Any 11+ advice for Oxford schools?

[lasermaze]

Hello,
I am planning to enter ds (going into year 6) for entrance exams for Oxford private schools next year - Abingdon School and MCS and perhaps a couple of others as well (not decided). He's currently state educated and back-up would be the local comp.
I am preparing him myself using Bond papers. Maths is going well but he's finding English harder. He's not very good at spelling trickier words such as parliament, sovereign, protein, receipt etc. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on online resources I could use to help him, particularly with spelling but perhaps other skills as well. Also any advice on outside help such as online tuition (particularly if they take childcare vouchers) although I realise I might have left it too late for that. Many thanks for any help!

For MCS, I’d recommend working through the Manchester grammar maths papers as well as Bond books. From personal experience, not being able to spell tricky words is forgiven (one DS could barely spell and the other certainly would not have been able to spell the words you list; both got into MCS). I think that a good vocabulary and well-structured, lively writing is more important than technical perfection.

Thanks so much for your reassuring response! Will work through the Manchester papers as you suggest. Can I ask if your boys went to MCS? If so did they enjoy it? We are applying as ds clever (though not so much at spelling!) and want to give him a chance at something more than the local comp, given how bored he’s been at primary. But journey would be a train and bus so not sure if worth it on that front even if he does get in.

Have PM’ed you!