Are you worried about your child’s 11 Plus exams? Do you want to know how to prepare for them and get the best results possible? If so, this article for you! In it, we will discuss six different strategies that will help your child to succeed at your 11 Plus exams.
Tip 1: Start 11 Plus preparation in year 4
Starting in year 4 gives children enough time to work through the essential topics – especially in maths and English. For example, in maths, children must know their timestables off by heart. In English, they must know how to write a good sentence and sound out words into different grammar rules: nouns, prepositions, adverbs etc.
Make sure your child has mastered these subjects before moving on!
Avoiding mistakes is one way that children become more confident at their 11 Plus exams. Making mistakes isn’t always bad because there’s so much we can learn from them! If students make lots of errors in one exam, it’s probably because they’re nervous. If you make a mistake when learning something new, don’t panic! Just keep going and try to understand why the answer is wrong.
Tip 2: Don’t start too late, as otherwise, what can be a stressful period can become overly stressful
Many children find the 11 Plus exams very stressful, but they can be less stressful if they start early enough. If students have started their preparation earlier on in life, this will mean that there is more time to complete tasks and learn new material before test day. By starting as soon as possible, children should feel more in control of their 11 Plus exams.
Tip 3: Be realistic – pick schools that your child likes but which also fit their academic potential
One of the biggest mistakes parents make regarding 11 Plus exams is getting too focused on one particular school. This often happens because parents only consider schools they like rather than looking at all the available options. However, this can be unwise as sometimes these preferences are not shared by children or their teachers. So before you decide on a school, you should visit all the 11 Plus schools available and then select.
Tip 4: Work out in advance what the demands of the different admissions procedures (and the content of the tests) are so that you can work out what the focus of your child’s preparation should be
When it comes to 11 Plus exams, all schools have different admissions tests. For children to prepare appropriately for their exams, parents should find out the demands to create a tailored plan of action in advance.
This way, children can work on the skills that will be tested. For example, some schools test reading and comprehension (GL style of paper), whereas others may focus on math, grammar, etc (CEM type of paper). This is where an experienced 11Plus tutor comes in!
If you’re unsure about what your child should study for their 11 Plus exams, then get in touch with us – we offer preparation in house and online and are happy to help!
If your child goes to a private prep school, you can speak to their class teacher, who would know them well! Teachers tend to have politicised views for children who attend state schools, as the 11 Plus has a history of social unfairness, so you may not necessarily get the support you would expect.
Tip 5: Keep on top of schoolwork and progress in school
Progress in schoolwork is essential, as independent schools request at least the year 5 school report – many schools ask for year 4 or more. So, a good school report is helpful for independent schools.
It’s worth noting that much of the core content in the tests are geared towards the school curriculum and provide a solid foundation, with some advanced topics and subjects added.
Tip 6: Keep life going as usual as possible with a good balance of non-schoolwork activities
Don’t overwork your child- it backfires. It’s essential to maintain perspective during the long period of preparation for the 11+ exams.
It is vital for students who are not receiving schooling or tuition to stay updated with what’s going on in the world around them – this can help with their 11 Plus interview as well, as some schools ask about current affairs.
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