I am pleased to report that my daughter passed the entrance tests for both Nonsuch High School for Girls and Wallington High School for Girls
What does this mean ? This means my confidence is greatly improved in providing you with advice for tutoring and coaching your child through the tests they will be facing next year or later this year. A lot of schools, even if not a traditional grammar school, will offer some places to children, regardless of where they live, based on the results of an entrance test or tests. One such school is Greenshaw high school. Their entrance test is is November, which means that you must enter them as a preferred school on the CAF (Common Application form) and also submit their supplementary form. Of course, if you are applying for one of the places based on the selection tests you need to be relatively confident that your child will pass the test, and that it is possibly the best school for them, otherwise you are wasting one of your valuable places on the application form.
Here's a site for you to try out some free sample tests. They are called Chuckra and have a whole range of tests and games for your child.
It's now the end of October, so if you haven't done so already one of the most important things you should be thinking about is finding a tutor, or if you are not going down the tutor route, start researching the test requirements of the school you are applying for, and then get on with finding a good source for introductory guides for these form of tests.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Exam Day
We're just back from exam day at Nonsuch Grammar schoold for Girls, and I don't know how it usually goes, or if it is chaotic every year (it probably is), but it was chaotic.
Here's some tips from lessons learned today.
1) Send your child with spare water/snack. My daughter was due to finish her tests today at 2.15, but actually came out at 3.30. As she was in there and ready at 11.30 she had not eaten lunch before hand, but had only had breakfast and a light snack. As it was when she came out, she wasn't absolutely starving. But, if your child is used to a set lunch time or does not work well when hungry the extra snack could be handy. It's no fun trying to work when you're thinking about lunch.
2) I asked my daughter whether she had any advice she would give to another child about to sit a test, it was 'time goes fast'. Enough said there I think. Ensure your child gets used to working at speed. Also try and avoid answering questions in a set pattern, eg for non-verbal reasoning. Mix up the time element Vs number of questions element when you run through the tests at home.
Often the tests, and I refer to non-verbal reasoning again here, are designed so that not all children will be able to answer all of the questions in the time given. Your aim then is to ensure your child works quickly and systematically with the aim of completing as many questions as possible in the time allowed.
3) Plan your journey. As it was the traffic was fine, as was the parking. It's just one less stressful thing to think about on the day.
4) Don't question your child too much after the test. At the end of the day, you will NEVER get the individual tests results, only a pass or fail indication, so is it really worth at this point nit-picking over whether the answer to a certain question is 'Verb' or 'Adverb' etc.
5) Take these lessons learned and plan for your next test. My daughter has Non-Verbal reasoning and comprehension out of the way, but another Verbal Reasoning and 'the dreaded Maths' to come. She now knows to work a little faster next time.
Good Luck everyone if you are testing this week.
Here's some tips from lessons learned today.
1) Send your child with spare water/snack. My daughter was due to finish her tests today at 2.15, but actually came out at 3.30. As she was in there and ready at 11.30 she had not eaten lunch before hand, but had only had breakfast and a light snack. As it was when she came out, she wasn't absolutely starving. But, if your child is used to a set lunch time or does not work well when hungry the extra snack could be handy. It's no fun trying to work when you're thinking about lunch.
2) I asked my daughter whether she had any advice she would give to another child about to sit a test, it was 'time goes fast'. Enough said there I think. Ensure your child gets used to working at speed. Also try and avoid answering questions in a set pattern, eg for non-verbal reasoning. Mix up the time element Vs number of questions element when you run through the tests at home.
Often the tests, and I refer to non-verbal reasoning again here, are designed so that not all children will be able to answer all of the questions in the time given. Your aim then is to ensure your child works quickly and systematically with the aim of completing as many questions as possible in the time allowed.
3) Plan your journey. As it was the traffic was fine, as was the parking. It's just one less stressful thing to think about on the day.
4) Don't question your child too much after the test. At the end of the day, you will NEVER get the individual tests results, only a pass or fail indication, so is it really worth at this point nit-picking over whether the answer to a certain question is 'Verb' or 'Adverb' etc.
5) Take these lessons learned and plan for your next test. My daughter has Non-Verbal reasoning and comprehension out of the way, but another Verbal Reasoning and 'the dreaded Maths' to come. She now knows to work a little faster next time.
Good Luck everyone if you are testing this week.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
11pluswot.co.uk
One site that I know that other tutors use is www.11plusswot.co.uk
This link gives a good overview about the history of grammar schools and the subjects that are tested if you are new to the grammar school merry-go-round..
http://www.11plusswot.co.uk/About11.aspx
Check it out !
This link gives a good overview about the history of grammar schools and the subjects that are tested if you are new to the grammar school merry-go-round..
http://www.11plusswot.co.uk/About11.aspx
Check it out !
Monday, September 19, 2011
Just getting started in September ?
It's September and a new school year. Time for all those currently in year 5 to begin their 11+ journey.
Here is a maths website designed for year 6 students which will help you on your way with your Maths journey. http://uk.ixl.com/math/year-6
Enjoy!
Here is a maths website designed for year 6 students which will help you on your way with your Maths journey. http://uk.ixl.com/math/year-6
Enjoy!
Good Luck !
Good Luck to all the children out there who are sitting their 11+ exams over the next few weeks.
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