Ensure Entry Exam Success

By: Jack Claridge - Updated: 21 Apr 2017 | *Discuss

 

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The first thing one should say about entry exams, from a parent's perspective, is don't panic! It may sound daunting to try and help your child achieve exam success but it really isn't as bad as it sounds.

Why Are Entry Exams Necessary?

However it's normally when you wish your child to be educated at grammar school level that an entry exam becomes necessary. This entry exam is referred to as the 11+.

The 11+ Exam

It is worth noting at this point that although your child may score highly on this exam, they are not necessarily guaranteed a place at their chosen school, and this is simply because the number of places that are available may well be outweighed by the number of applicants.The exam itself normally covers four main areas

• Verbal Reasoning - problem solving questions with numbers and words
• Non-Verbal Reasoning - reasoning with shapes and patterns
• English
• Mathematics

Helping Your Child Achieve

With this in mind, it is a good idea to set aside a set amount of time each day to spend with your child, going through what might be required of them in the examination. There are websites operated by LEAs, which allow you to download practice papers from previous years but which will include the style of questioning that is likely to appear in the forthcoming examination.

If you can print these examination papers off then try to go through them with your child in a manner that will make the process fun and evocative and not as much of a chore as sometimes homework can be.

For those people with the finances at their disposal to do so, a private tutor could be incorporated to help your child, and they will also give you some advice as to how to best help your child in their absence. But for the most part, as we know, it is not always possible to be able to pay for outside help. So with this in mind it is important that you and your child understand what may be required of them.

Speak to their current teachers, or head teacher, and ask about how the LEA makes their decisions regarding the exam results. Also, ask them how the curriculum your child is currently undertaking affects the 11+ examination.

It is also important to remember that coaching and practicing are two separate entities. Coaching is simply showing your child the best way to answer the questions on the paper, while practising, although perhaps sounding as though it is the same thing, is actually answering the questions and giving the best and most concise answer.

Don't Overload Your Child

It has to be interesting and fun for your child, otherwise you will find their attention span will diminish considerably. This also has a knock on effect during the examination, because your child will see this as just another boring exercise, and may not apply themselves fully.

In conclusion, keep it fun, keep it informal and keep it to the point. Engage your child's mind and let them see that you are as much interested in them as you are in their ability to answer the questions and most importantly - don't set your goals too high.

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