11 Plus Exams: Are You and Your Child Ready? Top Tips for Year 5 Exam Preparation

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If you’ve stumbled on this post, chances are you’re looking for ideas on preparing your child for their 11 Plus exam (be it for grammar or independent school entry with just under a year till they sit their grammar school and independent school exams.

Many parents in your current situation at this time of year in their child’s 11 Plus exam preparation will want to find the best way of getting their child to the high academic level required for their upcoming 11 Plus exams. 

11 Plus maths guide

If 11 Plus maths preparation is what you’re looking for, then the guide above will be useful in getting your child’s 11 Plus maths revision underway.

Of course, the 11 Plus exams are for both English and Maths, but to get ahead and do so in an organised and gradual fashion, we propose having a deadline you are working towards. To combat the lack of preparation spiel of ‘if you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail’, today we’ll provide you with a plan to set you in a comfortable position, journeying from prep to practice.

Below we have a month-by-month timeline of the steps you should take and the material you should be covering as the exam dates are approaching.

Calendar stands on a shelf. Deadline and office concept

11 Plus Exam Preparation: Months 4 to 6

As this is near the halfway mark towards the exams, your focus should be on strengthening your child’s area of weakness. This could include Bond puzzle books and assessments (the ones relevant to your child’s age group), spelling lists, and reading books that increase your child’s word bank. You can also take a look at Geek School Tutoring’s Vital Words Dictionary, which is jam-packed with synonyms and antonyms that appear in 11 Plus exams.

11 Plus Vital Words Dictionary Mockup

In order to ensure effective learning experiences for children, it is crucial to lay a strong foundation that supplements any knowledge gaps that may exist. This can be done by reviewing their learning plan and making necessary adaptations to it. By providing flexible preparation, you can ensure that your child’s learning journey is as effective as possible in addressing their unique learning needs. This, in turn, increases the likelihood of your child achieving their learning goals and excelling in their academic pursuits.

11 Plus Exam Preparation: Months 7 to 9

As the exams draw closer, it’s an excellent opportunity to introduce strict timings to your child’s learning routine and Bond Assessments paper practice. Referring to your child’s learning plan, modify it if necessary. For 11 Plus exam resources, Bond books are among the most popular and reliable publishers. We highly recommend them! Please watch the video below to learn more about the books and other alternatives.

Preparing For The 11 Plus Exam – The Final Push: Months 10 to 12

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With just a few months left until the actual 11 Plus exam, it’s important to focus on proper preparation during months 10 to 12.

At this time, the exam will be just a few weeks away, and your child will be best prepared by you tightening up the exam timings, bitesize chunks of revision (this may be for 10 minutes at a time,) you asking them to recite what they know. This is also when you should use the bond assessment papers to help your child get used to the exam style and conditions too.

At Geek School Tutoring, we offer various tailored lessons to help your child not just pass but excel in their 11 Plus exams and learn the foundational requirements of excelling in their work for their future! Be it face-to-face lessons, online lessons or video-based lessons with personalised feedback, we have something for every type of learner.

If you want to learn more and ease the pressure of preparing them all by yourself, get in touch to get started.

Remember – don’t keep all these nuggets to yourself, share them with a friend or another parent who you know is also looking to prepare their child for their 11 Plus exams.

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