11 Plus Exams Forum

Hi

It seems that the type of essential skills required for the English/VR section of the KEGS exam are basically an excellent reading ability and possessing a very good vocabulary. Hence the advice given in a number of posts of reading, reading & reading some more. The question I'm asking is that can anyone recommend an appropriate reading list for Year 4 (which includes my DD) & Year 5? Most books by Michael Morpurgo & Jeremy Strong were mentioned by someone I know. Any further recommendations?

Thanks

Enid Blyton has interesting vocab.

You might find this link useful.

http://www.holmewood.kent.sch.uk/curren ... ws/YR4.pdf

That was a good link - my 9 yr old is reading Lemony Snicket right now and I've noticed that he has a way of introducing good vocab and actually explaining what it means.
Phillip Pullman and William Nicholson are great for Yr 5 onwards, although my eldest enjoyed Pullman in Yr 4. He has other shorter books - not just the longer Northern Lights trilogy that he is known for.

Not sure if it is still there, but Holmewood used to put their entire curriculum online. The site was/is(?) fantastic.

DIY Mum wrote:You might find this link useful.

http://www.holmewood.kent.sch.uk/curren" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... ws/YR4.pdf

The link is not working!

I think this is the broken link http://www.holmewood.kent.sch.uk/upload ... year_4.pdf

The list is great.

I do believe, though, that any reading is good reading. I wouldn't get too hung up on what your DC read as long as they are reading something. I also think it is important to read together to pick up those words they don't understand.

I found newspapers very useful for providing new vocabulary. DD would read everything given to her (and has always read newspapers), DS less so. We didn't push him to read things he wasn't into, but simply found other books he liked. Any reading is better than nothing. In the test DS scored more or less the same in Maths and English, my guess is DD scored much higher in English than Maths.

Here is a list I got off this site at some stage:

Hurricane Summer - Robert Swindells
A Long Way Home - Ann Turnbull
Fireweed - Jill Paton Walsh
Scribbleboy - Phillip Ridley
Johnnie's Blitz - Bernard Ashley
The Bolphin Crossing - Jill Paton Walsh
Tom's Private War - Robert Leeson
Carrie's War - Nina Bawden
The Endless Steppe - Esther Hautzig
Billy the Kid - Micahel Morpurgo
Stormchaser - Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
No Friend of Mine - Ann Turnbull
Red, White and Blue: Finding Out the Hard Way - Robert Leeson
Tom's War Patrol - Robert Leeson
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit - Judith Kerr
Beyond the Deepwoods - Paul Steward and Chris Riddell
Midnight Over Sanctaphrax - Paul Steward and Chris Riddell

Swiss Family Robinson
Robinson Crusoe
Treasure Island
Northern Lights - Phillip Pullman