11 Plus Exams Forum

DS is in Y5 and has a year to go until the Essex 11+. We've worked through the IPS question types and are now doing the 30 minute papers. He doesn't like the longer code questions, but generally does well across the board (just let down by not recognising some of the trickier vocab usually). However, the IPS booklet suggests recording their score after 30 mins (as they are 50 question papers) and then the total and I'm realising he's not very quick!

I've explained that time will be farily critical but don't want to panic him just yet. He's holding the answer/question papers in sensible places (left hand keeping his place on the question sheet) and answering the questions directly from the question sheet where applicable, so doing all of the right things-but had only got half the paper done after 30 minutes!

Will this just come with practice, so I should bide my time-or is there anything we can do? Is this fairly common?

If the IPS tests are completed as the first tests after teaching the basic method and techniques, then it is quite normal for children not to complete the test in 30 minutes. Codes can be time consuming but are easy 100% marks. Once he has the method firmly in his grasp, you can start completing the 1st 3 letters, then checking the answer sheet.

Is he leaving the Zs till last? Should be a random guess then go back to at the end.

Practice will with out a doubt bring the time down. You have a year to do so...

Patricia

Thank you so much for your reply. He's done 3 of the IPS 30 minute tests now and only got up to Q 38 each time within the time. I'm trying to tell myself that he'll speed up, but inside am wondering where I'm going wrong!!

Would you not draw attention to the 30 mins (to him) at this point and just think about the overall picture?

I don't know whether to do one paper completely with him-saying 'a better way to do this is like that...' or to let him get on with them and find his own way?

Spend some time each week dedicated to showing him how to approach each of the questions types. In between each session let him complete a test.

Ensure that your session time covers the type of questions that are about to appear in his next test. Keep this up until he is confident in his Methods and Techniques, then switch your session time to a variety of question types and vocabulary work.

Latter session time can include timing how long it takes to do a section of codes or maths. Perhaps copy some papers and have a competition who can do a particular section the quickest, of course he will win...

Patricia