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Original poster

11+ Self Tutoring

38 replies

JustKeepSwimmingJustKeepSwimmi · 01/12/2018 20:50

we live in a v selective Grammar area and we cant afford to tutor. I used to teach but not primary/11+ material.

What do I need to do to help my child with the 11+? Did anyone else do this?

I was thinking the 9-10version of the 11+ booklets initially (weve started one of these) for my year 5 child. We have 3 subjects. Presumably we need to move onto the 10-11 version before they have even finished year 5 material in school!?

How much prep should I be looking at. An hour a weekend initially and the 10min a a day books in summer?

My child does sport and other extra curricular so we dont have tons of time but she is quite geeky and superbright so the grammar would probably be a good fit.

OP posts:
Original poster
JustKeepSwimmingJustKeepSwimmi · 02/12/2018 09:06

Super selective, about 6-9 out of 90 in our year got in last year though (all tutored tjat Im aware of but mostly just towards the end). GL and 3 tests in one sitting .

OP posts:
Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 02/12/2018 09:05

Go to the 11+ forum - it'll tell you what the tests are like in your area, and any other information that could be useful, e.g. providers of test, format of tests, timing of tests. www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/11plus/index.php

Just a word of warning though - some of the posters are a trifle intense.

Original poster
JustKeepSwimmingJustKeepSwimmi · 02/12/2018 09:05

Thanks Ginal. Im glad we did the earlier one for verbal reasoning as its a completely new skill to her and shes found it easy.

Im not sure about jumping into maths thats that far ahead . If the 10 one is easy she will whizz through it so we can start the 11 one! At least with me I can look at both and we can do a bit each day and I can mix it up a bit

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MrsPatmore · 02/12/2018 09:03

Do you mean you are in a super selective Grammar area? Or in an area where 25% who sit get offered a place? I think it makes a difference to the preparation. Head over to the Elevenplusexams website - there is a forum for all of the different areas and their respective exam formats.These vary ie; is it CEM, GL, one stage or two stages etc. Key mantra; speed plus accuracy. Mock tests are very good too.

Original poster
JustKeepSwimmingJustKeepSwimmi · 02/12/2018 09:02

Hidden the 11+ covers material that year 6 are expected to have finished. As shes just started year 5 Im giving her the books theyre supposed to do at the end of year 5, which still means sge wont have covered for eg the maths.

I think we can work through them so she gets the style of questioning and then move it up to the next level.

So far weve pretty much finished the verbal reasoning. The next book (i have both the easier and harder ones for each subject!) looks the same style but trickier questions. Its a whole new way of answering questions so it definitely has helped to ease her in to all the styles of questions they do. (Its GL exams so a set type of question categories for verbal reasoning.) I think getting through the "easier" book will lay down the frame work rather than jumping into 11+ which is a year and a half ahead. Ive only done verbal reasoning so far as weve only been going slowly with a plan to do more after xmas.

Weve certainly got friends that have only really started after Easter with familiarisation papers/proper prep in the summer with classes and quite a few got in.

Alternatively the private schools prep for ages and theres def a group of tutoring agencies that will start in year 4! I don't believe in this personally.

OP posts:
GinaLinetti99 · 02/12/2018 08:58

I'm an 11+ tutor. If your child is in Y5, I would really recommend that they start with the 10-11 books. I would be aiming for several short bursts a week, with a longer session at the weekend.

Hiddeninplainsight · 02/12/2018 08:52

I'll be interested to see what others say but I think you might be better to start with 10-11 and then move to the 11+ sample papers, although the how-to books are perhaps the most useful first starting point (at least for VR and NVR - and even for comprehension to a certain degree). Personally for the superselectives and with a very academic DD I wouldn't start with 9/10.

showmeyourgroovymoves · 02/12/2018 08:49

Practice tests definitely sound like they will be useful then. And learning to do things quickly. My mantra is "the answer is in front of you and 3 of them are probably way off, so work out the wrong answers". A lot of the time they think they need to work out the answer, whereas imo they work out which it isn't. Good luck. Doing it yourself can be stressful (but I'm not a teacher.....you'll be fine Smile)

Original poster
JustKeepSwimmingJustKeepSwimmi · 02/12/2018 01:04

Thankyou.

They dont do CAT tests so even the aspect of filling in the little "lozenges" is new to them!!! I remember annual "Richmond tests" at school and we did some practice 11+ "in my day."

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showmeyourgroovymoves · 01/12/2018 22:53

That sounds very similar to our prep. For us, in the summer hols, it was much more about strategy (if its too difficult go back to it, answer all of them even if its a guess, work out which isn't the answer and pick the likeliest, what to do if you are running out of time etc) whereas before that it was more practicing the different type of questions. If they do CAT tests at school, it won't all be new to them.

Original poster
JustKeepSwimmingJustKeepSwimmi · 01/12/2018 21:09

I sort of wanted to start yr 5 a bit low key (we visited the grammar open day end of year 4 so we could see if they liked it initially!) and have emphasised they'd do well wherever they go. Ive also bigged up the other schools (one in particular) as I hate the feeling that they'd put so much work into it and then "fail". Ive said its fun to do and will help prepare for secondary whatever they do.

I think plan is bits together of 9-10 books til feb then start the 10-11 ones then summer do the 10min a day books and some practice real tests (as opposed to ones in the books.)
Does that sound right?

OP posts:
Flowersonthewall · 01/12/2018 21:01

You sound like me in a years time! My daughter will be in year 5 so not starting anything now but good to get some ideas for this time next year xx

showmeyourgroovymoves · 01/12/2018 20:57

We have signed up to Bond online and my DS does a bit every weekend. It is hard work but I sit with him. Its not about scores, more getting used to questions and a bit of strategy. Pass or not, he will be ok with the format etc.

My DD took it 2 years ago and we used the books. Ramped it up to most days during the summer hols. She passed and is loving year 7. You don't need a tutor imo. All the kids I know that were tutored didn't pass, but are very happy in a non selective school as that is right for them.

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