Hi there

My DS is in year 3.

I would like him to sit the 11+ in due course (Birmingham).

At the moment, we are taking it pretty lightly work-wise, so he is working on his timetables, vocab and comprehension. We are using the year 3 AE times tables book [(but once a week rather than rushed in 15 days) with a view to repeating it in year 4], the year 3 AE English books (once a week) and Richards English 1 (again once a week and I am just picking out the comprehension exercises as his English is otherwise very good). At some point, we will move on to the AE maths books. For the moment, I am avoiding VR and NVR as my understanding is that the exam can be passed even without that. Oh, and he reads himself or to me for about 15 - 30 minutes on a daily basis.

I have started it now as I can work with him in a relaxed way.

I plan to DIY for as long as possible. Although I am looking at *** Advertising Censored ***, BOFA Plus (looks better) and/or Smart11+ Tutors (I may hold off till year 5 for that).

My questions are:

1. is Birmingham CEM (as far as I can tell it is).

2. Is there anything else I can do / should be doing?

3. Do I register him to sit the exam in year 5 and he sits it in year 6?

Thanks

Hi , you are doing more then enough - I guess or I would have say not needed, but if your DS is ok then why not ?
but please be aware that 11+ is like marathon .... so avoid burn out , please do not put any pressure at all.

Reading is more and more important at this stage .. try to check this link ...


https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/advic ... ading-list

I'd say 'Stop' - this is overkill.

Your child is 7 and Year 5 is plenty of time to prepare.

In year 3 all you need to do is learn times tables, encourage him to read anything and everything he’s interested in, and play games of all kinds.
Reading all Over the place will build his vocabulary naturally.
Climbing trees will build his logical reasoning skills.
Helping you cook dinner will help his concentration.

Just chill. If your child’s the type to thrive at grammar they can get there with nothing extra til year 5. Honestly.

Throw the text books away or use them to prop up a leg on a wobbly table.

Strengthening timestables is always good. Those can be done anywhere, no need for a book. That's what car journeys are for afterall.

In year 3, I'd be tempted to practice his number bonds and mental arithmetic (addition and subtraction) as well.

As for English, there realy is no substitute for reading. Pick a genre he likes and start from there. Make sure it isn't too difficult for him or it will become a chore. Don't get hung up by the "so called" classics. If you can instill a love for reading you have cracked it. If he is visiting the local library with spring in his step then you've cracked it. If you can't go past a WH Smith's without spending a small fortune on the latest kids blockbuster then you've cracked it.

Support his primary school and all the good things they are doing. Don't make the mistake of thinking (like so many parents do) that enough accademic work isn't happening there.

Come back at the beginning of year 5 and look at the formal text book approach. If you think he needs more than a year of prep then he probably isn't going to thrive at a grammar school anyway.

Totally agree with previous posters. Stop, enjoy being able to do cooking, gardening, reading, playing games and keep the spelling bees / times table tests for car journeys. Y5 will be here soon enough and burn out is a very real risk.