Description: Maths tutor Lucie shares her advice on how to successfully pass 11+ entrance exams.
Practice Questions
The English and Maths questions in an 11+ exam can be very different to the style of questions children come across in school. Similarly, verbal and non-verbal reasoning could be completely foreign to them. The only way to prepare for this is to familiarise your child with example questions and past papers. Each year, the style of questions rarely change and it is essential that your child is exposed to these styles of questions in order to do well. The more example questions completed, the less daunting and more approachable they will seem in the real exam!
Timing
Many students struggle with timing during the 11+. The test could be going well and one really difficult question creeps up on them and before you know it, they have wasted 20 minutes and the rest of the paper remains unfinished or rushed. This is so common, especially in children that are capable and know that they could get the right answer eventually. But in the 11+, you simply do not have the time. It’s important that your child is aware and knows that if a question is taking too much time, skip it and came to it at the end if possible.
They could do 5 questions correctly in the time they spent on that one. After familiarising your child with the style of questions, try doing some practise papers with 75% of the time they would get in the real exam. You can never fully replicate the pressure, stress and environment of the real exam but the added 25% time will relieve this slightly. Hopefully, they will even have time to check their answers!
Reading
This one might seem less directly relevant, but in many English and verbal reasoning exams students could be presented with very sophisticated language. If a child is well-read, they are far more likely to have an extended vocabulary which will definitely benefit them and give them that extra edge.
Calm and confident
Most likely, the 11+ will be the first exam a child will sit that actually holds a consequence for their future. It can be nerve-wracking – terrifying even. It’s so important that you as a parent remain relaxed when discussing the 11+ with your child so that they employ the same outlook. Even the most intelligent children can crack under pressure. Having done lots of timed past papers, hopefully by then your child is confident and assured in their own ability. Confidence is key to unlocking personal potential and achieving academic excellence.
However, sometimes even the most prepared and intelligent people crack under pressure and it is a lot of pressure for an 11/12-year-old. Although it’ll be disappointing if 11+ results and not what you were hoping for, motivated children will always find opportunities to excel and succeed in any environment.