11 Plus Exams Forum

Hi, has anyone experience of using these? Have used the s&s mental maths books 2 and 3 intermittently and so I bought the progress papers book 3 - but it's really hard - I'm struggling to work out some of the answers in this (without cheating and checking the answer booklet). I think it's pitched too high for my child, he's just starting year 5.

Has anyone else used this and at what age? It says 10-12 on the cover so I assumed it would be about right, but seemingly not! Have I aimed too high with buying this book at this stage, should we re look at it later - eg towards the end of year 5? Or does his struggle with it suggest that maybe he's not got grammar potential after all?

If it helps we're aiming for the KE CEM exams in Birmingham next year.

Don't worry. Read the blurb about the book that schofield and sims wrote when they first introduced it.

Is there a book 2? You need to get beyond the level of s and s mental maths three though.

Aim to cover level 5 material and practice cgp and gl familiarisation papers by the end of this school year.

Thanks, I've been searching the net for information about the s&s progress papers but can't find much about them - save for links back to old threads here but that's just about them being out of print for a while, maybe we should try book 2 - I think I assumed we would get book 3 because we'd been working on book 3 of the mental maths - but it's totally another level with the progress papers. I agree we need to move on from mental maths 3, it's getting a bit too easy, but I am struggling with the "next step"! CGP and GL I haven't looked into but I will now. Thanks.

You could buy the teacher's handbook that goes with the mental maths series. It gives a series of tests to help you identify topics that a child needs to work on to be able to tackle each book more successfully and suggestions for further work to improve those topics before launching into a book and getting despondent.

Here's what I found on that Progress Book 3:

http://www.schofieldandsims.co.uk/produ ... hematics-3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The product description for parents makes it sound truly excellent but not something which you could expect your child to sit down now and do by himself.

Thanks Mystery, I've ordered the cgp maths and now decided to spend this half term trying to consolidate basic principles of various bits of maths with him as there seems to be a lot he hasn't done in school and that's slowing him down as he tries to work out how to tackle questions. I am doubting my ability to DIY as it's such a minefield and there are so many different books and resources out there - but will carry on and see how it goes!

Hi I have just brought book2 and 3, they do look difficult for a child that has just started year 5 this term, however by summer I think your child will be more able to do these test. My Ds just done the Birmingham cem test and I wish I got these books earlier before the test, however we are using these books to cover all the basics and also work on the word problems for Birmingham Kes test in January, after that he should be able to have a go at the indie past papers. Try the cem cgp books they are great to cover all topics first stage of book and then some test which may be difficult at start but you could redo them again in the summer, gl would also be ok for now but later on in year 5 have a look at the fptp cem books they are strict on time but it really helps to build speed before the test and also before trying the cem cgp and bond mock test papers.

Midlandsmom wrote:Thanks Mystery, I've ordered the cgp maths and now decided to spend this half term trying to consolidate basic principles of various bits of maths with him as there seems to be a lot he hasn't done in school and that's slowing him down as he tries to work out how to tackle questions. I am doubting my ability to DIY as it's such a minefield and there are so many different books and resources out there - but will carry on and see how it goes!

Yes, carry on if you can. DIY can be better than tutoring as you have more idea of the little bits that need putting right and reinforcing than a once a week tutor can.

Hi

Do any CEM parents do the PP in tandem with MA 4, 5 and 6. My DS is half way through MA 4. We are looking because of time to dispense with MA4 and to hit PP 1, 2 and 3.

My DS is just starting MA 4 I have Progress Papers 1 which I thought I might try him with to see how he goes, the papers are so long that he won't be doing it in one sitting though.

My Y5 DS has just finished test one of S and S Progress Papers book one, he did it in 3 sittings as it was very long, the level seemed about right for this stage of preparation (he will sit Warwickshire test in Sept)