8+ Prep Independent School Test

[LearnToBeMum]

Dear Mums, Need your help here.

My DS appeared for the 7+ tests this year for most of the top London schools but he wasn't able to get through them. I am a bit disappointed with the results but the thing is I wasn't tutoring him much and that could be the main reason as I was assuming just a bit above average kid should be able to do it. In short, I can say we were not well prepared for the exams and did take them lightly.

I would now like to give 8+ a shot and this I would to start ahead and see if my DS has the potential to do it with the prep. I will really appreciate if you can guide me through this rough sea and get me to the shore.

Few pointer questions I have:

1. Does it really make sense to go for 8+ as he is not well prepared for 7+
2. Is online resources like Exampaperplus enough to get through 8+ ( shall we got for 7+ first and then 8+)
3. If tutors can help more than the regular study at home, any good Maths, English Tutor you recommend ( around £30-40 per hour is fine) around Sunbury, Hampton, Feltham or Twickenham.
4. Has anyone tried First class Learning classes, how is your feedback for them?

I will highly appreciate your response on this.

@Jesse21plus the difference IMO is that kids need time outside of school to rest and pursue other activities, self direct their learning, engage in imaginative and unstructured play etc to develop fully.

Sending a child to an academically focused school preparing for exams may be controversial to some which I totally get. However, 1.5 hours a day plus 4 hours on the weekends of imposed exam prep is just completely developmentally inappropriate and these threads on mumsnet are normalising quite extreme behaviour.

Even the most academic schools would never put this much pressure on 6 year olds in the time outside of school.

@LondonGirl83 Congratulation to you for your DC .

I guess I understood the point you are making here that an extremely able child doesnt need such extensive amount of study hours outside school. Also I agree that at this stage the schools should be more focussed on the overall growth of the Child and not just prepping him for 7+. However, if that means focussing more during the actual study time in school that shouldnt be a problem, provided the all other activities are being well taken care of.

I just mean a very academic school suits a very academic child that shouldn’t need such a huge amount of tutoring that it takes up most of their free time outside of school to prepare for the exam.

It wasn’t meant to be a brag about my DD, just to clarify I’m not against academic schools per se. However, there should be reasonable limits on what parents expect their children to do to gain entry.

@LearnToBeMum you sound sensible so it’s not meant as any personal attack on you.

I am also not against academic schools but I am against the intense pressure put on so many children, including the academically able. I am not sure a thread on MN will have any significant impact either way, it is beyond crazy where we live.

For what it’s worth our oldest (never tutored, never sat 7+) is now in a very academic school aged 13. We know several children who started academic schools after 11+ where the parents just didn’t want to push them early. Sadly some did push them, the children didn’t pass but once they matured it was easy. I think that was such a waste of time the children could have done other things.

I think some children develop later and even if they don’t, the chance of getting really good at a sport or an instrument (or whatever they love doing) whilst in primary school is better than academics at that age. This is my personal opinion and obviously if the child isn’t into sports or music, then they shouldn’t be forced. They could find any interest and develop it.

I would say that sports is good because a boy who plays in the top team for his school is unlikely to ever be bullied. The girls playing in the top teams seem less focused on makeup and weight (could just be our experience).

And if you are scholarship level on an instrument, this helps at 11+ admissions.

@LondonGirl83 Not at all dear.

I feel discussing my fears and doubts on this platform with other moms help me take better decisions and look at things from a different perspective.

@HooverIsAlwaysBroken Couldn't agree more. It's just that we might never know for sure when our DC start maturing.

I feel if parents are keeping an eye on the child about his learnings and his activities in school and outside, its hard to see them going off track.

The little prep we did for 7+, I was tormented between all these thoughts. Shall I let him play or let him do some Art or Piano. I just wasn't sure if all this 7+ preparation is worth his precious time and childhood.

I am glad that I didn't push him much, we took it easy. Just assuming here, that he will be maturing at a later stage.

Hi Mums - those with experience in the 8+ entrance exam at St. Paul’s Boys School in Barnes, can you please recommend a tutor and/or a Dictation practice book/texts? Many thanks!

@teenymalini all you need for dictation practice are the books you’ve already got at home. Dictations test for SPaG, and if you want, you could try the EPP papers, though they are quite advanced for 8+ IMO. Can help with tutor recommendations if you DM, though based in SW London, if that helps at all?

Thanks @Ligurianbread, I thought so myself as well since I could not find anything on Amazon or in Waterstones etc. I found some on Twinkl and that’s it. I’ll DM you asap.