11+ London private & grammar - How to improve on speed / timing issues?

[ThePlacesYouGo]

My DD will be sitting the 11+ for indies and grammar in the autumn (2024 entry). She's bright, very high CAT scores, is on track (according to her current prep Head) for SPGS / Tiffins / G&L etc.

We're aware, however, that she's just not working as fast as she'll need to for those exams (eg CEM Select being 138 questions in 60 mins). She recently sat an external mock and only got through 60% of the maths questions (despite saying she found it quite easy. She acknowledged she was just working quite slowly).

Everything I read says that there's a really careful balance to be struck between working on timings and stressing your child out: that too much focus on timed practice can not only cause undue anxiety but also diminish their performance because they feel stressed and end up making silly mistakes.

I'd be really grateful for any tips / advice from anyone who's successfully been through the 11+ on how to (gently) work on speed / timing without creating undue stress. Thanks!

One of my Dc did the 11+ this year and the CEM/GL exams were very pressured on time, they are speed tests.

I wouldn’t be worrying too much now, grammars aren’t until September and private schools later. Speed was the last thing to come for us and largely achieved by doing lots of 10 minute tests (CGP) and sample papers over the summer. But also by technique - if after 20 seconds you still have no clue then move on, if after 30 seconds you’re down to two then just pick one and move on, go back if you have time but if not fill in ANYTHING in blank answers in the final minute.

TBH there is quite a lot of repetition in question types particularly in NVR and codes in GL VR. There are only so many ways two similar diagrams can be different and if you’ve done enough you can get there a lot quicker just from familiarity.

For sample papers we used CGP ones with online recordings of timers to get used to the short sections. Because it isn’t, in my experience, 138 questions in 60 minutes per se, it is 20 questions in 9 minutes, we questions in 6 minutes etc. so you need to be fast across the piece and can’t rely on eg speeding through NVR to give you more time for maths.

Thanks so much for this. Yes, we'd always figured that timing / speed would be tackled at the back end of the summer, but then looking at the diary, the Tiffins exam seemed very soon after and I worried that might be too late. Part of the problem (for many many kids) is when they're sitting lots of different exam types - GL, CEM, Consortium, bespoke tests set by the schools.

"can’t rely on eg speeding through NVR to give you more time for maths."

Yep, especially for CEM select, each section is individual timed. Will need to work on speed across all sections.

Paper CEM/GL depends on school, some have time limit for individual section, some just have one time for the whole paper.

I mentioned to DC, timing etc is not just 11+ but to prepare for whichever secondary school you decide to go as they will have timed tests and exams. This way they view it as for the next big school preparation and not just rack up stress just for 11+.

@HawaiiWake Yes, we say that a lot to DD about the prep she's now doing. It'll stand them in good stead at senior school, wherever they go.

What strategies did you use to increase speed (if you had any specific ones)?

Is it possible to "force" someone to do a lot of Atom learning practice? I don't think so, if not motivated there will be little improvement no matter how you practice.

Is it possible to "force" someone to do a lot of Atom learning practice?

Of course you can. My DS is "forced" to do Atom Learning 4 times per week or he looses screen time for his gaming. We go through the answers with him to check understanding and he has improved leaps and bounds since starting.

OK I guess the motivation here is the gaming screen time.

During our 11+ prep at this stage, like you are, end of Year 5, we were nowhere near speed/time management technique mastery. Our main focus was filling any gaps, mastering the basics and ensuring silly mistakes are avoided. Time management came with time, around end of August. I assure you, the penny will drop and your DD will speed herself up as soon as she feels more confident with practice! We did pass all our exams and are super happy with our school of choice, which is a top Hammersmith one. Do not stress - you are on the right track and seem to be doing all the right things. Just ensure you cover all the required material and there are no gaps! Good luck!

@FriendlyMom Thanks so much for this. All very reassuring. DH's view is the same as yours - that getting confident with the material is key, and at the moment we are only minimally topping up school work as we figured we'd do the main bulk over the summer. Fingers crossed it's not too late. And huge congrats to your DC!

DC started practicing for senior school exams since earlier this year. We follow the AI approach religiously with consistent practice. We see profound progress being made after two months.

From ChatGPT

Improving math speed for the 11+ test requires practice, strategy, and familiarity with the types of questions typically asked in the exam. Here are some tips to help you improve your math speed:

Learn mental math techniques: Develop your mental math skills by practicing techniques such as multiplication tables, number patterns, and quick addition/subtraction. This will allow you to perform calculations more efficiently in your head.

Time yourself: Set a timer while practicing math questions to simulate exam conditions. Start with easier questions and gradually increase the difficulty level. This will help you become accustomed to solving problems quickly.

Practice regularly: Dedicate regular time for math practice to build speed and accuracy. Focus on different topics like arithmetic, fractions, decimals, percentages, and problem-solving. Utilize resources such as textbooks, online practice tests, and math workbooks specifically designed for the 11+ exam.

Develop mental agility: Enhance your ability to analyze and solve problems by engaging in activities that promote mental agility. Solve puzzles, play math-related games, and participate in brain-teasers to sharpen your logical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Identify common question types: Familiarize yourself with the common question formats and topics that appear in the 11+ math exam. This will help you develop efficient strategies for solving specific types of problems, saving you time during the test.

Use estimation techniques: When time is limited, use estimation techniques to quickly arrive at a reasonable answer. Approximating calculations or eliminating obviously incorrect answer options can help you make faster decisions and move on to the next question.

Work on your speed and accuracy simultaneously: Speed is essential, but it should not come at the expense of accuracy. Focus on accuracy during practice sessions and gradually increase your speed while maintaining a high level of correctness.

Learn shortcuts and tricks: Explore math shortcuts and tricks that can help you solve certain types of problems more quickly. For example, learning to multiply by 11 mentally or using divisibility rules can save you valuable time.

Review and analyze mistakes: After practicing, review your incorrect answers and identify the areas where you made mistakes. Analyze your errors to understand the underlying concepts and work on improving those specific areas.

Simulate exam conditions: As the exam approaches, simulate real exam conditions during your practice sessions. Take timed mock tests to get used to the time pressure and to build your stamina for completing the math section within the allocated time.

Remember, consistent practice and familiarity with the exam format are key to improving your math speed. Give yourself enough time to prepare, and don't forget to take breaks and stay motivated throughout your preparation. Good luck!

Comprehensive summary of PPs in the thread. There is no secret sauce.

@SwPrepMum What is the AI approach?

Hats off to @SwPrepMum 😂

@SwPrepMum 👍

Do you think if the motivation is gaming/screen time the study doesn’t work? Am asking honestly because I feel like I am using lots of bribes to get through the mock tests/atom/extra reading/vocabulary tracking.

I don't think this work for everyone it, just some PP reported this motivation worked for them. E