How are 2013 Kendrick & Reading Boys Hopefuls getting on?

Eleven Plus (11+) in Berkshire (Berks)

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sonasona
Posts: 869
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:51 am

How are 2013 Kendrick & Reading Boys Hopefuls getting on?

Post by sonasona »

As Berkshire seems to be very quiet at the moment, I thought I’d ask how our 2013 candidates are getting on with their prep for October? :D

How are you getting on, any problems or queries? Anything interesting you’ve discovered on your 11+ journey so far?
earleymom
Posts: 48
Joined: Fri Feb 18, 2011 2:45 pm

Re: How are 2013 Kendrick & Reading Boys Hopefuls getting on

Post by earleymom »

The journey doesn't seem to go very smoothly :( DS worries a lot about 'failing' the exam, though I keep telling him, its only about trying...
We still have few methods in VR and NVR to complete.
When should we ideally finish learning all the methods and start practising with actual papers?
sonasona
Posts: 869
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:51 am

Re: How are 2013 Kendrick & Reading Boys Hopefuls getting on

Post by sonasona »

It is about trying with 500+ trying each year! You don’t fail these tests, you ultimately achieve a score. Whatever the final outcome this preparation will never go to waste as it will help your child in the future, life will bring one challenge after the other. From our own experience, it’s better to set small goals at a time, taking note of any problem areas at the time so you can come back to them later. Offer lots of praise at this stage and don't forget to highlight the strong points too!

You have plenty of time to cover all the question types and perfecting technique, no need to panic at this stage. There will be a lot of children who start much later.

Leave full papers until the Summer at least, at the moment concentrate on different questions types and maybe set up/do some 10 minute tests. Keep them short and manageable, you can then easily go back and sort out corrections and see where he may be going wrong. What is particularly useful is to repeat some questions after a month or so mostly to confirm the information is being retained but this can also be a good confidence builder.

At this time, short sessions mixed up with reading and lots of free time (considering he’ll have also school homework) will help, it will all come together later on in the year.
cocoa0101
Posts: 134
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 12:35 pm
Location: reading

Re: How are 2013 Kendrick & Reading Boys Hopefuls getting on

Post by cocoa0101 »

Hi earley mum,

I would actually start to give him some full papers now, the amount of concentration required for 3 papers is massive and in my opinion it is never to early to introduce some basic exam techniques. Remember, there are so many different levels of papers out there so it's also about making sure that you start him off on those he can cope with. For the maths, this will really help to highlight weak areas. I often host mock exams and the children begin to realise what will be required of them, the pitfalls and how to avoid them. Ultimately, however, you know your own child best so you have to do what will be best to keep his confidence high. It might be good to give him some relatively easy full papers which he realises he can do so that could motivate him to continue the hard work in a positive way.
earleymom
Posts: 48
Joined: Fri Feb 18, 2011 2:45 pm

Re: How are 2013 Kendrick & Reading Boys Hopefuls getting on

Post by earleymom »

Thanks sonasona.. You mirrored my thoughts - I keep telling DS the same thing, even if he doesn't get in to Reading boys, knowledge acquired is never going to be a waste..

cocoa0101.. At the moment doing loads of short tests. Will start with couple of long(easy) ones too.. Planning to do a mock shortly - might be helpful to see where he stands.
sonasona
Posts: 869
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:51 am

Re: How are 2013 Kendrick & Reading Boys Hopefuls getting on

Post by sonasona »

I'll pm you details of a Centre that also do mock exams, I've heard very good thing about them.
mum-of-three
Posts: 44
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2012 11:04 am

Re: How are 2013 Kendrick & Reading Boys Hopefuls getting on

Post by mum-of-three »

Hi sonasona Can you please pm me the details of the Reading mocks?

Earleymum what material are you using for 10 min practice tests? We have finished IPS but they seem relatively easier to me. I am on a lookout for something more suitable and challenging for Reading school.
studymum
Posts: 29
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:25 pm
Location: Didcot Oxforshire

Re: How are 2013 Kendrick & Reading Boys Hopefuls getting on

Post by studymum »

Things are not going smoothly for us. DD seems to have lost confidence in herself a bit and I don't know how to boost it. She's confident at Verbal Reasoning and on the surface seems fairly confident with NV but we tried a GL test paper last night and it was very hard for her - her reasoning seemed sound to me but even I wasn't sure why a couple of answers were what they were! Perhaps I'm not the best coach! I'm slightly comforted by the knowledge that when DS sat for reading he said the actual tests weren't as hard as all the papers he'd done at home :)

October seems so far away at the moment but am sure the time will fly by!
sonasona
Posts: 869
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:51 am

Re: How are 2013 Kendrick & Reading Boys Hopefuls getting on

Post by sonasona »

Mum of three I will pm you the details although they are not in Reading

Studymum, I'll pm you a couple of links wheich may help with the NVR
cocoa0101
Posts: 134
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 12:35 pm
Location: reading

Re: How are 2013 Kendrick & Reading Boys Hopefuls getting on

Post by cocoa0101 »

studymum,

Don't panic. Remember the GL papers are pretty much in line with the actual test so the best thing to do is to photocopy them and get her to do them a few times before the actual test, hopefully you will see her marks go up. Is she struggling with particular question types? If so, just focus on those for a week or so. Some of the answers are ambiguous and I really think there could be 2 answers to some of those questions.
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