11+ Grammar School Prep
What are the ‘11+’ exams?
The 11-plus exam is a test given to pupils in their last year of primary school, around the age of 10 or 11, hence the name "11+." It is used to determine whether that pupil is suited to the academic rigors of grammar school education.
How do I know my child can sit the 11+ exams? or is suitable for the exams?
Firstly, it is important that your child wants to go to grammar school, but also loves learning and is confident in their abilities. At a grammar school, the pace of the lessons is often a lot faster than in a non-selective school, so they'll need to be a focused and motivated individual in order to keep up.
It is also important to understand how academic your child is before deciding whether 11+ exams will be right for them. Is your child gifted academically? Are their school reports always well above average? Are your child’s results above average in their SATs? Does your child’s teacher or tutor feel that passing the 11+ is achievable for your child?
These are important questions that can let you know whether 11+ tests are suitable for your child.
What sort of 11+ test will my child have to take?
The 11+ exam papers will be based on some or all of the following topics:
1. Verbal Reasoning
This involves children thinking about words and text and solving problems, sequences (in both numbers and letters), synonyms and antonyms, and compound words. Verbal Reasoning requires your child to have a good grasp of English grammar and a wide vocabulary. Most schools will use at least one verbal reasoning test.
2. Non-Verbal Reasoning
This test type covers a wide range of subject areas such as which shape is next in the series, odd one out, reflections, and an awareness of 2-D and 3-D shapes. Your child may also be required to understand rotation and symmetry.
Here is an example of what questions may look like: -
E is the answer because it is the only image where the black circle covers a corner of the rectangle.
Non-Verbal Reasoning also makes demands on the child's mathematical capabilities perhaps being asked to calculate how much of a shape is shaded. Understanding simple concepts such as right and left or up and down will help your child deal with more complex and demanding aspects of Non-Verbal Reasoning.
Many schools use non-verbal reasoning tests.
3. Mathematics and English
These are used by most schools. However, where they are used you can expect the standards and levels of work to be quite high.
Begin with research
If you have decided that 11+ tests would be suitable for your child, then you should begin researching which schools you’re applying for and if possible, consider visiting them as early as possible. Sometimes parents start 11+ preparation and then find out months later that the school they’re applying for doesn’t even test a certain subject so it’s best to know where you’re applying to first. Then you can plan accordingly. It’s also worth reaching out to your target schools and confirming which format their exams are in and which subjects your child will sit exams in. For example, some schools require students to only sit exams in Maths and English, whilst others assess Reasoning as well.
Will a tutor help?
The critical thinking aspect of the exam is tested through verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning papers. However, this is not taught as part of the school syllabus in primary school. This is part of the reason why many parents choose the option of private tutors to prepare their children for the test. So, it is no surprise that many families choose tutoring to support their child’s preparations for the 11+ exams.
Lots of parental time will be required
Some parents with little time on their hands hope that hiring a Tutor will mean the process is low impact. In fact, you’ll find the process of managing homework and reading at home and ferrying a child to and from a tutor does involve quite a large time commitment. So, this will be important to think about when deciding whether this level of commitment is right for your family and child.
Early preparation
We know that not all parents are fortunate enough to have discovered the 11+ early, but as a general rule of thumb, early preparation makes a tremendous difference. If you can, start laying the foundation for your child’s educational success as early as possible and avoid leaving exam prep to the last minute. Even before you begin working through 11+ books, strengthen your child’s academic foundation by teaching them new vocabulary words and helping them to build their English and Maths skills. For instance, it’s a great idea to pick up books that cover topics such as SPAG, arithmetic, mental maths, and comprehension. We would recommend starting to prep at the beginning of year 4, giving your child 2 years to prepare for the exams.
TutorBEE 11+ Program
Our ‘11+’ tuition program covers all the topics within the 11+ papers, including but not limited to reading, writing, spelling, punctuation, vocabulary, literacy, comprehension, fractions, decimals, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, prime numbers, prime factors, money and so much more!
You will be required to purchase the relevant books and test booklets which will have everything your child needs when preparing for the tests.
It is important to note that while tutoring can greatly enhance your child’s understanding and improve their chances of success, it's important to note that it does not guarantee a pass on the exam.
Get in contact with us to find out more about our 11+ services and ways we can support your child.
