The Medway Conservative Group are extremely concerned with regards to the timing of the Medway Test English exam and the response from the Portfolio Holder, Councillor Coombs.
Councillor Coombs responding on BBC Radio Kent yesterday, 19th September, claimed:
"it’s been an absolute level playing field" and "the 30-minute time limit was the same for all children",
It appears that the Portfolio Holder has not understood that not all children have yet taken the test and that children from outside Medway taking the test are now fully aware that the exam will be 30 minutes. The guidance states the exam will not exceed 60 minutes, however this does not mention the time of the actual exam. Considering the fact that this was the first time the exam was administered by GL Assessment, the Council should have realised that a search of the provider’s website stated that the 11+ English Exam would be 50 minutes.
Councillor Mark Joy, Shadow Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Education, said the following:
There are serious questions that need to be answered by the Portfolio Holder in relation to the Medway Test this year, and I will be writing to her later this morning. I am concerned that the GL Assessment timing was different to what was shown on their website and the fact that the Portfolio Holder stated that all children have had to face the same criteria, when not all children have yet sat the test. I am concerned she is not grasping the seriousness of this situation.
I am calling on the Portfolio Holder to give a guarantee to Medway children that they will not be disadvantaged compared to out of area children who sit the Medway test later this weekend.
