Improving Verbal Reasoning for 11+

[braindrain24]

Our DS will be going through the 11+ process this year. We just got his Yr5 CAT test scores and while his overall score is high, his VR is average and far below what is required for the competitive independent senior schools. Does anyone have any success stories with really improving their children's score in this area? Have been through previous chats and managed to get wonderful tips about reading widely (which he hasn't been doing), audiobooks, listening to the radio etc. But I am curious, had anyone managed to actually materially move their scores between Yr 5 and Yr6? Just panicking atm and a little inspiration would go a long way!

does he has a tutor?

ours turned things around for VR

He is now starting to work with someone who is focusing more on Creative Writing. I think our main issues are 1) he doesn't read and 2) has spent spent a lot of time abroad so it's pretty clear we need to work on building up his vocabulary. Just don't know whether we have enough time and whether a VR specific tutor would really help. Sounds like yours did which is encouraging.

Have you tried Atom Learning?

Yes, just started with that as well. Borrowed books from the library too and bought the Bond books etc. So we will do everything because it's clearly important even outside of the 11+ process to help build up his vocabulary but I think quite frankly i'm curious if all of that can help move the scores within the 10 months we have. Or whether ultimately he needs more time and we need to focus on a less competitive set of schools...

I really stepped up the reading with my DS - every night and a huge variety of texts. He is not a keen independent reader but loved reading to me. I stopped him all the time to ask meaning of words, to point out literary features etc. Bloody time consuming but we both enjoyed it and it did improve his vocab considerably. Also just practice practice practice on atom and workbooks. Lots of VR is puzzle format so it’s just a question of getting the hang of it.

Thank you so much for sharing! This is exactly what I started doing too. And will continue regardless but I guess there is an element of me wanting to kick myself for not starting sooner and it helps to hear that it produced results for others.

Don’t worry - a lot of people will warn you about burn out if you start too soon. I really upped the reading from January of year 5 - it was a fun and productive way for us to spend time together (unlike the endless bloody atom and papers!). Good luck. After a horribly anxious wait, during which I was convinced I’d burned him out and ballsed it all up, we got our first offer today. 😊

Congratulations!! Really happy all the effort paid off. It's a super stressful journey... both for the children and the parents!

@braindrain24 It’s not compulsory. You are choosing to do this. Why not go somewhere less competitive? Sitting next to the brightest if you aren’t as good as them doesn’t make a child feel good about themselves. Doing well in a less competitive environment is far more fulfilling and often has identical outcomes when the pressure is off.

I might agree if the issue were ability or if you were talking about a child that is not competitive or could excel over time. In this case though we are talking about a very able child that is great is maths and NVR but has lived abroad for several years so doesn't have the same breadth of vocabulary. Hence the question: I am trying to calibrate whether the effort can under the circumstances pay off in a relatively short amount of time or whether we should be looking at slightly less competitive schools so that he doesn't get disappointed.

For what ever reason, you don’t believe he’s got the all round ability needed. Why do you think he would not excel elsewhere? Why do you have to aim for the stars with the inevitable pressure? I never gave “excelling” a thought when dc were 9 or 10. A good school adds value so he’s going to be fine anywhere that can do this. Why enter this awful competition because dc must excel at a certain type of school?

I think if he doesn’t enjoy words or reading you have an uphill struggle and it will be stressful - so why do it? What extra kudos will you get out of all this when almost certainly his educational outcomes won’t be dented? Let him enjoy life. Who on earth needs this stress at primary school?

Vocabulary is quite important for VR tests - and of course reading a wide variety of books will do fantastic things for him, but for VR tests you also benefit on knowing how to answer, at least my dyslexic DD really benefited having a tutor that explained exactly what to expect and what the questions expected from her.
lots of exercises on the bond books were great for her - disclaimer I did sat to do the mock tests with her and the answers were not straightforward all the time, they were once we knew what was the “trick” on each kind of questions
she did managed to get the hang of it in about 10 - 11 months

Don't be put off by one section of the CAT scores not being as high as the others. You don't know what exactly each school is looking for. If he's scored well on other papers, a school may overlook a few less points on VR.

My advice is to look carefully now at the exams for each of the schools that you may apply to. Analyse which papers they do and approach from there. If you are in London for example and thinking of LU, they only do a Maths and English paper.

I agree with @Bewler, reading with your child and talking about words is key. We also had a box of 11+ words vocab words which I bought on Amazon. This was semi-useful but he found it very boring!

@TizerorFizz I absolutely hear you and understand that many parents put unnecessary pressure on children but actually this process is not about me. The answer is: Mainly because he wants to try and secondly as I said because building up his vocabulary is a good thing regardless.

@skgnome Good point and makes sense. Sounds like you did a super job helping her!

@MuddyBoots21 indeed. Problem is unfortunately many schools that use written tests also have a VR paper and the schools that use online tests always have a VR component. But your point is very valid, I've actually seen bilingual children especially not the cut when VR tests are used but get through when it's just Writing and Comprehension.

Thank you all. We'll keep at it!