10+ Exams Stress

[grancati1402]

I am planning to have my nine-year old son to sit some of the 10+ exams. I would appreciate to get in touch with other mums that have been through the experience at Hampton School and/or Kingston Grammar, to better understand the approach and what to expect. In particular, for instance, what topic is usually the Hampton "Essay" on? How much time is given? Any lesson learnt? Thanks so so much!

DS passed KGS 10+.
Do not stress as kids pick this up.For some, it will be practice for 11+.Are you state or prep?
Print out 10+ exam papers from Emanuel,KCS and City (available online)to see the scope but keep one in reserve as a mock test because timing is an issue.Three papers should be enough but if you need more look at the girls schools.I heard the Hampton one is tough as they take 15 from 250 and KGS is 20/25 from 220.For English, practise essay writing and it is often an extension of the comprehension so prep for all the cues.For maths the questions will be hard but watch out for questions that are not curriculum and sort out the wheat from the chaff,my tip would be to have a stab at them but not get bogged down on them.Finally KGS interviews, so prepare for that.
Good luck.

I have details about a mock exam in October for 10+ and 11+ students aiming at London independent schools. PM me if you would like details.

Dd1 got KGS 10+ this year too. As Pop1ns said treat it as a practice and don't get too stressed, the numbers are high for few places and at kgs a lot is on interview. Hampton is purely on the papers.
Are you state or prep school? Where is your son naturally strong/weak?

The comprehensions are way harder than they do in yr5 state school
Dd said the maths was quite straightforward though she left out a few questions she couldn't do which we're more logical rather than syllabus based.
Verbal reasoning she scored very highly which I think is what made them interview her. We just did the bond 9-10 vr book (green) so nothing much. We didn't do any practice papers and it did sound like she messed up the timing on the comp/writing paper, plus the classic forgot to turn the paper over so rushed the last few questions. All good experience!!

Pop1ns did you know there were two sittings for the 10+ this year? Closer to 400 entries I heard. Of course many are probably just sitting for practice and the feedback and have no intention of going to kgs.

DS did KGS 10+ just for practice, as it was the day before the Hampton 10+ exam and was offered both. Did a practice paper a few days before, and had done the Bond VR books.

Was that a few years ago? I thought Hampton 10+ this year was in November.

ok, sorry, was in 2010 - yes, now more than a few years ago (tho' seems like yesterday...)

Tess73-were there really 400 for the 10+KGS Jan 2014 exam because the offer letter stated 220.I shudder to think what it will be like for 10 and 11+ for Jan 2015 as it will be a bulge year.

That is what someone said but I am not 100% on the total number. There were definitely two sittings though.