Has anybody successfully tutored for the 11+ completely by themselves(need reassurance)

[Blueskiesandbuttercups]

DS year 4 desperately wants to go but we can't afford tutoring.He is bright,driven and I was a teacher so in theory it shouldn't be too hard.

His friend is also going for it but they're well off so tutoring and have already started.Ds is nagging me to get started.

Sooo went on the 11+ forum typed in the school to order books and I'm already in a pickle.They cost £££££ so need to get it right. We like CPG but loads are listed we haven't heard off. Would it be ok to just go with Bond and CPG or should we go with exactly those listed?

Is it possible to do this ourselves or am I deluding myself? If I screw this up I'll feel like shit- forever! Need lots of reassurance.

I have done this twice, with DS1 and DS2, both times at their insistence rather than mine (they asked for a tutor and I explained that it wasn't financially or logistically possible but offered to prepare them myself). This is what I did:

I researched the subjects, papers and formats used in the test I was preparing them for. So for example, I knew it was standard format rather than multiple choice, how many questions in how many minutes etc.

I assessed them to find out where their strengths and weaknesses were. DS1 wasn't confident with algebra or averages, but was strong on vocabulary, for example.

We then did one Maths topic / question type each week. Plus a ten minute test or two each week that they did without my help.

Closer to the test, we worked on exam technique, time management etc and worked up to doing full-length papers.

In the month before the test, they did some timed papers in the quiet section of the local library.

OP - I just picked up on the fact that your DC is in Year 4. We didn't start home tutoring until this time in Year 5 so chillax :)

As for the friend that has started tutoring now, she will probably find that in 18 months time she will have one bored, unenthusiastic and over cooked DC.

Are you sure it isn't the mock in July? Ds2 had a mock in July, real thing in September.

Wow many thanks for all the info.Really helpful and reassuring.

Don't worry not planning to start immediately(although his friend has which is a bit worrying). Was thinking about in the summer hols as the exam will be Sep 2014( I think going by the info on the forum site). Was thinking of making sure he is up to speed with all the content first(maths topics covered,VR etc). Or do you think that is still too early?

The problem is his primary school isn't that great,bottom quintile for everything in year 6, all the local state schools are hugely better on the Data Dashboard site.Had a poor Ofsted and they're ploughing everything in to those not achieving that they should,those that are and above there is zero interest in.Lots of staff leaving,weak head,no parent info at all.We had to insist on seeing work at parents evening,asked for levels but they needed updating......

DS wants this bad.He is bright,driven and I think ok going by my own assessments however I just can't leave it to chance.I'd never forgive myself if I let him down again. To the poster questioning my tutoring I agree to some extent however I can't just sit back and hope he has covered everything to the level the kids in better schools will have.Say he won't have,there is a high probability of this.I have to give him an equal chance and we don't have the money for expensive tutors so it's me!Aside from everything else he wants to do the work.

Has anybody used the AE creative writing course?It's listed on the recommended materials for his school on the 11+ forum but it's £40 for the 6 books. He has to do an essay,his spelling,punctuation etc will be fine but I'm a bit about his possible content.This will be the only weakness imvho but as I said he has enjoyed G&T courses for this area so maybe I'm worrying over nothing.

Also is all the exam info listed under each school on the forum reliable?

Well I think the clue is in your DS wanting to do the work and wanting to go to a grammar school. I think you may find that, regardless of his attending a poor-performing school, with your help and his motivation he will achieve his goal!!

I think that is a major issue! DS was very keen to go to a grammar school although he didn't exactly show a lot of motivation when doing his practice papers .

I do think that a lot of parents think that if you throw money at a tutor any child can get in. I personally do not think that is always the case.

It sounds as if your DS has all the attributes, with your support, for achieving his grammar school dream so good luck to him. I think your support is key. The role of the school is secondary (so it essentially makes little difference whether it's a really good or really bad one) as most schools are entirely indifferent (if not downright against) to 11+ exams and won't help aspiring pupils anyway. The only thing is to ensure that there are no gaps in his basic Maths/English knowledge which could be his undoing in competitive exams. But that's where your help kicks in!

Good luck and you can certainly do it!

I see that another poster has reiterated what I said about not starting too soon. Really, a bright child should not need more than about six-eight months of practice. They really do reach a peak with their 11+ learning journey and you want to ensure that they reach it at the time of the exams, not the beginning of the Summer hols or earlier!!!

Yes he'll be fine if he wants to go. In ds2's case I made it clear to him that I had no expectations of him heading to grammar but if that's what he wanted then I was happy to help him. It WAS like pulling teeth at the time because although he knows what he wants & sort of understands that he needs to work for it, actually surgically removing himself from the computer at times to do a practice paper was painful! He got there though :)

Ah thank you,reassuring re school no mattering so much too.I won't feel so shite if he doesn't get in.

Be absolutely sure that you are using the right books and past papers for your area, they do vary. Try the regional section of the 11+ forum to be sure.

And try not to make too big a deal out of it. And make sure that you sell the school he will go to if he doesn't pass as hard as you can. There are no guarantees.

Will definitely do that,will really big it up and play down the grammar although not in a neg way. He is sensible so will see the good in both.The alternative isn't a bad choice but the grammar fits him to a T.

You might be in the same area as me, op

As your primary school is below par I would be really aware that there might be massive holes in your sons knowledge- both in maths and English...despite ds being in top sets of these at his (below?) average primary school, when he first saw the papers, he didn't have the knowledge to do hardly any of it...

For now get him to read as much as he can - good luck he sounds v motivated...

Thankfully he is an avid reader,I'm reading a lot to them all(currently a few older classics to get the language). We've started a new vocab book ie jotting down new words and I'm going to print of the vocab list off the forum site to cover further words which crop up.

I know what you mean re holes,this is exactly what I'm worried about and if you get zero info like we do you have no way of knowing.We do the CPG Eng and Math wb for each year group of the year they've just finished during the summer just incase.It's just 1 of each and they're not that challenging but you can see any holes.

With English and Maths a child needs to be KS L5 at the time of the exam. Bearing in mind a lot of state schools aim for their kids to be at L4 and maybe L5 at the end of year 6, one needs to work on that gap as soon as possible.

That's with exams for private schools. I don't know about GS exams.

Yes, I think Blueskies... that particularly with maths you will soon see where your DC needs help - I seem to recall that despite DS always being in the top set for maths, his long division was remarkably bad so we had to do quite a bit on that - because the basics are what the 11+ exams are essentially testing them on.

You sound really on it, blueskies - much more so than I was - the reading will make a massive difference to him and yes, at least you are aware there will be gaps - I didn't expect that and so I was a bit complacent at first.

The most important thing is that you get the right books for the area you are living in. There is no point doing Bond VR if you are in an area that does a different kind of VR.

I tutored both of mine myself. One got a very high score and passed by a long way, but the other one narrowly failed. The one that failed was always going to be borderline really, so the outcome would probably have been the same with a tutor.

I enjoyed tutoring them and they enjoyed doing the work. It was of benefit to both the one that passed and the one that failed as they both got into the habit of working hard before they arrived at secondary school, and hard work will be more important than intelligence when it comes to passing exams later on.

How do you know exactly which VR the school is doing?

You research it on the EPE forum or look at past papers to see the range of questions. Some areas only use 15 question types, others 21, others more.

I didn't do any additional prep at all with my older four since they all went to a school with good teachers. Or rather, they did a NFR Maths or VR paper most weekends from Sept to Nov prior to the exam. The younger four have had a much patchier primary education so the retired teachers from the older ones' school (a couple who are family friends) have given them an hour and a half a week of Maths and English for a year prior to the exam (and after it too). I haven't done anything beyond that with the younger four myself.

The GL papers are very useful and we found them closer to the real thing than Bond for maths and VR. The IPS book on how to tackle VR is fantastic for techniques and tips tutors know but you don't... It is the one recommended by "Patricia" in the elevenplusforum.
Oh, and yes OP. It is possible!

Re creative writing I don't trust any "how to" formula book. Reading and writing every week does it.

The elevenplusexams website has (or used to have) some sample essays, which gave you a good idea of what a school might be looking for in an exam context.

Also, have a look at what are the criteria for level 5 and level 6 writing (national curriculum levels). It'll be around somewhere on the internet (the TES website is a good bet), and get your little one to have a go at writing in short bursts, including some of these. A teacher friend told me that markers will literally be sitting there with a list of things to award points for. Don't know if that's true ... but it will be for things like good, unusual grammar; higher-level adjectives and adverbs; strong control of beginning, middle end; holding the tone of the piece; language appropriate to the theme and style; stylish things such as linking the end to beginning (demonstrating control again).

(Sorry if I;'m off the point here - I saw you asking about literacy earlier.)

Agree with hardboiled that actually doing reading and writing is the best thing. It may be worth asking your child how much actual writing they are doing at school. It may be very little, which is why it's worth setting them up to do it at home.

Neither of my children were tutored and they both passed for good Grammar Schools where they are both doing well. With DD we just gave her some past papers to practice. She had a little help from DH with problem solving/maths.

Following year I worked with my DS for eleven plus exams, on my own. We live in a county with VR tests but Maths is his strong point. We saw it as a challenge and we had a lot of fun together.

At year 4 make sure your DS reads a lot, can do multiplication tables. Play scrabble, do crosswords and other word games. Disuss the books he reads and talk about vocabulary.
Become more focused on practice papers and specific techniques in year 5 but do not worry about tackling complete papers and working against the clock until later in the year.

Challenge for you will be to make TIME to sit with him and work together on a regular basis. Don't overdo it. Study/practice for small chunks of time. Reward good effort with praise or treats eg "let's do some word puzzles and then we can go to the park". Always be patient and positive.

Good Luck.

Many thanks all,I really appreciate all this advice.It's really helpful.

Hopefully it will help others too.