What are The Catapult Papers?
The Catapult Papers: an expertly researched, professionally presented, and visually appealing range of practice tests for the SEAG post-primary assessment tests in Northern Ireland.
The main series contains 20 tests in total. These papers have been designed to match the format and layout of the exams your child will face this November.
Each test comprises 28 English questions and 28 Maths questions. The first 22 English and Maths questions are multiple-choice, with the final six of each being free-response. Children record their answers on a separate student answer sheet.
In addition to this series, there is a set of ten Warm-Up papers - ideal for P6 children beginning the Transfer Test practice season.
All tests have been written and designed by Trevor Veale, a full-time primary tutor and former Key Stage 2 teacher.
What makes these tests different from others that are on the market?
For a start, The Catapult Papers are attractive. Each test has its own colour theme and child-friendly appearance. While their look is intended to closely match to the appearance of the official tests, they are still prettier!
The main difference, however, between these papers and others on the market, is the level of effort that has gone into providing explanations for each answer within the series. For every test you will receive explanations for the answers to every question: a priceless tool for busy parents.
What purchase options are available?
The Catapult Papers can be purchased in full-colour print or in PDF format. They can be bought as a full set of 20, or in sets of 10 or 5 papers.
The Warm-Up series is available as a set of 10 papers (in PDF and print also).
There are also two free tests available for download: one to give you a taster of the Warm-Up series, the other to give you a sample of the main series. These are full test papers, just like the ones available for purchase.
What is the difficulty level of the tests?
The main series of tests has been set so as to cover every possible type of question your child may face in November. They are not ‘easy’! The official SEAG exams themselves, in all likelihood, should prove to be easier than the majority of tests in the main series of The Catapult Papers.
So why set the standard higher?
We should not measure children’s progress by test scores during practice season; this period of time is about developing new knowledge and test skills. The question that children and parents should ask after each practice test (irrespective of which company produced the test) is not ‘What did I score?’, but rather ‘What should I work on next?’
While the official exams may go a little easier than what children experience in The Catapult Papers main series, there will still be 2-3 tough questions per paper. Do we know what these questions will be about? No. This means we must prepare them by setting challenges in every relevant sphere of the English and Maths curriculum. In order to do so, I have included around 4-5 tricky questions per paper.
The Warm-Up series goes a little easier, only approaching those Maths and English themes covered by the P6 curriculum.
What about time limits?
Advice for parents is contained within each test booklet for how to approach each paper. The goal of The Catapult Papers is not to set strict time limits or to expect children to complete the test in one sitting. They can be done with peers, with parents, ten minutes at a time…whatever you think works best for your child.
Most children in Northern Ireland will be attempting at least one practice paper per week at school. In these settings, they get to experience time limits and learn how to handle that pressure. I do not believe that the same should be done at home. There must come a time to slow down and consider how to tackle the varying question-types.
Consider how someone prepares for a marathon: do they run 26 miles in every training session in the months leading up to the event? No - so neither should we expect ‘Transfer Test practice’ to mean repeated efforts to complete full papers in a one-hour sitting.
That being said, The Catapult Papers can indeed be attempted in one sitting and under a strict time limit. Just prepare your child to accept that their score is not likely to be a ‘personal best’ in such circumstances!
Does my child’s school already use these papers?
No! There is a separate series of The Catapult Papers exclusively for school use (click here if you are a teacher interested in getting a licence for the schools series). The main series and Warm-Up series of The Catapult Papers are no longer for use in schools.