CGP 10 mins GL assessment comprehension: Can they be done in 10 mins

[whatinname]

Hello. Can I please ask if any of the DCs can actually complete the comprehensions in 10 mins including reading? The answers are not just multiple choice but bit of mix. If they can be done in 10 mins what can be the realistic approach? My DD is skim reading and picking up answers based on keywords. Still 10 mins seem bit too stretched. Any help and advice please?

Like everything else in life: practice.

In my experience, a naturally bright child can do all those 10 minute tests in 10 minutes or less. They do need to be a quick reader and process comprehension questions quickly, but perfectly do-able.

We did a few 10 minute GL tests at home for the Bucks 11* and a few independents. My daughter was successful in all schools she applied for.

This is the reality of life at a grammar or selective independent. You need to be able to read, process and analyse information quickly and with ease. If your child is in the later years of primary and is struggling with this type of work you either need to readjust your expectations in terms of schools or get a tutor. A tutor can only add so much though.

For example, we tutored at home, largely using the 10 minutes tests so not burdensome. She was consistently getting in excess of 95% in all areas.

Well we struggled and just gave up on them.

I suggest you get to using mock papers closer to the exam time, perhaps after Easter.

Also do a full mock yourself - I failed one and would not have been selected for a grammar! So they do need the kids to go at a fast pace as well as being accurate.
Good luck!

Our child got into really good schools so I am really glad we kept it from our child that some of the earlier mocks were so low.

Many thanks all. Yes I agree a naturally bright child should consistently get 95% in all areas. But 11 plus is not just sat by only naturally brights unfortunately. Otherwise tutoring would not be that big of a deal. Though I am not tutoring as such. I have heard for CEM the raw scores remain low. So definitely children are unable to complete all in time bar very few. My child can complete all multiple choice CEM style questions on time. But it is the mix of writing and box ticking type she is struggling. As writing answers in full sentences with correct SPaG do take bit of time.

Will appreciate good strategies followed by others

Many thanks

Practice basically. We had a tutor last year to help DD for grammar exam, and I thought the main thing she wins be doing was identifying gaps in her Maths knowledge and teaching her that. But actually I think it was in English that she added most value, teaching her how to extract relevant information, punctuate her writing properly and be more descriptive in her sentences. She ended up getting a far higher score in her English than Maths where she ran out of time.

OP I would ignore statements like ‘a naturally bright DC can do X Y Z’. Like someone said upthread it comes down to practice. I had a similar experience with my DD. She was fine with all the other 10mins test except for the 10mins comprehension. Even when you gave a full mock paper with comprehension and other English task she would complete them within the required time but she just struggled with the 10mins comprehension. What we did was buy the 10mins comprehension test for the year below. It was easier and did wonders for her confidence before we moved on up. The problem is that its had to infer from a piece of writing when 10 skim through but practice and building up is the answer. I hope this helps.

Yes, it depends on the child and it will get easier with practice. A lot of 11+ prep is learning time management and how to approach it.
We are doing prep at home too and DD whizzes through these with time to spare - but she is a prolific reader. Whereas DS needed the whole 10 minutes right up to sitting the exams in the Autumn but is just as able.

Comprehension is often the hardest to score full marks because the possibilities of the knowledge required are more vast. It only takes one piece of vocab they don't know and that's a mark likely lost. I like the suggestion of building confidence with a book aimed at the year below.

10 min tests are very good practice during school days as DCs do not need to spend too much time. Reading and understanding the text is important. Mainly multiple choice questions can be tricky as you can either be right or wrong.