DIY for South West Herts & Independent Girls

Eleven Plus (11+) in South West Hertfordshire

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sherm
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2016 10:44 pm

DIY for South West Herts & Independent Girls

Post by sherm »

Hi starting 11+ preparation quite late can :shock:
Can anyone please suggest a good structure and books to use and how to make a realistic timetable going forward for SW Herts Consortium and Independent Girls Schools.
Any tips gratefully received. Trying not to panic :( .
I've read through some of the regional DIY posts and it seems I might need GL and CEM.
How do I choose books/make a timetable etc
Thank you :)
Otter
Posts: 90
Joined: Mon Oct 10, 2016 3:23 pm

Re: DIY for South West Herts & Independent Girls

Post by Otter »

Hi, I started my DS's DIY plan about a year ago and I wouldn't say it's too late. I DIYed it because my child is very bright and I felt that he didn't need external tuition just practice of the style of questions and to learn how to pace himself.

I bought the following books on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/178 ... UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/178 ... UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/184 ... UTF8&psc=1

I only got one Maths book as that was his stronger subject, the verbal reasoning books were good even though they covered question types not covered in the SWH Consortium test such as the comprehension.

Don't worry too much about your child completing the 10 minute tests in 10 minutes, I found that that was a bit much to ask particularly for VR where some tests had 26 questions including compehension, but I would still time how long your DD does in each of them.

I suggest that you sit your DD down for half an hour on two afternoons per week, as I work from home I found it best to get my DS to do one maths and one VR 10minute test about 15 minutes after he got home from school (it was difficult to get him to do so on days we left it until after dinner). Then I suggest you run through the questions and answers with her.

Additionally for VR every so often I would show a newspaper article to him and ask him to pick out any words that he didn't know the meaning of and look them up in the dictionary. Also we would occasionally play Scrabble together as a family to encourage him further.

If you were to buy the 3 books I've linked to, by doing 2 afternoons/evenings per week of a 10 min maths and 10 min VR, then once every fortnight do one of the half hour VR tests in the other book, you should be nearly there. Allow the occasional week off, particularly if you are going away during the summer holidays (although I did take the Scrabble with us).

My son scored 259 in the consortium test, without me DIYing it he proabably would have still done very well in the maths as topics are covered in the primary school curiculum, the the style of VR questions are not covered so without doing some practise I think he would have done less well with VR but I am confident that he would have still got a good mark.

I still recommend that you start sooner rather than later as it will give you a chance to identify any areas where she needs extra support. Good luck!
sherm
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2016 10:44 pm

Re: DIY for South West Herts & Independent Girls

Post by sherm »

Hi Otter - thank you for your advice.
I've ordered those books :) .
If DD needs a bit more Maths bolstering any further book suggestions?
Hera
Posts: 856
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:50 pm

Re: DIY for South West Herts & Independent Girls

Post by Hera »

You do not want a CEM maths book for the South West Herts exams. The maths papers are provided by GL assessment, 50 questions, 50 minutes, standard format. So GL papers standard format are a must, Bond papers standard format, old Latymer, DAO papers if you can get them are helpful. To revise the topics Bond How TO Do 11+ Maths is good and the Peter Robson books are helpful if you need additional questions for specific topic areas.

For the Verbal Reasoning CGP CEM books, First past The Post CEM books I think are the best. The Bond ones are OK too, but not as useful as the first two.
sherm
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2016 10:44 pm

Re: DIY for South West Herts & Independent Girls

Post by sherm »

Hi Hera

Thank you.
Could you post some links to the GL Papers standard format and I have no idea
what the :D old Latymer, DAO papers are - can you explain?

Thanks
Hera
Posts: 856
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:50 pm

Re: DIY for South West Herts & Independent Girls

Post by Hera »

Look up GL papers on Amazon or the shop on here and you will find them. The DAO papers you can buy from the school I think, not sure if Latymer still sell past papers. Stick with the Bond and GL assessment and you will be fine. Any standard format 50 question papers will be helpful.
Middlesexmum
Posts: 1008
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:54 am

Re: DIY for South West Herts & Independent Girls

Post by Middlesexmum »

Hera, do you mean this for Maths:

https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/shop/ ... ack-1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Middlesexmum
Posts: 1008
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:54 am

Re: DIY for South West Herts & Independent Girls

Post by Middlesexmum »

Otter - well done to your ds, that's a brilliant score. Would you say the Maths is not too hard then? How does it compare with other exams?
Hera
Posts: 856
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:50 pm

Re: DIY for South West Herts & Independent Girls

Post by Hera »

Middlesexmum wrote:Hera, do you mean this for Maths:

https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/shop/ ... ack-1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Yes and there is also a pack 2 which only comes in multiple choice but is worth doing as it is GL that set the actual maths paper for the herts consortium exams. I will leave them until the summer to do as they are most like the real thing and not as difficult as some of the other papers.
Middlesexmum
Posts: 1008
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:54 am

Re: DIY for South West Herts & Independent Girls

Post by Middlesexmum »

Thank you, that's very helpful.
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