What actually are the 11+ exams? How can I support my child through the 11+ exam process? Do I really need a tutor or can I do it myself? These are all typical questions I get asked every year when exam prep time comes around.
The 11+ exam process is very much a family commitment. Even though the student will be taking the exam, the other aspects of preparation involve parents supporting their child in revising for their exam.
Here are some key tips for ensuring, as a team, you will feel ready for taking that important exam:
1) What does the exam involve?
The 11+ grammar exam includes skills that we don’t teach in our schools, particularly the Verbal Reasoning (VR) and Non- Verbal Reasoning (NVR) parts of the exam. Therefore it is essential that you as a parent are sure you know exactly what the exam paper comprises of.
The four parts of the exam are: maths; English; VR; NVR.
2) How can I best support my child?
It would be a lie to say that the 11+ is not a big commitment. I cannot simply be that parents want their child to take the exam: the child must also understand and agree to the effort and commitment required. Hence, it is really important to discuss ahead of committing to the exam process with your child what the exam actually is, what they will need to do to work towards its preparation and be aware that it will likely require hard work.
To do it well, you need to dedicate regular time and dedication towards the revision. This may be Saturday mornings, throughout the school holidays and during other typical ‘downtimes’. It may also include parents overseeing this schedule and being there to support with the learning and practice activities. Creating a regular schedule will really help to keep this momentum.
3) What 11+ resources will I need?
There are some fantastic resources out there for practicing the 11+ skills. Personally, I am a big fan of the CGP books and online materials. They offer a fantastic range of books and online products. There are a range of providers however, such as Bond 11+ Books so feel free to have a look around.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive if you are prepared to do a little research. There are plenty of websites and Youtube channels offering free tutorials/activities. The 11plusGenie is just one website and Youtube channel example. These can be really helpful in your want to prepare without the need for a specialised tutor.
4) Be time aware
A key element of the exam is to work to time. Practice papers will give you a guide as to how long should be spent on each section, and you can gradually build up to this speed. Do not try and work as quickly as you need to all at once as this will feel overwhelming for a child when preparing for the exam.
Take it step by step, shortening the time taken very gradually. This can be, for example, by beginning with 10 NVR questions of the same type. Start at a rate of 1 question per minute, then reducing to 45 seconds and then 30 seconds.
Some books are also offer ’10 minute practice’ activities, so these give a good indication of the amount of questions ideally answered in this time.
5) Do I need tutor support or can I do this myself?
To do this independently you will need to find the time each week to source the materials, guide your child through new skills and check their work for accuracy. For the maths skills particularly, you may need to teach yourself the methods before then teaching them to your child.
If all of this sounds a little overwhelming to organise, and then schedule into the weekly to do list, you could consider an experienced, local tutor. They can take the pressure off parents by guiding you through the process, delivering lessons based on the key skills and activities on a weekly or regular basis and be there as an experienced ear to answer any questions you will undoubtedly have.
If this sounds like something you would appreciate, contact me for details of my 11+ grammar courses. You can even register for my free taster lesson to see the kind of skills required to prepare for the exams.
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