Are you hoping for your child to pass the 11 Plus exam? Are you looking for 11 Plus exam preparation resources for your child? The 11 Plus test is given to some children in England and Northern Ireland in their final year of primary school (Year 5). It determines their eligibility for admission to grammar schools and other secondary institutions that use academic selection. For a better understanding, some parents decide to enroll their children in 11 Plus preparation in Year 4. CEM (Durham University) and GL Assessment are the two primary exam boards for the 11 Plus exam. The location of your chosen grammar school will usually determine which exam board you will choose. However, exam boards might differ amongst schools in the same area. So, it is crucial to decide which exam board your child’s grammar school uses before preparing your child.

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What is an 11 Plus exam?

The 11 Plus is a unique entrance examination for students in the sixth year. Until the early 1970s, all children had to take the 11 Plus, but it is no longer required. It assesses academic ability and potential in grammar schools and selective independent schools. Although the 11 Plus test was abolished in Northern Ireland in 2008, many of the ”ex-grammar schools” still select students based on their abilities, using the Transfer Test.

11 Plus Exam Format

Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, English, and Math are the four main areas in the 11 Plus exam. The topic combinations change amongst grammar schools. Also does the layout of the papers and the length of the tests. Your child may choose to perform all four or a selection of them. Adnan Khan Tutoring with excellent 11 Plus tuition in Slough provides 11 Plus worksheets for the student’s assistance. These resources play a vital role in 11 Plus exams preparation.

Most independent schools prepare and grade their own 11 Plus entrance tests (and all other year groups). While students can enter schools at any point in their education. The most common entry points are at 11 Plus, 13 Plus (Year for independent boarding schools, 15 Plus (Year 11), and 16 Plus (Year 16) for independent day schools (Year 12).

The Common Entrance Syllabus and the National Curriculum for England can all be used for 11 Plus entrance exams.

Only a few independent schools, primarily all-girls schools, use the 11 Plus Common Entrance exam, consisting of English, Maths, and Science assessments. (At the age of 13, the Common Entrance is more commonly employed as part of the selective admissions process). There are two sessions yearly: one in November and one in March.

When to register for the 11 Plus exam?

Most grammar schools will open registration for the 11 Plus exam for the following academic year in April or May. Therefore, parents must register their children by June, July, or August.

In certain counties, the 11 Plus exam is organized by a consortium of grammar schools. Meanwhile, in others, you must register your child for a test at each institution. Buckinghamshire is an exception since all primary school children are automatically registered for the 11 Plus exam. Parents must opt out if they wish their kids to be removed from the process. Go to their website for information about your local school authority’s entrance procedures.

You may need to apply to independent schools as early as Year 4 for admission to Year 7. So start thinking about going to open days and establishing a list of schools while your child is still 3 or 4 years old.

11 Plus English papers

Comprehension activities, in which students read a section of text and answer questions about it. 11 Plus English paper tests capital letters and punctuation, spelling, in which students find faults and grammar.

11 Plus Maths papers

The 11 Plus Maths paper will assess your knowledge of the following: times tables, mental arithmetic, forms, space, and measurements, and the ability to apply the four basic operations (+ – x) and read graphs.

11 Plus Verbal Reasoning

The 11 Plus Verbal Reasoning exam comprises verbal processing information, comparing and contrasting words. Furthermore, it includes employing logical thinking and problem-solving skills, finding patterns, and exhibiting knowledge of language rules and meaning.

11 Plus Non-Verbal Reasoning

Recognizing odd-one-out shapes, identifying the following figure or diagram in a sequence, finding mirror images and reflections, finding symmetries of a shape, and finding rotations of figures are all covered in the 11 Plus Non-Verbal Reasoning paper.

Will my Child take Multiple Exams?

The most prestigious grammar schools may have more than one round of testing within their 11 Plus exams. The majority of 11 Plus exams are more than one paper. Occasionally these distinct papers are examined on the same day with a break between, but some schools test across several days. Some grammar schools belong to a consortium, which means that your child will take one set of exams and, if successful, will be entitled to apply to a group of grammar schools. If your child wants to apply to various grammar schools that aren’t part of a consortium, they will have to take multiple tests.

How to Prepare your Children for the 11 Plus Exams?

There are many options to prepare your child for the 11 Plus exam. You can either prepare your child using existing materials, such as grammar school test papers with answers, the Bond 11 Plus series of books, or GL’s previous papers, or send them to an 11 Plus tutoring group. Several independent institutions may provide previous exam papers on their websites to assist you in 11 Plus exam preparation. Consider the following steps:

1. Find out whether your area has an 11 Plus exams preparation program

It would be best to learn how the 11 Plus operates in your area before doing anything else. The 11 Plus exam is heavily unique for every region. The subjects which your child will need to learn will vary depending on your base. It also depends on which grammar or private schools you’re applying to.

It is a great idea to contact the schools your child shows interest in to find out more about the 11 Plus exam in your area.

2. When should you begin Planning?

Both academically and in terms of exam methodology, children who prepare well are more likely to succeed in 11 Plus tests. This means that you should begin improving your child’s subject knowledge and skills in Year 4 and introduce some exam approaches, such as working under timed settings, in Year 5 before the 11 Plus is taken in Year 6.

3. Make a Plan for your Child’s Preparation

To assist children with the 11 Plus exam, many parents employ a structured study program like Bond 11 Plus. Furthermore, construct a preparation plan for your child in Year 5 to make the most of the time they have left and are ready for the exam.

Find out your child’s strengths and weaknesses. To effectively prioritize and target your child’s revision, you will need to know which areas your child struggles with and where they need more practice.

Make time in your revision program for exam practice. Children will benefit from the course in building the exam abilities required to pass the 11 Plus.

In this blog, we talked about 11 Plus exams. We created a guide for parents who are looking forward to online tuition in Slough.