Any tips for a Mum new to all this?

Eleven Plus (11+) in Essex

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Louisa29

Any tips for a Mum new to all this?

Post by Louisa29 »

Hi, I would really appreciate any tips regarding preparation for November's 11+ (Essex). We looked at the Southend and Chelmsford Grammars last year and my daughter fell in love! She is one of the top achievers in her year (5) at school BUT I don't particularly feel she is up against stiff competition. It is not the sort of primary that achieves high scoring SATS results but does however have an excellent value-added.

I am unable to afford tuition so I'm working through practise papers purchased from WH Smiths and lots of freebies I've downloaded from this excellent site. After reading that the 2006 paper was A-level standard - I'm concerned! She is an extremely able reader and enjoys a wide variety of material - often reading three to four books a week. She scored a reading level 5 in her end of year QCAs last summer but in my opinion there seems to be a vast difference between KS2 expectations and the Essex 11+.

I feel so daunted by the task ahead I don't really know where to begin! :roll:
Guest

Re: Any tips for a Mum new to all this?

Post by Guest »

Louisa29 wrote:Hi, I would really appreciate any tips regarding preparation for November's 11+ (Essex). We looked at the Southend and Chelmsford Grammars last year and my daughter fell in love! She is one of the top achievers in her year (5) at school BUT I don't particularly feel she is up against stiff competition. It is not the sort of primary that achieves high scoring SATS results but does however have an excellent value-added.

I am unable to afford tuition so I'm working through practise papers purchased from WH Smiths and lots of freebies I've downloaded from this excellent site. After reading that the 2006 paper was A-level standard - I'm concerned! She is an extremely able reader and enjoys a wide variety of material - often reading three to four books a week. She scored a reading level 5 in her end of year QCAs last summer but in my opinion there seems to be a vast difference between KS2 expectations and the Essex 11+.

I feel so daunted by the task ahead I don't really know where to begin! :roll:
You are not the only one that can't afford tutoring and that doesn't mean your daughter won't succeed. My daughter got in to Chelmsford County High last year despite being in an average school and we tutored her ourselves. The most important thing is practice, practice, practice! Concentrate on the VR - it carried 50% of the marks. My daughter is an excellent reader but is not very good at reading in her spare time and she managed still to get in. The English is always a tough one - tell your daughter to spend the first 5 mins or so reading the extract given (maybe even read it twice) then try and answer the questions. I was most worried about the English so I told my daughter to try her best in it but as its the first paper they do, if she didn't think she had done too well just to think to herself that she had 2 more papers to pull her marks up. If you support and help her, she will do OK and at the end of the day as long as she tries her best that is all you can ask. Don't be daunted by it....there are lots of parents in the same situation as you so keep reading this site!!

Good luck!
Louisa29

Post by Louisa29 »

Thanks for your words of encouragement. It's reassuring to know that it's possible to get a place coming from an average primary school and without private tuition. We are practising at home and will continue to do so. I think I find the comprehension the most daunting because I don't always pick up on the right answers myself, so I feel inadequate trying to explain it to her. Luckily I am more confident in my ability in maths and verbal reasoning!
Guest

Post by Guest »

sounds like you are doing everthing right. Just get her to practice as much as she wants to. We did 3 papers per week after the Easter holidays which sounds excessive but the competition is high. Didn't do much in the school holidays. Work on what she finds difficult especially in the VR papers. English - hard to revise for, though there is always at least 6 marks for grammar. Other tips are obvious ie. don't leave any out if she can guess ie. true/false questions and not to spend too long on anything. Best to put an asterix in the margin and come back to it if there is time. Good luck
Guest

Post by Guest »

Anonymous wrote:sounds like you are doing everthing right. Just get her to practice as much as she wants to. We did 3 papers per week after the Easter holidays which sounds excessive but the competition is high. Didn't do much in the school holidays. Work on what she finds difficult especially in the VR papers. English - hard to revise for, though there is always at least 6 marks for grammar. Other tips are obvious ie. don't leave any out if she can guess ie. true/false questions and not to spend too long on anything. Best to put an asterix in the margin and come back to it if there is time. Good luck

Good advice. I told my daughter the same - if you can't answer the question move on and go back to it at the end if you have time. She said that when she went back to some of the questions she could answer them (probably because she was more relaxed!). Another piece of advice that you will see on here often is to make sure her timing on the VR paper is good - it is very important that they finish the VR paper on the day.
Karen

Post by Karen »

If you haven't already bought it, I would suggest you purchase the book "The Parents Stress-Free Guide to 11+". I found it invaluable. It gives plenty of information about what to expect, how to approach the practice, with suggested timetables and coping with it all! It also has a section of assessment papers that your daughter can do now, which you then use as a guide to her strengths/weaknesses.
Highly recommended, though I wish I'd found it a bit before the final 8 weeks before the test.

Also, of course, this site is invaluable! Help and advice in abundance. :D

Best of luck.
K
Louisa29

Post by Louisa29 »

Thanks so much for the tips. I shall definitely buy the book you recommended.

I have noticed alot of people using this forum already have their children in Grammar school and are doing their best to help others along. Thank you! Can anyone tell me how their children cope with the travel. Looking at the CSSE website my daughter would have to leave home at about 7.05am to catch the Southend bus. Chelmsford would give her an extra 30 mins in bed!
Guest

Post by Guest »

Louisa29 wrote:Thanks so much for the tips. I shall definitely buy the book you recommended.

I have noticed alot of people using this forum already have their children in Grammar school and are doing their best to help others along. Thank you! Can anyone tell me how their children cope with the travel. Looking at the CSSE website my daughter would have to leave home at about 7.05am to catch the Southend bus. Chelmsford would give her an extra 30 mins in bed!

That is a very early start and I assume you have put Chelmsford as your first choice?!! My daughter leaves at 7.35am to get the bus to CCHS which I think is reasonable. Saying that, they get used to the travel very quickly so I wouldn't let the time put you off. They are much more resilient that we think and grow up very fast once they start secondary school. Good luck - I hope you daughter is successful.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Hi,

You should feel confident. Now is just about the right time to be starting. You do need to tutor your daughter but that doesn't mean you need to employ a tutor.

Look at the Bond books first (WH Smith or Amazon). These are the books that the private prep schools use to prepare their kids for the 11+ and common entrance (Public Schools). Start with age 8/9 and build up. Don't do all the execises; be selective. The comprehensions are excellent and the VR books are great for teaching techniques. You shouldn't look at 11+ past papers until well after Easter, maybe May or June time. Remember, you're going to need to build up to them nearer November. Don't be suprised at your daughters early marks in real papers. Children can be getting 50/60% in VR in early June and nearer 85/90% when it comes to the real thing.

We found it useful during the summer holdidays to do one past paper a day. By the time you get to late October, you should be thinking about setting your own mock 11+. Exam room conditions and all 3 papers. I know you can't afford a tutor but at some schools parents get together and rent a small hall.

Goo luck
Peachy

Grammars...

Post by Peachy »

My daughter got into Westcliff last year,we had no private tuition.
We bought the Bond books which were very useful from WH Smith.

Most importantly I think is to keep your child motivated and relaxed about it all.

We are out of catchment, I drive her to School as there is no bus from where we live,we leave at 7.40am,we soon got used to it.

It took her a good 6 weeks to settle in,but she adores it now.

Feel free to ask me anything about the School,I know how stressed and happy we were this time last year.......

GOOD LUCK ALL...
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