11+ preparation

Hello, Following on from your comments on the 11+ Exam. Which tutoring service did you use? Which others would you suggest? Thanks in advance.

We used Atom learning and some books we got from WHSmith. Doing mock tests really helps too.

Get a tutor, even just for the source of past papers. But a tutor is not enough. You as a parent has to know where is the “gap” and how to fill it. After all you know your DC the best.

Can please recommend a good (tried and tested!) private English tutor for creative writing and comprehension, for one on one online lessons, for Yr5 DD. TIA.

@Horizon17 I think you are best logging into 11+ forum and selecting Surrey...

Go on Outschool and search for 11 Plus. My DD does a weekly group 11+ lesson on there with a UK teacher for $6. It’s been fantastic so far.

Hi, I'm new to this forum. My son will be sitting the 11plus next year. Does anyone know what the 2nd stage essays were previously for Sutton Grammar and Wilson?

Thanks @withiceplease

And as bluebell says, loads of private schools have sample papers that I used for comprehension, vr, nvr, maths

Just google 11+ forum or as link as already shown
Broken down by area as it varies a good deal across the country
Lots of free resources on there that I used as well as other books
Most seem to have a tutor though I think. I just didn't want to be driving younger DC around after school to get to tutoring sessions and I work part time so had plenty of time to sort out questions, do printing off, planning etc etc

@Turefu hi both my ds and dd goes to a selective grammar school. My first point would be to find out what the school is testing them on and how many stages.. check out their website.

Some schools focus on VR and NVR and others on grammar, essay, punctuation.

Don't worry if your ds son doesn't read that much...it can be done. We had a tutor but yiu can't leave it up to them you will need to be involved in a more fun way...

Simple things like when you go for walks think of how you would describe the tree...it maybe strange but the idea is to expand the vocabulary

There are also of books but bond on line was the cheapest and caters for all.

Plus check independent schools they have free sample papers to print out and practice

@Splatling @cricketjoys85 Thank you both!

@barefootNpregnant
It's www.elevenplusexams.co.U.K.

It has a chat forum for each region of the U.K. so you can talk about Tiffin entry etc in the Surrey section.

@barefootNpregnant I think this is the one.

@withiceplease Where can I find the eleven plus forum please? Is it MN or external? Sorry clueless, just getting started on this! Thanks.

The Bond books now have explanations alongside the answers too.

@Turefu I was the same as you and thought my daughter would just be able to give it a go. In May of Y5 I got some past papers for her to try and it soon became clear that there were quite a few bits they hadn't covered at school. I then got her a tutor for the next 3 months up to the exam and it was well worth it. She not only covered the Maths but also really improved her creative writing and comprehension for the English paper.

Dd2 is now starting Y5 and I think I will tutor her earlier to give her a bit more time to prepare.

If you do decide to buy books/test papers, we liked the cgp ones because the answers had explanations of why something was right, rather than just which option.

The eleven plus forum is a great resource. Covers all the different areas of the country.
I coached my DC myself using info found on there

All four of my children have been through it (successfully). It's such a horrible system (we are in Kent).

Ours all went to Kip McGrath once a week and had probably an hour of homework a week. They also did a 'summer school' to help them practice under test conditions.

I agree with a PP who said that having a tutor or an external teacher works better and takes the emotion out of the equation, but it is possible to tutor them yourself. Check which company set the exam (GL/CGP) etc and just work through the books. And read, read, read - the VR needs a good vocabulary.

Good luck!

My dc has just started at a grammar - all of the class had tuition. It’s true that some may not need it and it would be better if none had it, but when the majority of people do it’s certainly something to be aware of! Personally I found it easier to have a tutor as it is a different relationship for the dc. The tutor will set homework anyway so parental involvement still needed. Mock exams are really worthwhile for exam practice. You need to find out which type of exam it is so that you get the right books. Vocabulary is v important, so lots of reading. Times tables and division tables need to be at their fingertips. Primary schools generally won’t help at all, and the fact that they won’t have covered the y6 syllabus is another key reason for tuition. Primary schools are all about ‘mastery’ whereas 11+ is about speed (tutors will teach ‘tricks’ ) and accuracy. And non verbal reasoning is not done in school at all.

I have a yr 5 child so just kooking at this now.

Yr 6 maths isnt usually taught in yr5 in state schools anymore ("mastery" curriculum) so this bit concerns me as to which areas we need to look at in more depth. And when - bit esrly now to teach yr 6 topics when she hasn't done yr 5. From memory in things like ratio and algebra...

We are going to work through some cgp books . Do check if it is GL or CEM ir some other exam so you get the right booklets.