When to start preparing a child for the Kent or Bexley grammar school exams

Are you hoping for your child to get into a grammar school, following the Kent or Bexley grammar school exams (also known as selection tests)? There’s nothing worse than seeing a child who has a lot of potential become a nervous wreck because they haven’t been given enough time to comfortably prepare for exams.

Many parents leave the preparation for the Kent or Bexley grammar school exams far too late and then panic. But remember, children are like sponges. If they sense your angst, they will pick it up, and this could make them feel as though they can’t do the exam.

If you live in Bromley, Orpington, Beckenham, Biggin Hill and surrounding areas, when it comes to looking for a grammar school for your child, the options are Kent and Bexley grammar schools, since Bromley as a borough does not have any grammar schools. This means the number of applicants for these schools is very high – surrounding boroughs like Lewisham, Greenwich and Southwark do not have grammar schools, so they tend to apply for these schools as well. It’s clear to see why the Kent or Bexley grammar school exams are so competitive – the shear volume of candidates alone means your child really has to perform at a very high standard to gain entrance successfully.

Preparation basics for the Kent or Bexley grammar school exams

Preparing for the Kent or Bexley grammar school exams early is vital to every child’s success. It will give them enough breathing room to really get to grips with what is required of them, and enable them to build up the confidence. We recommend that tuition starts 18 months prior to the tests for the average student. If your child is a slow learner, you may consider a softly, softly approach two years before.

So, if your child is in Year 4, you should start getting them used to a regular routine of sitting down to carry out work, and ensure that the foundations to their learning are set. Make sure your child knows all his timetables, that his handwriting is up to scratch etc., and then build up the rest from there. It’s surprising how many able students don’t have a firm grip on the basics – this can impede their learning of the more demanding 11-plus topics, making them lose interest or confidence when working through papers.

These are just some of the basics that will help your child more easily manage the content required for the Kent or Bexley selection exams (grammar tests).

For more help and support, get touch – we would love to hear from you.