When to start doing past papers

Discussion of the 11 Plus

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now
11plusworriedmum
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 10:04 am

When to start doing past papers

Post by 11plusworriedmum »

Dear everyone!

Can anyone advise when to start the 11+ past papers, obviously we have to finish the syllabus first but would you say starting past papers in September for a January exam is ok? or earlier perhaps in June is better?

Also is it enough to just do1 past paper a week and then work on the areas that need extra explaining?

Oh so many questions... :?:
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: When to start doing past papers

Post by mystery »

What past papers? There is no such thing in Kent unless someone has smuggled one home against the rules!
janet71
Posts: 166
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2012 3:12 pm

Re: When to start doing past papers

Post by janet71 »

I started tutoring in January for Sept just gone with VR vocab etc then I think about easter I started my DS on IPS papers which are only 30 mins not timing then as he worked through the papers sticking to a time - He was stressed about being timed at first but a necessary evil. Then when he was comfortably finishing these and getting in the 90s we moved onto other papers and started with half a paper 2-3 a week and by I think June we were doing full papers 50 mins I think he was ready then but he continued onto harder ones throughout the summer hols then revisited them and by the 6wk hols I think we were just ticking over with 1-2 a week and some vocab inbetween - I think if you start earlier rather than later you can get a feel for how your DS copes with timing and accuracy - some take longer than others
bravado
Posts: 468
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 11:28 am

Re: When to start doing past papers

Post by bravado »

11plusworriedmum wrote:Dear everyone!

Can anyone advise when to start the 11+ past papers, obviously we have to finish the syllabus first but would you say starting past papers in September for a January exam is ok? or earlier perhaps in June is better?

Also is it enough to just do1 past paper a week and then work on the areas that need extra explaining?

Oh so many questions... :?:
Don't worry about the number of questions - there's always plenty of answers on this forum :D

I'd probably say that in order to help as much as possible, could you please tell us what exams your DC will be doing ie VR, NVR, English etc? Is it for an independent school entrance exam? Is it for a superselective GS? Whereabouts are you? I ask about the area because some people in your geographic area, or the school you're hoping to get in to, may well be able to help you with specific advice :D

For our part, we're in Essex, had an exam on 22nd September and started strictly-timed past Essex papers in May. DD had been doing timed Bond Assessment VR and Maths papers before that.

For what it's
Post Reply
11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now