This is the time of year where you may be worrying about your child entering their secondary school. For many parents around the UK, this will be a choice between a comprehensive and a grammar school, but to enter the latter you need to your child to pass the 11+ exam.
Here we will go over some revision tips to make sure your child performs at their best.
Start Revision Nice and Early
It’s so important, and this cannot be overstated, do not rush into this revision last minute. The 11 plus is a complicated exam for a young child (and for some adults!) and so you want to give adequate time for full absorption of the materials.
Don’t put too much pressure on your child, and allow them to discover all the topics involved in the exam at their own pace, whether that’s the CEM style of the GL style of examination, which is dependent on the area of your grammar school.
Identify Weak Spots and Practice Topics
For many children there will be a particular area where they struggle, so it’s important to get your child familiar with all topics early on to ensure you can identify these weak spots early and start doing extra practice on those subjects.
Some of the most common problem areas are:
- Complex maths questions
- Verbal reasoning
- Shuffled sentences
But a full extensive list of topics should be consulted before starting your revision.
Use 11 Plus Practice Test Papers
One of the best ways that your child can get accustomed to the 11 plus exam is to take mock exams and practice papers at home. These help to familiarise them with the timings and layout of the test, meaning they will be fully prepared once they take their actual grammar school entrance exam.
If you need to download test papers then you can buy 11+ practice papers online as a pdf with answers at 11 Plus Leap, which can help you child perform really well.
Using a Tutor for the 11 Plus
As a last resort for a struggling child, or for peace of mind, a tutor can be a great way to ensure that your child passes their entrance exam. The development of the CEM style of test was supposed to make it more difficult to tutor for the 11 plus exam, and it did, however it is still possible and can make a big difference, as the experience of the tutor can pick up all of the key issues a child may be having with the paper.