Very quiet in Warks

[Optimist]

I got very little out of my DS, but he did say there was nothing in the maths sections that he hadn't covered at school.

JD

Strange. My DS mentioned that this type of maths was not covered in his primary school.

[Okanagan]

It depends upon how they interpret it - they may have covered the necessary calculation methods in school, but not be used to multipart worded questions. Thus one child could say they'd covered it (the maths) in school, and another, even from the same school, might see it as they'd not covered the question types.

[Fatnorville]

My DS is waiting for his results, so you may want to wait until the results come out before deciding whether this is good or bad advice.

Talk to your school about your intentions, and get their views whether GS is appropriate for your child. Unfortunately parents - myself included - make an emotional decision often based on limited information. A good teacher will have seen many kids through the system and will be able to advise. Remember they may tell you what you don't want to hear. But they could offer assistance.

The 11+ is supposed to be tutor proof. I disagree with this. If you feel that your DC has the aptitude to survive and thrive at GS (which is not the same as passing the 11+) then practice. Maths as described elsewhere may not be typical mathematics questions, but may be narrative, but once you have deduced the question, the solution should be achievable. Having the right technique and understanding the style of questions will give you them marginal marks, which may make all the difference, especially if you have the technique to answer questions quickly when fighting against the clock.

For example with multiple choice questions, you don't need to know the answer, you sometimes just need to eliminate the wrong answers. If the question asks what is the sum of big number x big number, just multiply the two least significant numbers which will give the least significant number of the solution. That could be enough to identify the answer. If the question presents five formula and asks which gives the highest answer, an estimation of the answer can give you the solution a lot quicker than calculating the answer. (Sorry Maths is my strong point, but emphasises the point that practicing often will tease out these little marginal things. I am weakest at English - Like father like son. Wish I could offer some techniques there!)

We tried a variety of tests to get a wide as possible exposure to the types of questions, and not necessarily focussed on 'CEM' tests. To be honest I still don't know what CEM is. I let his tutor rely on that and we filled the gaps. We used the Bond books supplemented with whatever we could find online, plus whatever his tutor gave him. However I am of the opinion that any test which broadly tests NVR, VR, Maths and English is time well spent, just to get that variety of different questions.

We didn't feel comfortable self tutoring so employed someone based on a recommendation from a friend. (Their son scored very highly in a previous Warks exam). Time will tell if that was money and time well spent, however I would have been a very shouty tutor so I think this is the best approach for both of us.

Remember the tests are there to differentiate between several thousand children, and they are meant to be difficult. Reassure your DC that they might not be able to answer all Q's, but focus on the those Q's which can be answered. If you miss a question, mark it on the sheet and go back to it. If you finish a section with time to spare check answers. If you finish a section with a lot of time to spare, ensure you haven't turned over two pages by accident.

I have said it elsewhere, but use the 11+ tests from other authorities as practice for the real thing. The day may be stressful. Some children may cry during the exam. Your DC needs to know that is someone else's problem to deal with.

Finally, remember your DC is exactly that and not a machine. Don't forget their childhood needs to be fun.