When to start tutoring for 11 plus?
Welcome to our 11 plus tutoring page.
So, when should you start your 11 Plus prep for 11 plus 2019 entry? How much 11 Plus practice does your child need?
BEST 11+ prep for grammar schools
Generally speaking, we advise no more than 12 months of tuition for the Eleven Plus. So, starting at the beginning of Year 5 is probably a good time. At the very latest January of year 5 for exams taking place in September of year 6.
Addressing learning gaps
Obviously deciding when to start tutoring depends largely on the abilities of the individual child. He or she may only need a few hours of exam practice. In this case, a few months may be adequate.
However, if there are much greater gaps in their learning, then you may require several months of regular weekly tuition.
In regions where the 11 plus covers curriculum subjects, such as English and Maths, it is sometimes necessary to use a subject-specific tutor from an earlier age. This is to address known weaknesses in these subjects.
For example, many 10-year old boys struggle with English papers where they have to write their own composition ‘from the heart’. So getting a tutor who can help stimulate your child’s creative writing is probably a good idea.
Conversely, some children struggle with core areas of mathematics, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, so a dedicated Maths tutor may be needed.
11 Plus Preparation
The good news is that all 11 Plus Preparation to get into grammar school will also help your child’s schoolwork. In particular, core subjects such as Maths and English. The bad news, of course, is that tuition doesn’t come cheap!
In theory, Verbal and Non-Verbal reasoning papers are designed to test a child’s innate ability and are more difficult to prepare for. However, the reality is that children do need to familiarise themselves with the types of questions in these papers to do well.
This is particularly true of test papers from GL Assessment which still remains the biggest supplier to local authorities and schools. There are
For example, the Kent Test Familiarisation Booklet, which you can find here, features some sample questions. Similarly, there are free 11 Plus test papers here.
Increasingly popular with local authorities, Durham’s CEM (Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring) entrance tests are much newer and more difficult to prepare for.
According to its website “CEM aims to reduce any disadvantage created between children who are tutored for tests and those who are not.” It continues: “Our assessments are designed to enable all children to demonstrate their academic potential without the need for excessive preparation.”
Nevertheless, the CEM entrance tests cover the same subject areas (Maths, English, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning) as the GL Assessment tests and the standardized pass-mark is the same (121).
The key difference is that in the CEM exams Verbal Reasoning and English are grouped together. CEM exams are also divided into separately timed sections. Hence, it’s important that children learn how to manage their time correctly as it’s not possible to return to sections once completed.
When should you start your 11+ prep?
While the beginning of Year 5 is usually a good time for your child to start tuition, it goes without saying you should begin the groundwork much earlier.
This is necessary for two reasons. Firstly, so you can fully identify the weaknesses your child may have when it comes to taking the 11 Plus. Secondly, you will need a bit of time in order to find the right tutor.
Inevitably, the best tutors can be booked up many years in advance, so the earlier you start to look for one the better your options will be.
When choosing a tutor, you need to ask about their qualifications and their success rate in getting children into Grammar schools. You also need to see how they get on with your child and how much they charge for their time.
How much 11 plus tutoring is needed?
Once you’ve decided when to start tuition the next big decision is how much tuition to get. Once again there is no precise answer about how much is the right amount.
During term time, most tutors will hold a weekly session of between 60 to 90 minutes with additional homework set each week. During the holidays the tutor may also recommend extra sessions. This is especially important in the summer period leading up to September’s 11 Plus exams.
The key is that the additional work required for the 11 Plus needs to be manageable for your child. Because if it’s not, then this will simply add to their stress levels before the examinations which are counter-productive.
If your child is receiving homework from school then it is more difficult to complete a tutor’s homework too.
Keep calm
Undoubtedly, preparing for the 11 Plus is a stressful time for everyone concerned – parents included. The key is to stay calm and not let children sitting the exams see you are stressed too!
If the tuition isn’t going well then reassure them they will be fine and just to do their best. One thing to avoid is ‘burn out’ where the child can’t focus on the task at hand because of too much stress.
At every stage, you have to evaluate your child’s tolerance for coaching. You also need to make sure your child takes frequent rest breaks. This takes the child’s mind off things.
Finally, you need to prepare children for their 11 Plus preparation. This means staging at least one mock exam in close to full examination conditions.
Obviously, it’s not possible to replicate the experience of hundreds of children in an exam hall. However, it’s important to carry out the mock in silence, for the exact length of time and with all the necessary materials to hand.
Only then will they start to feel fully prepared for their forthcoming 11 Plus examinations. Good luck!
Top FREE PRACTICE 11 plus past papers
- Firstly, our 11 plus non-verbal reasoning tips and our Step-by-step guide to passing the 11 plus.
- Secondly, CEM 11 plus format test practice.
- Thirdly, our helpful 11 Plus Guide for parents and 11 plus practice past papers.
- So, when is the 11 plus results day 2023?
- Plus then our 11 Plus non-Verbal Reasoning test practice papers for 2023 entry.
- Recommended 11 plus Verbal Reasoning papers to use prior to your 11 plus verbal reasoning 2022 exam.
- Top 11 Plus Verbal Reasoning test practice papers for 2023 entry.
- Best selling 11 Plus English test practice papers for 2023 entry.
- Recommended 11 Plus Maths test practice papers for 2023 entry.
- Whats the 11 plus pass mark?
- The most popular test practice 11 plus exam 2023.
- GL 11 plus test practice.
We are very proud of School Entrance Tests’ popular City Kids magazine 11 Plus non-verbal reasoning tips article.
Hope you found our11 plus exam preparation useful. If you can’t find what you are looking for here, then we suggest reviewing the full range of School Entrance exam practice tests here.