How to Prepare for the Eleven Plus
When you first begin to prepare for the 11+, it can feel like a minefield! When to start? What to cover? How much to do? Where to look? So many questions and so few places with clear answers. This blog aims to support you in creating a preparation plan that works for you and your family.
When to start?
We would always recommend at least a full year of private 11+ tuition and prior to this, maths and English tuition would be extremely beneficial. This means starting 11+ preparation no later than the start of year 5. We offer private tuition to suit a range of budgets – ranging from £10 per hour for pre-recorded, interactive lessons with a fully qualified teacher to £40 per hour for 1-1 private tuition with a fully qualified teacher.
What to cover?
It is important that you research the particular 11+ exam that your child is taking as each exam covers different aspects. As examples, we will look at the Medway Test and the Kent Test. The Medway Test is made up of 3 papers – verbal reasoning, extended writing and mathematics. The Kent Test is made up of 2 papers – an English and Maths paper (including comprehension) and a reasoning paper (including verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning). There is also a writing exercise which is only marked in borderline cases.
How much to do?
We would recommend at least 2 hour of tuition a week with 1 hour homework per week alongside regular practise with parents or independently (2 or 3 times a week for 30 minutes). We have some students who have 4 hours of private 1-1 tuition per week who work independently every day for at least 30 minutes for a full year before the exam. We also have students who have 1 hour private tuition per week and spend limited time working outside of this. It is important to say that the more work your child puts into practising the 11+, the greater chance they will have of passing the test. Having said this, each child is different, you know your child best and you will know how much practise is right for them.
Where to look?
There are a wealth of resources available online and in print to support your preparation at home. For any official guidance on your local 11+, the best place to look is your council website. For example, the Medway Council or KCC.
Here at T W Tutors LTD, we offer a range of support for the 11+, which can be seen below:
Online Learning Programme – £10 per hour (30 minutes video teaching input led by a fully qualified teacher and 30 minutes interactive, online learning activity)
1-1 private tuition - £30 per hour (highly skilled and experienced tutor)
1-1 private tuition - from £40 per hour (fully qualified teacher)
Below is a list of some of our favourite resources for you to use to supplement your tuition:
· Educational Quizzes - offer free practise questions for maths, English, verbal and non verbal reasoning and more.
· Bond Online - offer free practise questions for all areas of the 11+. They also publish practise books which are incredibly useful.
· GL Assessment - free practise papers for any entrance exam published by GL.
· SATS Papers - free 11+ papers for CEM and GL Assessment.
As always, we are more than happy to answer any questions or queries you may have about the 11+ or provide assessments to highlight any gaps or weaknesses which may need to be worked on. Feel free to email our Director, a Cambridge qualified teacher with years of experience in OFSTED Outstanding schools @ terri@twtutorsltd.com. We look forward to hearing from you!