What Is 11+ Exam And What Skills Your Child Needs To Pass

Your child’s education should be one of your main concerns as a parent. Until you truly appreciate its importance and the bearing it will have on your child’s future prospects in life you will never be able to make a meaningful impact on them; parents who do not encourage their children to perform well at school are essentially setting them up for failure.

One examination that’s of particular relevance to your child’s future successes is the 11+ examination. This post will explore it in more detail telling you what it is and explaining what skills your child needs in order to get a passing grade:

The 11+ Exam

In England, the 11+ is a test that’s taken by select Year 6 pupils in order to determine whether or not they are academically suited to attending a grammar school the following year. The experts from Exam Papers Plus say that one of the easiest ways of preparing your child for this exam is to have them sit mock exams. As you likely already know, grammar schools are very prestigious and can open up a lot of doorways for your child. Getting them a place in one could be the best thing you do for them. Not every parent is able to afford private school tuition fees so grammar schools give children the opportunity to thrive without a private education.

English Language

In order for your child to pass the 11+ exam they’ll need a comprehensive understanding of the English language. During the exam, your child will be tested on their spelling, grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, comprehension, punctuation and literacy. You can work with your child to improve their skills in these areas by participating in writing activities with them and showing them online revision videos.

Basic Math

Your child’s understanding of basic maths will be tested in the 11+ exam. Unless they are proficient in addition, subtraction, division and other important aspects of the Key Stage 2 Maths curriculum there is no way that they will pass. Tutoring your child in maths might be a little more difficult than English. A good way to ensure your child’s comprehension of maths is sufficient enough for them to pass the test is to hire a tutor; a tutor will be able to walk them through all of the important concepts and aspects of the Key Stage 2 Maths curriculum that they will need to know about.

Verbal Reasoning

You cannot always accurately predict what your child is going to be asked to do in the 11+ examination as papers change each year. While test examinations are indeed a highly effective way of preparing your child they will still need verbal reasoning skills so they can interpret and answer complex questions they haven’t encountered before. Many parents print off a question sheet and teach their children to answer specific questions rather than ensuring they have good verbal reasoning skills. A good way to improve their verbal reasoning skills is to work with them to improve their vocabulary.

Non-verbal Reasoning

Your child’s non-verbal reasoning will be tested as well. Non-verbal reasoning is arguably the hardest part of the examination. Your child’s spatial awareness, understanding of shapes and mirrored images, and pattern recognition will be tested. Getting your child to take test papers at home will increase their chances of passing this section. You should work hard with your child to revise and practice non-verbal reasoning as it’s the area that most children fail in; it is also the area of the test where your child can earn the most marks and points, meaning if they get a good grade on each question they could potentially pass the test if they underperform in other areas.

Confidence Under Pressure

Moving away from academic skills your child will need, they will also need to be able to perform confidently under pressure. It’s not easy sitting an examination of any kind especially when it has as much bearing on one’s future as the 11+ does. The 11+ exam can open up new doorways and pathways for your child giving them more opportunities in the future. One positive is that your child is perhaps too young to comprehend the magnitude of the 11+ exam, therefore meaning it’ll be easier for them to be confident during it.

Experience With Examinations

Experience with examinations is extremely important. Unless your child is familiar with the examination process they could end up making mistakes. A highly effective way of preparing your child and ensuring they have the necessary experience is to get them to take test exams at home, as mentioned. Test exams under strict conditions will familiarise them with the process and ensure that when the time comes to take a real exam, they are confident and prepared. You can buy 11+ test examinations for next to nothing online, making such purchases investments in your child’s future.

Positive Attitude to Learning

A positive attitude to learning is equally as important as the other skills mentioned here. Children who do not care about school or their futures will fail no matter how hard you push them to succeed or try to teach them new skills. It’s not exactly uncommon for intelligent students to underachieve. One good way of boosting your child’s attitude to learning and making it a more positive one is teaching them about all of the things they will get in later life if they succeed, i.e., a big house and as many cars as they want.

Willingness to Succeed

Following on from the last point, if your child does not have a willingness to succeed and a positive attitude then they will not pass the examination. There is a chance your child will not even be identified as a candidate for the 11+ if they underperform in school. It is, therefore, essential that you teach your child from an early age the importance of education and schooling. If your child underperforms then consider taking them to a child psychologist and getting to the bottom of their issues or reasons for not trying their hardest. Sometimes children underachieve because they do not feel appreciated and other times it is because they genuinely don’t care.

Your child’s education should be one of your main focuses as a loving and caring parent. Unless your child achieves academic success their life and future will be stunted. Encouraging children to perform better in school is not easy but can be achieved with hard work and diligence.