Parents whose children are planning on sitting their 11 plus in September need to start encouraging them to work on their test speed now, so they can give their best performance in the secondary school entrance exam.
There are only a few months to go before the big day, with around 80 per cent of students in Bucks sitting the 11 plus… so practice is definitely advisable, not just for accuracy but also to ensure that entrants know they can complete the tests in the allotted time.
One of the best ways to do this is by starting to practice short, timed tests with them now. Encourage them to sit ten-minute tests as this will get them in the mindframe of having to engage with the questions as soon as they are allowed to turn their paper over.
While they might be used to taking their time as they start their exam, there is a huge benefit to working at their full capacity from the get go, so they can give their all to the test and finish it with time to spare.
This enables them to go back through the paper and check for any simple mistakes they have made so they can correct them and earn more marks.
As well as practising with short, timed tests, parents could get them to sit a mock exam in timed conditions, either at home or with an experienced tutor who can analyse the results and provide feedback. This gives them experience of completing an entire paper within the allocated time, while an external mock test can also help children learn how to deal with nerves.
If they are unable to finish the exam, this highlights an area they can work on, and strategies can be made to speed up their calculations or reading.
It might also show topics that they are less confident in, and therefore take more time on than they should, which can be worked on with an experienced 11 plus tutor.
It is far better to find out what these areas of difficulty are soon, so there is enough time to iron out any problems before the exam. This way, they can go into the room feeling confident they will do well and complete their paper in plenty of time.
