Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Original poster

7+ exam

693 replies

Shehr · 26/09/2021 23:10

Anybody taking the 7+ exam this year? I have noticed there isn't a thread on it this year. We are going to be trying for St Paul's and Kings. At the moment we are really struggling with the comprehension. Anybody else in the same boat?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
2minutesplease · 26/09/2021 23:16

Hi Shehr,

Same here. My DS will be sitting Kings, St Paul’s and a couple of local prep schools (he’s now in state primary and I’m very keen on moving him).
With my DS, the main concern is comprehension too, especially when he’s dealing with inference questions. Which one of 2 schools is your 1st choice?

Original poster
Shehr · 26/09/2021 23:20

We are really struggling with time management at the moment. He is unable to finish it all within 25 minutes. Would you know if they prompt the boys to move onto the composition at Kings once the time is up for the comprehension or the boys need to manage the time themselves?

We like both the schools equally. Would be super happy to get a place at either. What about you?

OP posts:
2minutesplease · 26/09/2021 23:41

I know that they boys will be told when it’s about time to move to the next paper, also the examiner will tell them when it’s 10, 5 minutes left or so.
Our first choice is Kings as it’s much closer to where we live.
Does you son go to a prep or state school? Have you visited both schools already?
We’ve been at King’s open day with our DS, he was very impressed. I’ve also been to St Paul’s, but that was a tour for parents only. Hope that Open Day won’t be cancelled 🤞

Original poster
Shehr · 27/09/2021 20:18

I have just been to Kings so far and I loved it as well. Hoping to explore St Paul’s on the open day. What are you planning to do in the last few weeks now? I am getting really stressed out to be honest!

OP posts:
Original poster
Shehr · 27/09/2021 20:18

sorry forgot to say my DS is at a prep school.

OP posts:
2minutesplease · 27/09/2021 20:46

I’m planning not to overload him and even hope to go on a short holiday ☺️ I think that what could be done is done and plan just to give him a little bit of work roughly 5/7 days (he’s doing lots of sport and sometimes comes home very tired so I give him 2 days off work).

2minutesplease · 27/09/2021 21:04

(But of course I’m very stressed too…) but I see that more work is counterproductive in our case :( to make things worse everything should be done at home as our school is not helping in any way to prep for exams.

Curiousma · 26/10/2021 19:09

Hi Shehr
Same here. We are going to try King’s , St Paul and Westminster. Timing is an issue with creative writing as well.
Our school is an independent school and has a senior school too so it doesn’t prepare for 7+exam. Lots of pressure on us.

taj0112 · 26/10/2021 19:48

5 out of 7 days is a lot of extra work on top of school stuff?? Our daughter is doing the 7 plus but we don’t do anything during the week as she’s tired and has other clubs etc….

2minutesplease · 26/10/2021 20:57

Hi taj,
My DS is at state school so they give only 1 homework per week and no 7+ prep work whatsoever. So unfortunately all that should be done to get ready for exams comes on top.

taj0112 · 26/10/2021 21:44

But ours have the same at a prep school - one set of homework a week to be completed within 5 days and reading each day. It’s a lot for a child to do homework 5 days’ a week at that age? So even in lots of prep schools you don’t get that amount of work?

2minutesplease · 26/10/2021 21:50

I don’t know about other kids really, ours is doing fine. 3 times during the week when he has no after-school clubs or they are quite late and 2 times on the weekend. I don’t see how he could learn and practice all the things he is supposed to know to sit 7+ without this work at home, which is sad but we have to take it if we chose this route.

Curiousma · 27/10/2021 22:19

We do the same 3 weekdays evening around one hour and couple of hours during the weekends as well. I don’t think it is too much if your school is not preparing for the exam.
Also 2 week to go for the first exam so need to practise under time pressure 😬

2minutesplease · 28/10/2021 19:13

Did your DS sit (or plan) any mock exams Curiousma? My DS will be sitting one this Sunday. I hope it will give pretty realistic idea about the chances as I doubt that someone will be better prepared than 2 weeks before :)

Curiousma · 28/10/2021 19:27

Yes my son took couple of mock exams so far I think mock exams are really useful and helping to improve weak areas. He will be taking a mock this Sunday too😊

2minutesplease · 29/10/2021 21:00

Good luck for your DS’s mock! Hope he’ll perform brilliantly;)

Curiousma · 29/10/2021 21:43

I think they will be sitting the same mock this Sunday:) Good luck to your DS too.

Curiousma · 09/11/2021 17:47

Time is ticking. It is very stressful for me. How do you feel?

Original poster
Shehr · 09/11/2021 20:09

@Curiousma Same here but trying not to show it to DS. How was the mock results for you guys? My DS also sat for it on 31st.

OP posts:
Curiousma · 09/11/2021 22:47

Mock was fine for us but generally it is not consistent one day flying, the other day messing up 😩

2minutesplease · 10/11/2021 08:53

Our mock was not bad either but it all depends on a comprehension- DS can score 40% for the more difficult one. Generally I’m trying to stay relaxed because there were no major improvements since August with DS so I’m convinced that this is the best level he can reach for now.
Good look to everyone on Thursday/Friday/Saturday!

Original poster
Shehr · 10/11/2021 09:06

Do you know how they are grouping boys on the activity day? Is it based on schools? Like all boys from the same school in one group.

OP posts:
Curiousma · 10/11/2021 09:19

I don’t know how they group the boys. My DS is the only one taking exam from our school. One of my friend told that her son is taking with lot of boys from his school and even from his class.

cricketjoys85 · 10/11/2021 09:24

All school entrance tests onsite tend to group children from same class / school together so they don't talk about it in the playground giving others an advantage etc.

Curiousma · 11/11/2021 16:10

Hi all,
How was the assessment at King’s today?