Anyone else here for the 2019 test (Entry 2020)

[stroudydad]

Good luck to you all. 11plus done for us now. Our year 6 is off to marling alll being well. Just DS1s a-levels to worry about this year.

[Mamaofthree]

Thanks strouddaddy! This is our first year to go for grammar as our oldest is in year 5. Any tips?! Well done on all your success stories!

[monkeypops]

Just starting to "get in the zone" for 2nd DD's 11+prep. She'll be taking the test in 2020. Thinking we'll start at Easter with a gentle introduction, does anyone else have a plan yet?

[mitasol]

I moved your post here with other 2020 Entry posts.

[Brackenboo]

Just wondered how everyone is doing? Seems rather scary we'll know our schools in 12 months..

We're trying practise timed test papers (broken up into a couple of chunks) and finding that dd is getting between 50-60% right. No idea if this is where she should be, but she definitely has favourite types of questions already. I'm finding that speed in maths and accuracy in comprehension is where we need to work, along with vocab for matched/opposite. Her approach of reading the text once and then guessing the answers from memory definitely isn't the way forward

[Choccy74]

Hi Brackenboo,

Can I ask what age test papers you're doing? We're still on 9-10 and my DD is doing really well on the Maths and NVR, but getting lower scores on the VR and had an awful attempt at an antonyms paper with her tutor the other weekend...she's not normally that bad!

Speed-wise she's quite good, although I was a bit concerned the other day when a 10-minute NVR test took her just over 14 minutes, but when I came to mark it I found that she'd actually done two tests!

We're focussing more now on vocabulary, picking three new words each day which she has to learn and get into conversation, along with an antonym of each one, and so far she's enjoying that. She's quite happy to read each day but always prefers to read 'less challenging' books, which is slightly frustrating.

I can't believe the exam is just over six months away!

[Brackenboo]

Hi choccy74, we're doing 10-11 CGP papers. We are doing a mix of the various 10 minute tests and then the tutor is giving us a CGP test paper to do now and then. Those are the ones she is getting 50-60% on. With the 10 minute ones she's best at NVR and close questions. We're starting to get there with the maths but she needs to work on timings and we are trying to fill the knowledge gaps too. She really doesn't like comprehension and generally gets half or more in the antonyns and synonyms, but it's hard when they are words they don't know.

[jearund]

Just starting to "get in the zone" for 2nd DD's 11+prep. She'll be taking the test in 2020. Thinking we'll start at Easter with a gentle introduction, does anyone else have a plan yet?

I moved your post here with other 2020 Entry posts.

If monkeypops' DD is taking the test in 2020, she is a year after us for 2021 entry, so maybe we do need a separate thread for her after all!

Monkeypops - Easter is probably a bit early to be honest; if you start her in September when she starts Year 5 you'll still have a whole year! It's a long slog and you don't want her to burn out....

[jearund]

Just wondered how everyone is doing? Seems rather scary we'll know our schools in 12 months..

In a way it is scary but part of me just wants to get it over with!

We are using the centre with DS, as it worked so well for DD. He gets 2 hours a week; one is an 11+ class where have a program of lessons covering maths, English, VR and NVR in turn over the year, and the other is where they work on maths and comprehension at their own pace, following a syllabus appropriate to their level. DS is well into the Year 6 work by now.

He also gets homework, which sounds similar to the books many of you are doing and follows on from whatever they've done that week in class. And there are various VR and NVR online tests which we get him to do every so often.

He's not enjoying all the extra work but I think it sets them up well for secondary school and homework. It also teaches them that hard work pays off (well, hopefully!). DD is proud of the fact that she got into grammar school, and is generally a self-starter when it comes to homework. After all, they will spend their school careers doing tests and the next big one after this is GCSEs (I don't count SATS - after all the grammar school preparation they are nothing to worry about!)

[monkeyboot]

Hi Jearand, what is the name of the centre?