Not too long ago, sitting the 11 plus exam was serious business. Students' results had just as much impact on their lives and future as today's General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE).
Under the Tripartite student 'sorting' system, the 11+ exam determined what level of secondary education learners would have access to. It didn't test pupils' academic knowledge, as today's standardised exams do.
It tested their abilities to function, reason and use basic skills like Maths and English. How well students performed determined whether they would attend a technical school or a 'secondary modern' facility. The best students could enrol in a prestigious grammar school.
The Tripartite system all but disappeared around 50 years ago. Today, this exam is voluntary. Across England, it serves as an entrance exam for independent schools and colleges.
The remaining 163 such facilities in England rank among the top schools in the United Kingdom (UK). Entry is competitive and the selection process is long. But it's not difficult, especially if you have an effective strategy for success.
In this article, Superprof draws you and your child a roadmap to achieving that goal. In many ways, it involves the same steps as preparing for any other exam. To wit, you need to:
- know what you're up against
- know your designated exam's particulars
- consider all the ways to prepare for the 11+ exam
- make a plan for effective revision (and stick to it!)
As you're planning for your child to sit the 11+ exam, you may have taken it yourself. If so, you're far better prepared than parents who are having their first go. For you, this guide serves as your refresher course. For everyone, it highlights the best practices to follow as an 11+ candidate.
11 Plus Preparation: Know Your Challenge
If you are indeed a parent who has experience sitting this exam, you know all about 11 plus preparation. However, your experience comes from being a student. Now, you're on the other end of things. (Photo by Getty via Unsplash.)
You must determine which testing service your child's prospective school will use. You have to find revision materials and decide how you and your child will prepare. You must set aside time for practice exams and thread the fine line between engagement and burnout. You have to figure out your learner's strengths and weaknesses, and how they measure against this exam's particulars.
Your chosen school is the best place to start. You may peruse their website for any information posted there about the 11+ exam. Many such colleges post detailed application instructions and provide revision materials. You should plan on attending your chosen campus' Open Day and speaking with the teachers and administrators.
All such schools administer English and Maths tests as components of their entrance exams. Some include a verbal reasoning exam while others prefer the non-verbal test. Several schools insist on both. In all cases, your child will submit to an oral interview.
Timing is crucial when preparing your child for this ordeal. Should you start revising too early - or too insistently, they may get bored or burned out long before their test date. On the other hand, if you start too late, they may not have the time to build the confidence they need to succeed.
You might start your child on the verbal reasoning and non-verbal components if your school's exam includes them. Reading comprehension exercises, word games and crossword puzzles are great preliminary workouts your child can play with. For non-verbal practice, challenge them to logic puzzles. A few months ahead of your exam date, you can begin 'formal' revision.
11 Plus Exam Preparation Considerations
Two organisations produce testing and revision materials: Coordination Group Publishers (CGP) and Granada Learning - GL Assessment. A third body, the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM), is not as widely used. However, they make practice papers available for their exam's English and Maths portions.
Before loading up on revision materials, ask your school which exam they use. GL Assessment and CGP materials are similar but as we all know, the devil is in the details. These companies' resources differ enough in form and content to make things confusing for your child. Though the exercises might be fundamentally the same, it's best to stick with the 'exam board' past papers and resources your school uses.
You might wonder how long a study session should last. Here, we defer to the experts who state that a child of that age can maintain focus for about 30 minutes at a time. When you set up your formal revision plan, keeping to that time limit will ensure your learner stays engaged throughout the session. Also, you may revise every other evening so the sessions don't become onerous.
If you know of other families with a pupil preparing to sit this exam, talk with those parents. They may have a few tips to make revision time more effective. Should you know of anyone whose child has already passed the exam, talk with them, too. You can benefit from other parents' experiences in preparing their children.
11 Plus Prep: Four Methods
Once you know what you have to work with and all the other particulars mentioned so far, you can start planning your practice sessions. You may decide to lead the revision sessions yourself. For that, you can download practice papers and buy workbooks from the outlet your school specifies.
This strategy has its good and bad points. On the positive side, it's one of the least expensive ways to prepare your learner for exams. Also, nobody knows your child better than you do. You can tailor the lessons to their individual needs and decide which exam element to focus on that day.
On the downside, you may have neither the time, inclination or patience to mentor your child through this ordeal. Often, parents and children clash during focused one-on-one endeavours like this. To keep your home life friction-free, consider one of these options.
11+ Preparation With Structured Courses
These preparatory courses are just like any your child would take at school. You only need to download learning materials, complete with answer keys. You oversee your child's efforts at home.
Pros
- no worries over which materials to buy
- no need to create a study plan
- no need to assess your child's work (all answers provided)
- least expensive method (less than £100)
Cons
- general support only
- you must set up the study schedule
- you still guide the learning
11+ Prep Through Guided Courses
Guided courses provide you with targeted support as well as all the materials you need for revision and practice. You will also receive a lesson plan of what to revise on which days and for how long. You will have access to a qualified mentor, to whom you will send your child's work via email once per week.
Pros
- all materials are furnished
- lesson plans provided
- phone and email support
Cons
- less control over your child's learning
- no in-person support
- can be quite expensive (£1000 and up for a yearlong course)
11+ Prep With a Tutoring Agency
With this method, you may choose between a tutoring agency for group tutoring or one-to-one tutoring. The latter still entails a commute to the agency several times per week. The group method comes with its own advantages and drawbacks.
Pros
- no need to worry about materials or study plans
- the syllabus is all-inclusive
- in-person support
- your child can revise with friends
Cons
- study group members may not all be at the same level
- you still need to oversee work at home
- commuting several times per week
- the most expensive option (between £25-50 per session)
11 Plus Preparation With a Private Tutor
This method gives you and your child the maximum flexibility. You select your tutor rather than being assigned one. You decide on the topics of revision instead of submitting to a general course of study. You only pay for the tutoring you need, and you can even negotiate the per-lesson cost.
Best of all, you can arrange the lessons to suit your needs and schedule. Your private tutor can conduct tuition sessions in your home or welcome your child to their office. You may even decide to meet in a public location like a library or a coffee shop.
Private tutors are more flexible with their scheduling, too. You may arrange lessons for weeknights only or include weekend hours. Should you need to reschedule a session, you likely won't be charged a fee.
One-to-one tuition gives your tutor the chance to build rapport with your child; an essential ingredient of tutoring success. Experienced tutors don't limit their tuition to revision materials.
Your child might not confide in you about their concerns and abilities. They have no safe outlet in school and guided lessons don't meet that need, either. However, regular meetings with an 11 plus tutor give them a safe person to unburden themselves.
Private tutoring fees for 11 plus range from £12-25/hour but you only pay for the tutoring you need. Your tutor will focus on the skills your child needs to build rather than follow a general revision template. As your partner in your child's 11 plus success, your private tutor is as invested as you are.
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