Preparing for the 11+

Preparing for the 11+ exam

11+
June 01, 2024•3 min read

In theory your child doesn’t need to know anything more than they would be taught at school, so most of the syllabus they should/might be familiar with.   I think the best idea would be to start with the basics: for maths this would be number facts and build on from there.

I can’t remember whether I’ve mentioned, though I think I have, that you can download previous 11+ papers online for free, so you won’t need to buy them.  

If you type 11+ past papers Free into the Google search bar it should bring you up some options. I normally use: this site

In theory your child doesn’t need to know anything more than they would be taught at school, so most of the syllabus they should/might be familiar with.   I think the best idea would be to start with the basics: for maths this would be number facts and build on from there.

This will set a strong foundation in place.  

When thinking about English, start with spellings, punctuation, vocabulary, and grammar. Some children love reading.

For others it’s a noose around their neck, but if you can encourage them to read a variety of resources you will be giving them a skill for life.

What you may do is create a challenge for them. If they read 6 books of either x number of pages, or 3 different types and write a book review for all 6, you will reward them with a meal of their choice, extra screen time, a trip to….  

With any revision I would present it as a reward for the work done, rather than a penalty for what wasn’t done.  

You can buy the books, but it seems like an unnecessary investment. But what I suggest is that when you download the paper you also download the answer sheet, so that you, your son or daughter can get used to seeing it and completing it and they’re not suddenly confronted with something completely new and alien to them on the day.  

Initially when you’re working through the papers what I would do is use them as a means of highlighting any areas that need extra practice.

Don’t worry about timing, that can come later. Just initially pick out any of the questions that you can’t yet do. Make a list and then for the following few revision sessions, focus on things that are in your list. Once you’ve completed the list, or a good way through the list have ago at another paper and so on.

If timing is an issue, you may choose to initially start with games where you are timed so that you can get used to pressure in a more relaxed way (I think that is one of the least logical things I have ever written but I hope it makes sense).  

To support children with spellings and vocabulary I often play a game using scrabble letters.  

You take half the letters each. You then have to use every letter to create words. The words have to be correctly spelt, a minimum of 3 letters, they can’t be names, and they can’t be abbreviations. It sounds quite simple, but as you get to the end and you are left with an abundance of one letter and a z or an x for example, it suddenly becomes quite tricky as you have to rearrange the words you already have to accommodate them.  

If you play it, I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think.  

revising for the 11+

11+ preparation11+ free downloadsschool entrance examsgrammar school preparation
For the past 20+ years I have been a firm believer that learning should be an enjoyable experience. I appreciate that traditionally education has revolved around worksheets, textbooks, listening to teachers. But a grounding in early years and working with children who had a variety of learning styles from I learned that it is an individual activity that is personal to all of us. We don’t all learn in the same way. Our influences, our experiences, our capabilities all influence how we retain information. But through it all, I believe that if we can make it enjoyable and engaging, they will want to participate. With participation comes practice which in turn boosts skill and confidence. With an increase in skill and confidence comes a willingness to have a go. This in turn leads to more practice which leads to a positive spiral of success. The moral, we need to make learning fun, engaging, use a range of techniques.

Dawn Strachan

For the past 20+ years I have been a firm believer that learning should be an enjoyable experience. I appreciate that traditionally education has revolved around worksheets, textbooks, listening to teachers. But a grounding in early years and working with children who had a variety of learning styles from I learned that it is an individual activity that is personal to all of us. We don’t all learn in the same way. Our influences, our experiences, our capabilities all influence how we retain information. But through it all, I believe that if we can make it enjoyable and engaging, they will want to participate. With participation comes practice which in turn boosts skill and confidence. With an increase in skill and confidence comes a willingness to have a go. This in turn leads to more practice which leads to a positive spiral of success. The moral, we need to make learning fun, engaging, use a range of techniques.

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