Group Bourdon Tool

[Fran Davies]

My tip for the Group Bourdon... check your pencils. They tell you to press hard, my first one broke, the next 3 had tips that were already broken beneath the shaved bit!!!! I passed though!

 

[Vertigo]

My tip for the Group Bourdon... check your pencils. They tell you to press hard, my first one broke, the next 3 had tips that were already broken beneath the shaved bit!!!! I passed though!

Yep I have been worrying about this scenario as every second counts. Was wondering if you are allowed to use your own pencils or must it be those provided by the assessment center? Was going to buy decent pencils if allowed (and plenty spares!)

 

[Cyclist]

I'm due to sit this next week with SR, I have been getting on OK with the pc version and have moved to paper as this is what it will be done on. I just wanted to check the layout as there are many variations of the paper one I have sourced. I am right in thinking, no boxes, 25 columns, dot groups of 3,4 or 5 and 4 is always the target? Thanks in advance.

the printed version from the tool is quite accurate, it is 4 dots as you say. You'll find on the day the paper is larger than A4 and it seems to be around 18 lines available per block. I reached enhanced level by getting to roughly line 10 on each.

 

[Vertigo]

the printed version from the tool is quite accurate, it is 4 dots as you say. You'll find on the day the paper is larger than A4 and it seems to be around 18 lines available per block. I reached enhanced level by getting to roughly line 10 on each.

Thanks, printed off a pile on a4 to work away on, did you find paper slower than the pc?

 

[Cyclist]

Thanks, printed off a pile on a4 to work away on, did you find paper slower than the pc?

yes, 10 lines is 12 seconds per line, that's what I would aim for. You can pass with fewer lines I think

 

[pompeyfan]

When I did it, I was averaging 8 and 9 correct lines at home and passed.

 

[rosie]

The practice material sent out by the TOC I've applied for says to practice for one minute. The bourdon app from this site defaults to two minutes. Is the actual test on the day, done on paper, 2 minutes or one?

 

[Cyclist]

The practice material sent out by the TOC I've applied for says to practice for one minute. The bourdon app from this site defaults to two minutes. Is the actual test on the day, done on paper, 2 minutes or one?

The test on the day is 10 minutes in total with 2 minutes allowed per section

 

[Woody1234]

the printed version from the tool is quite accurate, it is 4 dots as you say. You'll find on the day the paper is larger than A4 and it seems to be around 18 lines available per block. I reached enhanced level by getting to roughly line 10 on each.

Hi, are the Dots in boxes or not ?
I've been told they are, or are the just on the sheet ?
Cheers

 

[Cyclist]

Hi, are the Dots in boxes or not ?
I've been told they are, or are the just on the sheet ?
Cheers

The dots are not in boxes. They are spaced just like the printed version of this tool

 

[Woody1234]

The dots are not in boxes. They are spaced just like the printed version of this tool

Great stuff, cheers, did you sit your assessment at Doncaster ?

 

[Cyclist]

Great stuff, cheers, did you sit your assessment at Doncaster ?

did it in Crewe with Virgin West

 

[Mark638]

Hi,
Just to confirm,the practice material sent to me has 11 cells of dots per line

Am i right in thinking each line has 25 cells of dots to scan.

Thats a huge difference in cells per line.
Cheers

 

[Mark638]

Great stuff, cheers, did you sit your assessment at Doncaster ?

Are going on wednesday Woody?

 

[Woody1234]

Are going on wednesday Woody?

Yes mate... you ?

 

[Mark638]

Yes,i only had interview on wednesday so i wasnt expecting to be doing next part week later

 

[Cyclist]

Hi,
Just to confirm,the practice material sent to me has 11 cells of dots per line

Am i right in thinking each line has 25 cells of dots to scan.

Thats a huge difference in cells per line.
Cheers

yes this is correct. 25 dots per line. Roughly 18 lines per section which you are not expected to complete. 2 mins per section. 5 sections.

 

[tempuser]

I was consistently getting 0 errors and 0 omissions, getting about 10-11 lines down on each page, with a row fluctuation of about 2.5. I got an enhanced pass last month with EMT.
Try to use paper printouts for your practice, as this is what you'll likely be using on the day. Print off 5 sheets, and give yourself 2 minutes for each sheet. You want to strike-through from top right to bottom left, every group of '4' dots. Make a 'cross' for the ones you mark by accident, as you would do in the real test.

Good luck!

Is it definitely on paper still? Or does that vary from TOC to TOC.

 

[MostlyHarmless]

Is it definitely on paper still? Or does that vary from TOC to TOC.

I've not heard of anyone on this forum who has done the test say that it was done on a computer. Mine certainly wasn't and I actually found doing it on paper easier.

 

[tempuser]

I've not heard of anyone on this forum who has done the test say that it was done on a computer. Mine certainly wasn't and I actually found doing it on paper easier.

Thank you mate. That is useful to know.

 

[wizzyfirefly]

hi could I ask what the pass is for each sheet i.e. min correct box crossed.. thankyou

 

[Cyclist]

hi could I ask what the pass is for each sheet i.e. min correct box crossed.. thankyou

This is a closely guarded secret which nobody knows the precise answer to. The consensus on this forum is that 8 perfect lines is enough for a standard pass. This is for the printed version and is not comparable to the computer version.

 

[wizzyfirefly]

This is a closely guarded secret which nobody knows the precise answer to. The consensus on this forum is that 8 perfect lines is enough for a standard pass. This is for the printed version and is not comparable to the computer version.

thanx cyclist

does anyone know if you can sit the tests privately? I have heard you get 2 attempts in 5years? also can anyone tell me if they have had to sit a CAD or lattern test to pass their colour vision perception?

sorry for the umpteen questions.. many thanks in advance

 

[Pete C]

Just scoring my paper sheets I printed from the tool - I'm presuming an omission marks you down just as bad as an error?

 

[martin2345uk]

Just scoring my paper sheets I printed from the tool - I'm presuming an omission marks you down just as bad as an error?

Apparently so, yes

 

[Cyclist]

Just scoring my paper sheets I printed from the tool - I'm presuming an omission marks you down just as bad as an error?

Only the OPC really know that answer but you’d have to assume that both are as bad.

 

[Pete C]

Only the OPC really know that answer but you’d have to assume that both are as bad.

Yeah that was my thinking too - just wondered as I seem to have way more omissions than errors, sure that's the same for most people.

 

[Cyclist]

Yeah that was my thinking too - just wondered as I seem to have way more omissions than errors, sure that's the same for most people.

Just keep practicing with the print outs. I found myself improving every day.

 

[martin2345uk]

Quick question... when you have to stop one page and start the next, if you only get halfway through the line you’re on, do the remaining 4s on that line count as omissions...?? How does that work?

 

[Cyclist]

Quick question... when you have to stop one page and start the next, if you only get halfway through the line you’re on, do the remaining 4s on that line count as omissions...?? How does that work?

Nobody knows but you’d presume that they mark it up to the last correct dots you got