SS17121 - Eleven Plus for Kent Schools

The Kent County Council (the Council) currently runs a process which aims principally through testing to identify pupils in the top 25% of the ability range as eligible for admission to Year 7 of any of the county’s grammar schools at age 11.
Entry to the process is voluntary, with approximately 63% of the local cohort opting to take part, plus a significant number of external candidates. Provision is currently made for about 16,000 candidates. Tests are taken in early September of the year prior to the year of admission to grammar school. There is a second stage – Head Teacher Referral – where additional evidence can be considered alongside scores before assessments are confirmed. Results are made available to parents around the third week in October following the tests. In order to meet this commitment, the Council requires standardised test scores to be available within 8 working days of the last test date.
The Council invites tenders for the supply of tests to support the admissions process. The contractor will be required to compile, where appropriate trial, produce or print as appropriate and deliver to the Council as follows:
• Generic test familiarisation materials for annual use by schools and parents (That is, the Council wishes to purchase a set of materials which will show pupils and parents the type of question which could be included in the tests, how the sample questions are resolved and how the answer should be recorded on an answer sheet. The materials should be reproducible – e.g.: by photocopying or printing from the Council’s website – during the life of the contract with no further charge.)
• Bespoke confidential test papers and multiple-choice answer sheets which can be read by Optical Mark Reader machines and / or form scanner imaging mark readers. (The Council currently uses DRS machines in the PS900 series.)
• Administration instructions (quote to indicate costs for paper manuals and audio formats).

Software:
• Overprinting software (to print and bar code double-sided OMR readable answer sheets with pupil data):
• Marking software (alongside a small quantity of printed marking manuals)
• Standardisation software and electronic and printed standardisation tables
• Support for the Council’s employees in the use of the materials and software through the cycle of the testing process.

To Register and interest for this opportunity, please go to www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk