Cambridge ESAT prep

[Shodan]

Hoping that someone might be able to help!

DS2 is taking the ESAT in October. He's a very capable student (predicted 4 x A stars- Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Chemistry) but is stressing a bit about timings.

XH and I have said that if he wants, we'll engage a tutor for him, but I'm wondering if that's necessary? His sole issue is that he needs to work faster, because of the time pressure in the ESAT. Would just doing practice papers be sufficient?

I know that as it's a new exam format it's difficult to gauge, but if anyone has any clue I'd be grateful to hear ideas.

I think it is meant to put you under timing pressure. My YP did the NSAA and could do all the questions pretty much but needed about 10% more time than allowed when they practiced past papers. They got 4 A star and got into C but I know the NSAA score was lower than they hoped because they ran out of time. Although going into the exam they said they would have a strategy of moving onto another question if they were wasting time on one, they found in practice that you had to spend some time getting into the question to see if you could do it. If that makes sense.
in contrast in A level exams, all the sciences and maths, they finished the papers with about 40% of the time left

so if a tutor would make them faster it might help I guess but it is speed as well as application.