Recommended Reading
Preparation is the only answer to passing the 11 plus examination. Firstly, you must find out which elements of the exam are required in your area as each school and area may ask for different requirements. One boy I tutored had to do four different exam formats to apply for four different independent schools.
The Non-Verbal Reasoning exam involves testing the ability to spot rotation, mirror images, spot the difference, find the picture that completes the sequence and also the picture that completes the pattern.
Verbal Reasoning takes many, many different forms. Some seem more mathematical than verbal, with number sequences and coding. Others follow alphabetical patterns and sequences while yet more involved word problems which really test the ability to read a question accurately.
Mathematics is often the area I am asked to tutor in. This is because the 11 Plus exam tests students on areas that are not taught in school, including algebra. Some schools teach the variety of mathematical averaging needed, but not all schools.
The English testing takes on more than one form too. Some areas require an essay to be written which will only be used in the process of appeals. Others use a full comprehension and knowledge exam. This is normally a passage to read with content and grammatical questions afterwards. Here the ability to read between the lines is essential.
If a child is prepared even with just a little practice, the nerves are halved. A course of tutoring can make a real difference – whether an intensive six week course pre-exam or a year long course of weekly or fortnightly lessons.
