11 Plus Exams Forum

I had a look through the practice papers for the KS1 assessments on gov.uk . I think they are quite stretching and I hope my DS's school can prepare the kids well for it. Anyone going to do the practice papers nearer the time to prepare? If anything, I just want my DS to do well and get into the top maths set for year 3 as the school has now merged the middle and bottom maths sets together. So there is only one top set and two middle sets. Worried he won't get stretched enough. Hoping my DS will go onto do the 11+ and get into a selective. It's a while off but I'm feeling the panic already just reading the various posts on this site!

There are very few practice tests available and the school will probably use the gov.uk ones to prepare the children.

My ds is in year 2 too and the curriculum has changed a fair bit. I feel the stretching has to be done at home regardless of which set they're in. Not saying it should be that way ...

We had a meeting at school recently about year 2 Sats and I found the new exam very challenging comparing to the old one especially the comprehension part.
I am really worried about it as my son will sit it later on this year.
How do they expect a child in year2 to sit 2 exams papers in comprehension?!

Same here, DS had a go at the sample comprehension papers and that's where he's losing the most marks. I think technique counts for a lot too. I just want him to be able to face it with confidence and not get too stuck/baffled!

It's been a few years since DCs did KS1 SATs, but I remember we did do practice SAT papers at home. I don't know whether new format past papers are available online yet, but you can google 'past SAT papers' and see what comes up; I remember that various websites made them available free of charge. We also bought some from WH Smith.

Practice for KS1? I really wouldn't think that was necessary. I don't think my children even knew they were doing them. Let them play with lego & in the sandpit. Exam pressure will come along soon enough. They will do plenty at school - it is in the school's interest, not the child's.
(Said from a safe distance of a few years ahead ).

scary mum wrote:Practice for KS1? I really wouldn't think that was necessary. I don't think my children even knew they were doing them. Let them play with lego & in the sandpit. Exam pressure will come along soon enough. They will do plenty at school - it is in the school's interest, not the child's.
(Said from a safe distance of a few years ahead ).

Too late for us to change things now, all done and dusted. In our case, the pressure was the other way round. We did some papers at home because the school went about the practice sessions in such a manner that DCs were getting really worried about it. Doing some practice at home, at their own (snail) pace, helped them see they could do it and relax about the whole thing.

Let them play with lego & in the sandpit.

If only they could at school, too busy writing exclamatory sentences and making sure they have enough subordinate clauses. Have a look at the new Sats.

Why would you prepare a child for KS1 tests at home? Goodness me let them play!