Self-preparation - achievable or I'm too naive?

[Hmmm]

Those students still had tutors, it is just that their parents were the tutors. These exams require focused preparation either by a parent or a tutor. DG

So it is achievable to get through only with parents tutoring (with no previous experience in such things using materials like GL papers, Curran papers, etc)?

[Hmmm]

Or else these students were at Primary school, and had been taught English/Maths.

Funny:)))

[PettswoodFiona]

We're in a different region but we have the same questions being asked. We home tutored but for us the key was:
DD wanted to do it and did most of it herself with guidance from us
We researched the different exams
DD was already highly capable so it was more about technique and familiarisation
We sat a couple of mocks which helped identity areas of weakness

If DD hadn't been top in her maths set or had a reading age many years ahead and if she hasn't really wanted to go to one particular grammar school which is highly selective I don't think we'd have sat her for the test. I saw many children weak in either maths or English and if the DC didn't want to do the test then no amount of paid for tutors or home tutoring helped.

[Hmmm]

We're in a different region but we have the same questions being asked. We home tutored but for us the key was:
DD wanted to do it and did most of it herself with guidance from us
We researched the different exams
DD was already highly capable so it was more about technique and familiarisation
We sat a couple of mocks which helped identity areas of weakness

If DD hadn't been top in her maths set or had a reading age many years ahead and if she hasn't really wanted to go to one particular grammar school which is highly selective I don't think we'd have sat her for the test. I saw many children weak in either maths or English and if the DC didn't want to do the test then no amount of paid for tutors or home tutoring helped.

Thank you, very inspiring for me! He is in top sets in Math and English in his class, but a bit lazy. He sat 10+ in Whitgift and got a small scholarship (not enough for us to accept the offer). He wants to sit the exams, so we will try.

[Daogroupie]

The motivation of the student is the most important factor and then doing your research on format.

Lots of parents self tutor and their students do very well. DG

[PurpleDuck]

It is still tutoring if there are other students in the room. Some group sessions are a lot more effective than one to one tutoring. DG

I never said group sessions were not a form of tutoring. I merely made a clarification about not using one-to-one but group sessions instead.

[Ladymuck]

For Sutton you should be able to pass the SET (which is multiple choice) by using the usual commercial materials. I'd recommend the Bond 11+ guide for parents, and the accompanying books for maths and English as they help you focus on areas that haven't been covered at school yet. And then from April onwards it is practice, practice, practice, especially using the FPTP papers available from this site as well as GL/Bond.

Passing the SET high enough will get you into Wallington. For Sutton and Wilsons the second stage is wordy maths problems and Writing. If maths is a strength then there are plenty of independent schools papers available online, and I would also recommend the Galore Park "So you really want to learn maths" Red book 1. Plemty of extension material there.

However I would say that a place at Sutton Grammar and/or Wilsons grammar is won or lost on the written English paper. That is the area where I would consider tuition especially for boys. All the boys who pass are good at maths and therefore there isn't much difference on the maths scores - everyone is getting 85% or more. But the English marks will vary from 30% to 100% - you cannot make up for an average English score on the maths paper.

[Hmmm]

For Sutton you should be able to pass the SET (which is multiple choice) by using the usual commercial materials. I'd recommend the Bond 11+ guide for parents, and the accompanying books for maths and English as they help you focus on areas that haven't been covered at school yet. And then from April onwards it is practice, practice, practice, especially using the FPTP papers available from this site as well as GL/Bond.

Passing the SET high enough will get you into Wallington. For Sutton and Wilsons the second stage is wordy maths problems and Writing. If maths is a strength then there are plenty of independent schools papers available online, and I would also recommend the Galore Park "So you really want to learn maths" Red book 1. Plemty of extension material there.

However I would say that a place at Sutton Grammar and/or Wilsons grammar is won or lost on the written English paper. That is the area where I would consider tuition especially for boys. All the boys who pass are good at maths and therefore there isn't much difference on the maths scores - everyone is getting 85% or more. But the English marks will vary from 30% to 100% - you cannot make up for an average English score on the maths paper.

What kind of written English - an essay and long answers comprehention? or just an essay? Wordy math problems - does it include algebra? Thanks for advice, will look at the Galore park book.

[PurpleDuck]

Both SGS and Wilson's had English essays for Stage 2 in the latest exams, no comprehension. Comprehension was part of the SET (Stage 1) - multiple choice and very tight time-wise.

[Ladymuck]

The 2 schools historically have had different approaches. Wilsons usually goes for a single piece of writing of about 50-60 minutes as a response to some written information. So in recent years this has been a description of an accident, with the boys being asked to write a newspaper report; or given information about animals and asked to write a persuasive letter about keeping an endangered species as a pet. So the boys need to be able to plan well, understand the task, and the information provided, and to write in a variety of styles. Sutton used to have 2 shorter pieces of writing, around 25 mins each. One non fiction, one descriptive.

However the schools can and do swap things around as they know tutors end up preparing for the format.