Independent school entrance exam advice

[toastedmarshmallow]

We are considering Portsmouth Grammar for our DD, she is currently year 5.

Does anyone have experience of their entrance exam? How much preparation should DD do? She is level 4 at the moment so I'm a bit concerned that she isn't able enough.

Also we would be applying for a bursary so wondering what level of achievement is expected for that. Do they need to come at the top of the exam or just pass it?

I realise that she would go from being near the top of her current primary to the middle or bottom sets. She is very resilient so don't think this would effect her. She is a real all rounder and very sporty so think she would thrive in an independent school.

That sounds like she will be doing the 11+ I would buy some Bonds books for her to familiarise with the style of the exam and practice some verbal and non verbal reasoning. I would also focus on her maths skill sometimes state schools haven't covered all the relevant material by the time of the test.
Does she read for pleasure?

If you want the busery then the chances are high that she will have to do very well there will be a number of children wanting the busery and it will be given to the best candidates.

I would call the schools admission office they will be able to give a better idea on what they test on. And ask what the pass rate is, it seems to vary by school.

Thanks, will contact school and get bonds papers. She does read for pleasure but more stuff like David Walliams than any classics!

There are some sample papers on their website or maybe you have to contact the school and they send them to you, can't remember which but they are definitely available. I do remember it wasn't hard (2 years ago) so if your DD is a level 4 now she should be fine with a bit of practice. I really recommend the ISEB revision books as opposed to the Bond ones as they are harder and more like the independent school entry exams imo.

Don't forget NVR which they test on as well. I recommend GL Assessment papers for that.

Thanks castles, is your DC at Portsmouth?

Bond books are great but the best thing to do is exam practice. The more used to doing exams she can become the more comfortable she'll be when she sits the real ones.
It doesn't really matter if they are not from the exact school, just get her used to the types of questions she might be asked and don't forget to stick to the timings of the papers.
Here is a great list of past exams for indies www.independentjunction.co.uk/specimen.html
Good luck!

When you say she's sporty, how sporty? Does she excel in any sports outside of her current school? If she does, you might be better going for a sports scholarship than a bursary.

Thanks fit the link jebzmum, I the exams look difficult but achievable. She is good at team sports and very good at athletics, not sure if she's good enough for a sports scholarship though.

Sorry for all the typos, rubbish phone!

The papers in the link above are quite a lot harder than those for Portsmouth Grammar - they mostly come from London schools, for which there is far more competition. Portsmouth Grammar is not hard for children who will end primary school on solid level 5s.

Thank ulien, that's quite reassuring. Time to arrange some open day visits and hopefully enthuse dd about having to do some extra work! Hopefully the exam preparation will be beneficial generally even if she doesn't get in. I'm not planning on doing too much, maybe half an hour or so of maths and English every week, do you think that will be enough?

I guess you have to put on more work if you want to apply bursary. Like LittleBairn said you have to be on the top in order to get the bursary. DS's friend get the offer for bursary in this school, I think he would be in the top 10 in the entry exam.

Maybe you can let your DD try a few bond papers and some independant school papers first, then you know how well she is at the moment, then you can deicide how much extra work to do.

I agree with the other post, that it is not hard to get in this school, as long as your children is on the top group of any state primary, with a bit practice , you can get in. But it would be hard to be in the top to get the bursary.

Toastedmarshmallow, my DC aren't at PGS but I do know the school well and DC there past and present. My DS did the exam 2 years ago and did very well (which is why I don't think it's that hard ). I think half an hour of maths/English/NVR is fine now and step it up nearer the exam. Read widely, practice spellings, word knowledge (I think VR is good practice for this) and make sure you are on track with all the level 5 maths and I'm sure your DD will be fine.

Yes as pp have said, for a bursary you might want to do more than half an hour a week but I know DC who have been awarded them who haven't really done anything extra.

Thanks all for the good advice. TBH I'm not sure she would bree in the top 10, she should be level 5 standard by that time not level 6! Will order some bond books to see how she does so I know where to full in the gaps.

I'm also considering Portsmouth High (have started another thread asking for opinions about both.)I'm assuming same sort of exam prep needed.

Be not bree!

Tastedmarshmallow if you haven't already learned how the bursary works from the schools you were hoping to view this is how it was explained to us. A scholarship and a bursary are not the same thing. A scholarship offers a discount on the school fees for ex. 5%. A bursary is given from a limited pot of money and is based on your financial situation. This is where test results come into play. Say your child has been accepted into the school. Now they look at all the children accepted that have applied for a bursary and make a list based on test scores. As they go down this list they give the amount they believe each person needs for school fees (this could be up to 100% depending on their policy). What you are offered is based on what is left in that pot (and your financial situation) when they get to you on that list. Your financil situation will be reviewed periodically throughout your childs time at school to make sure you still qualify for funding. Both PHS and PGS offer up to 100% bursary.

As for the exams a solid Level 5 is what they say is needed. I would ask your DD teacher her thoughts on her going into one of the mentioned schools and what she thinks could be done to help improve her development over the next year. Things that will help her are an understanding of basic algebra, non-verbal reasoning practice and some level 6 vocab. There is plenty of study material out there and like others have said you can get sample test from the school.

You can't just pass the test, you have to be the near-best candidate. And you have to be approximately working in Level 5 Midway or (even better) Level 6.