Westminster Under 7+ Preparation

[macri]

Anyone would like to give me some advices re preparation of tests for 7+ test at Westminster Under.

Thanks Macri

If WUS is like the other competitive entry prep schools in London (Latymer, Kings, Colet Court), they should be sending you a confirmation packet for the 7+ exam with topics to be covered.

Are you coming from a pre-prep or state (this will determine if you need to do additional work). If you are from a pre-prep, are they should be preparing your son for the exam adequately without any additional work. If you are coming from the state sector, Bond books are good for comprehension, verbal/non verbal, and maths. You would have to do additional writing work with him. Just to give you an idea, your son should be working at a minimal of a National Curriculum level of 3 to have any chance of passing (competition is scary for entrance into any of those schools!).

A bit of advice if you are coming from state school. Use this year as a dry run and go again at 8+.

We transferred DS1 from state to one of these schools at 9. We did not tutor but I ran through what would happen because the school sent some examples. DS1 flew through the entrance. These schools are very demanding and in my experience children who have to be heavily tutored to get in struggle when they are there. DD1 was not High School material although she did one entrance exam at 11 at her insistence and we crossed our fingers that she wouldn't get in - she made the reserve list. She is now at a very small school and for the first time has begun to "fly". It was so right not to tutor her into one of the high schools where I am certain she would have been in the bottom half and her confidence would have dropped and the lights would have gone out. Interesting point about the entrance at 9 was the fact that the tests finished 1/2 hour earlier than parents were told and then games were set out and boys left to their own devices with the head quietly observing. I don't think the selection is made on tests alone.