CEM MATHS DIY help needed

[Parsifal]

Can anyone who has done a DIY maths /NVR 'campaign' share what they did that they felt worked well? I think I have gone through the basics of the syllabus (practice questions show up what I've missed) and we are doing a Schofield and Sims MA 5 test each day Monday-Friday before school and trying to do each test in under 20 mins (Maths tuition at local state school is well under par so we need to take matters into our own hands). I had thought to then move onto the 10 min CGP tests and leave full practice papers until the summer. Are there any other resources/techniques/approaches that DPs who have already been through the 11 plus have found useful?

[wangxiaosara]

Can anyone who has done a DIY maths /NVR 'campaign' share what they did that they felt worked well? I think I have gone through the basics of the syllabus (practice questions show up what I've missed) and we are doing a Schofield and Sims MA 5 test each day Monday-Friday before school and trying to do each test in under 20 mins (Maths tuition at local state school is well under par so we need to take matters into our own hands). I had thought to then move onto the 10 min CGP tests and leave full practice papers until the summer. Are there any other resources/techniques/approaches that DPs who have already been through the 11 plus have found useful?

We used 10 min CGP test and found it was very good. The full practice papers were actually quite hard (timing), my DS scored around 60% to 75% (never got over 80%) and passed 11 plus comfortably. My DS said the actual exam was easier.

[Daogroupie]

Which CEM tests are you sitting?

As the percentage of VR is more than NVR and Maths are you putting enough focus on that?

Our local CEM tests have been harder than any of the preparation material but that may not be the case everywhere as another poster has shown. DG

[Parsifal]

Thanks very much for the feedback. Daogroupie, we are sitting the Warwickshire paper . Wingxiaosara, which CEM did you sit? Is there really such a big difference in the qualifying scores depending on what region you are in? I have the VR element taken care of externally , but the maths NVR we are doing ourselves. The last entry score for the school we would like was 222 this year. Not sure how that translates into what mark we need to be hitting on the practice tests?
Many thanks

[guest201]

My 2 both did the Warks test. Check out the Warwickshire forum you will find loads of info there. The Warks CEM is not incredibly difficult but the kids need to be quick as there is a lot of time pressure. We did S and S mental maths, we also used the normal Bond maths assessment papers (the little red books, not the CEM specific ones) They should be completing these in about 20 mins. Over the summer before the exam we did the CEM 10 min tests just to keep ticking over. Make sure your child's mental maths is up to scratch i.e. instant recall of times tables. We also used the CGP full tests which were quite difficult, I didn't do these until about June.

[Daogroupie]

CEM VR is English VR. I think you will find this is 50% of the mark so you need to put lots of focus on this.

I assume you mean you have a tutor. I hope it is one that has a proven success rate. What sort of marks is your dc getting and are you going through the paper with them at home? What materials is your tutor using?

On the Maths and NVR I would use CGP and FPTP both available from the forum shop. DG