Wellington College Pre-test Prep

[birdie27]

My daughter will be sitting the Wellington College ISEB Pretest in October this year. I found Pretest.co.uk, but I have to say the maths is extremely challenging and contains questions that I don't think a Year 6 child would know. How can I help her prepare for it? Are there any good websites/papers? Does anyone have advice having had a child already sit it? Thank you.

[AnotherNewt]

Is your DD at a prep?

If so, does the head think the academic level of Wellington is right? (It's fairly middling, though it was fashionable in the Seldon years, so was a bit pickier then, though I think that was more on reference than required CE score).

You can buy past papers from ISEB, and you could try Galore Park text books if you're DD is not at a prep and you want to cover the topics that are typically on a prep school syllabus.

[birdie27]

Thank you for your prompt reply! Yes she is, and the Head thinks she is more than capable academically, and that Wellington is a good fit for her. I have bought all the Galore books, and she is managing well, but her score on the Pretest site was poor. I wonder if anyone else has had any experience with this being the case, and that I'm worrying for no reason, or if the Pretest is a true reflection of what she will sit at Wellington.

[DSandDD]

Do they do standardised testing (or CATs) at the prep? If yes, they are pretty indicative... Bond Online is good to practise on..

[birdie27]

Yes, I believe they do. It's just that she is leaving there at the end of term, and will be starting a new (prep) school in September, and I'm concerned about the 'dead' time in the summer. I will have a look at Bond Online, thank you very much.

[Michaelahpurple]

BOFA does pre-test like online stuff

[Michaelahpurple]

BOFA does pre-test like online stuff

[Michaelahpurple]

There aren't sample papers sadly but I found the galore park preparations for 11+ books to be pretty much the right level

[Cwandry]

HI Birdie. I was in exactly your situation last year. MY elder daughter had a place there... Barberry academic. We did no prep. Second daughter was to do the pretext. I was a little worried she may not be as ready. I got her to do one of those online pre tests!!! Disaster! It was really difficulty, she ended them in tears.. Feeling stupid. So I knocked it in the head. No more prep. Said it doesn't matter either way,

She sat the actual pre test. She said it was fine, not that tricky (easier than map tests... Which they do at the international school she is at) and she got invited for the selection day.

When they say don't prep the kids, I really do think it is good advice, it just adds stress and pressure they really don't need at 10. Also keep remembering you only want her to go to a school where she can comfortably keep up with the work. No point getting into a school that is super academic if that is not your thing.

As it turned out she did get offered a place... We haven't accepted it as she much preferred a smaller much more low key school we visited where she also got offered a place. Elder one still going though.

Good luck. Try not to get caught up in the prep thing, just try to let what will be be. Easier said than done I know.

[Cwandry]

That online pretext is NOT a good reflection of the actual ones. The actual ones are student led. So if a kid gets an answer on a subject right, they get asked a harder one, if they get it wrong they get asked an easier one. That way the child comes out feeling positive and the test is so clever as it really finds out what they know. Smart algorithms.

[Vco001]

Hello-
We have been in London for only two years so I am a newbie at English prep schools. I have a child in year 6 in a SW London Prep school. She did her 11+ in Jan and has been accepted into her first choice school (yay!). I am shocked, though, by how little her school has done academically after Jan. To make matters worse, we just received a message from her school that lessons are pretty much done for the year, no homework, and the focus is completely focused on the school play. The email contained a few websites that the children could log onto and work on if they choose. So far, we have been very happy with the education at this school. However, my daughter is going to an academically competitive school and I don't want her to fall into the "summer slump" with no academics over the next few months. Before I make a big deal about this to the school, is this the norm at other prep schools around London? What do other schools do for the summer term? We have the school play, the PGL trip, sports day and that's about it. I feel like I should have sent her to Sauvetrre or another program which is similar in which she would at least be learning another language. I am very curious to know how other schools operate. Thanks in advance!