, a friend of mine said people get very cliquey about this. As I said in my OP my step daughter attended DC and left in 2009 with outstanding grades, she has since been to a top Uni in UK and graduated this summer, she got a job straight away - so enough said, DC came out tops for her and she absolutely loved it there. I am not interested in any negativity about the school, we know it delivers and that she left a happy and grounded young lady. We cannot afford a tutor at 300 dhs an hour so I am home tutoring DD with Year 5 SATS papers and 11+ papers, which is what my step daughter did 10 years ago! We are being realistic about her chances as the competition is hard core!!
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 03 September 2012 - 09:33
This is something I'm thinking about too and was just about to ask a similar question!!! My question was about tutoring....do the kids who take the test typically have tutors and are there 'special' tutors who are familar with the test and can tutor specifically for that? This would be the norm for top grammars in the UK (at least where I lived). Lally: what are the "other criteria" to which you refer?
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 30 August 2012 - 15:17
Can I suggest you ask your friends if they have any friends whose children go there and are willing to speak to you? I wasn't so much concerned about the entrance exam but the other criteria, which will never be admitted to, which I only heard about through people who have children there now and other people in the education system out here. You would also hear about the culture/ethos of the school today. We did all this, pretty much decided it wasn't for our child but went to the open day in October anyway and that just cemented our decision. My advice would be to talk to as many people as you can and go and see the school.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 28 August 2012 - 15:26
Anybody??!! it seems to be so hard to get any information on DC. Would be so grateful for any advice. Any teachers out there that have any info? Thanks.
 
 

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