Berkshire 11+ 2019 Entrants (2018 Exam) Preparation

[Gloriousparent]

Hi all,
Starting this thread to get inputs, preparation tips, books, learning resources from all parents for the 11+ Exam to be held on September 2018. I have started this thread in local Berkshire area rather than general area as there are so many geographic factors which affect the preparation.

For us, the 11+ exam is just a milestone, which would assess the child's ability and prepare them for much tougher exam regimes in future life. Unlike many parents, we have not started any tuition so far as we still believe the child does not need one. We might get some just before the exams for say mock exam drills with some tuition centre to build up the confidence for the DS. As parents, we have been helping kids with their general studies and since 11+ gives a good target, this has been in radar. The curriculum for 11+ is also part of KS2/KS3 which does help. Although at times we do feel its gone beyond DS's Y4 level, but considering the child is willing to grasp and has curiosity, it helps us.

We have been following the CGP books so far and might buy some other publications in due course. Would appreciate if you keep your experiences posted on the thread.

Thanks

[StackOverFlow]

Do you mean 2018-entry(2017-exam) or 2019-entry(2018-exam)?

[Gloriousparent]

@StackOverFlow - Thanks for the Clarification question.

I mean 2018 Exam - 2019 School Start

[Gloriousparent]

Modified the Subject as well now...

[StackOverFlow]

I think your ds is well-placed for next year's exam given only just y4 now.

My ds is going to take it this year. We started him working on some extra work from year 3. Over the years, he has been getting into the 'beat' and 'pace'.

Boys being boys they have all the boyish things with them. And then the peer pressure on being less-nerdy more-xbox and whatever.
I feel it is more important to let them take over the ownership of academic attainment and has the innate to work; has the perseverance and all that. This is more valuable than the scores they got from all those CGP, Bond and all other materials I am sure you will get.

Wide and board reading and building up the vocabulary. This are long term investments.

[kenyancowgirl]

Gloriousparent....welcome to the forum and 11+ etc.

I note you say that you have not started tuition yet. However, you also say you are using CGP books and I feel I must gently point out that this IS tutoring!!!

Work done at home is often referred to as DIY tutoring. It is a common misconception amongst some people that if they are not paying a private tutor or paying for a tuition centre then their child is not being tutored. However, like you, very often families are working very hard with their children at home. Do not misunderstand me, there is nothing wrong with diying (working at home) but please do not infer that you are not tutoring!

Y4 is very early to start working towards 11+ really. Your main focus should be in ensuring a firm grasp of timestables and good vocabulary through wide and varied reading. Please also allow your children to have lots of fun playing outside, doing sport, music etc as well!

[Gloriousparent]

@kenyancowgirl - I respect your opinion and comments and thankyou for your welcoming statement. This is exactly the reason why I joined the forum, to know what others do, how they do, to correct myself if others do it better - as far as kids education is concerned. After all no one was born as a Parent, we all learn!

I quite like the use of term "DIY Tutoring". For me as a parent the study time is a sort of the family time, we are not teacher and a student, but more like friends, quite often doing things not in the traditional way - without books, just talking. For us the result is not important, but the efforts are. Just last weekend, our family had a bit of an hours drive with the kids to a nearby town. Just before leaving, earlier in the day we were discussing some vocabulary and my son faced some new words from an multiple choice question like "investment, saving...". The whole hour while I was driving, both our kids (DS2 is in Y2) got so engrossed in this investment thingy, we went completely off track - from vocabulary to stock market, banking, shares and what not. I couldn't and did not want to stop the curiosity of the kids. I know we encourage kids to read books, but this is the only way we can spark the curiosity with them as its not always possible to guide them books on every topic.

The Tutoring I was talking was about some classroom, professional experience where you do not go offtrack, where investment is just a word and does not have to have a finance background.

Extracurricular activities are on top of the agenda, with DS1 appearing for the Piano ABRSM Grade 3 this summer and also pursuing tennis and running among other sports!

@Stackoverflow -
Vocabulary is the trickiest topic I have learned to pursue with kids and experimented with quite a many methods. Much difficult than Maths as DS1 is more analytical so English comes second. Did you follow any websites or flashcards or something like that for the vocabulary part?

[Tinkers]

You sound like you are 'investing' in the DSs life and education. You may have gone off track vocab wise, but I'm sure he learnt things during that journey that will be more useful than learning dry lists of words. I'm sure there were many other words in that conversation he may not have heard before either that he now knows.

[silvermom]

joined today to be inline with 11 plus prep for 2018 (exam). DS is in year4. English is a challange and vocab seems like a nightmare. Any books other than AE or CGP?

[Gloriousparent]

@silvermom
I personally prefer the 11plus exam guides - The English ones specially - As they are a bit difficult and more comprehensive vocabulary.

Though we started from CGP books - Both the 11+ Exam question books and KS3 for starting the preparation.

Once you cover the KS3 books, you would have covered most of the stuff, only thing required is the practise papers.