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Eleven Plus Numerical Reasoning

Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2013 5:16 pm
by sonasona
Would you say the Eleven Plus Exams 'Numerical Reasoning book 1' is the right sort of level for the CEM exams or higher?

Some of the questions are fairly taxing for a 9/10 year old! We are looking at Reading/Berkshire 2014 test.

Re: Eleven Plus Numerical Reasoning

Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2013 5:47 pm
by Optimist
sonasona wrote:Would you say the Eleven Plus Exams 'Numerical Reasoning book 1' is the right sort of level for the CEM exams or higher?

Some of the questions are fairly taxing for a 9/10 year old! We are looking at Reading/Berkshire 2014 test.
My ds did a few tests in this book about ten days before his cem bgham 7 Sept exam. He would not have been able to this at the beginning of Y5.

He will go to his first choice gs in Sep 14.

Re: Eleven Plus Numerical Reasoning

Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2013 5:50 pm
by sonasona
Thanks Optimist, can you point me (and others :) ) at suitable books for numerical reasoning for CEM?

Re: Eleven Plus Numerical Reasoning

Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2013 6:56 pm
by southbucks3
The problem in helping you prepare, is that area tests seem to be customised for the cohort.
Bucks was all about speed, ds2 could easily do the first past the post workbook when he practised, but he got a low mark in his test because of the sheer volume of problems that needed solving, which did not suit him at all. Other areas seem to be trickier sums, but less of them, others seem to only have multi choice, others have a mix of all types. Really all you can do is get up to level 5 in maths, and get quick if physically able to do so. There really is no straight answer.

Re: Eleven Plus Numerical Reasoning

Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2013 8:00 pm
by Optimist
sonasona wrote:Thanks Optimist, can you point me (and others :) ) at suitable books for numerical reasoning for CEM?
We used the usual bond maths and ss mental maths books. They built the foundations.
southbucks3 wrote:The problem in helping you prepare, is that area tests seem to be customised for the cohort.
Bucks was all about speed, ds2 could easily do the first past the post workbook when he practised, but he got a low mark in his test because of the sheer volume of problems that needed solving, which did not suit him at all. Other areas seem to be trickier sums, but less of them, others seem to only have multi choice, others have a mix of all types. Really all you can do is get up to level 5 in maths, and get quick if physically able to do so. There really is no straight answer.
I do not think that L5 maths correlates with good cem maths performance. Ds was L5 maths at end of Y5 and still struggled with 11plus maths, but his tutor was able to provide him with summer hwk which prepared him. However, none of this was KS2 type of content.

Re: Eleven Plus Numerical Reasoning

Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2013 8:53 pm
by kenyancowgirl
Both ds 1 and 2 had started Schofield and Sims mental maths Level 6 (ie completed book 5) by the time they took their CEM tests. They both got into a super selective gs.

Re: Eleven Plus Numerical Reasoning

Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2013 9:07 pm
by sonasona
Ok thanks guys :) just trying to get the right info in advance of 2014 :wink:

So S&s books 3 to 5 are the kind of books we need to be doing with ease.

That means book 6 is ott for CEM, we will leave that then.

Re: Eleven Plus Numerical Reasoning

Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2013 10:16 pm
by kenyancowgirl
Oops, sorry...just checked...they had actually completed about half of the L6 book by the time they took the test. I would think you need to be easily completing the L5 work, if not some of L 6 stuff. The key is quick recollection of times tables and speed throughout.

Re: Eleven Plus Numerical Reasoning

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2013 12:01 am
by mystery
Do you mean schofield and sims mental arithmetic book 6 or national curriculum level 6?

Re: Eleven Plus Numerical Reasoning

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2013 2:03 am
by DIY Mum
We didn't much of book 6 either.

We were advised to use books 4-5 as teaching aids where section A and B were done together and section C, independently. This worked quite well for ironing out any weaknesses. Later on, sections were all completed independently and timed (approx. 15-20 mins per test).

But if they do it faster than that with less than 3 mistakes per test (not per section)- it's pointless carrying on with the books. Find something more challenging like their Progress Papers (also S & S) or Maths Challenge.