Are you doing 11 Plus??

11 Plus: What you NEED to know

Talking about british education terms, Year 3 is the best year to start 11 Plus preperation. Just to note you need to spend thousands of pounds on private tuitions and online 11 Plus. Keep this in mind. It may be more expensive in London than Sussex. If you are ready to read, I will tell you the most important thing first; The Questions:

There will be:

Percentage Questions (Amounts, Convert)

Ratios

Decimals (Convert)

Fractions (Reverse, Multiply, Divide, Convert)

Multiplication, Division, Addition and Subtraction

Worded Problems/2 step problems

Grammar

Punctuation

Spelling

Completing Sentences (Correct English)

Analogies (Unscrambling words)

Cloze Exercises (Missing letters in a word)

Spatial Reasoning (may not be in your test)(cubes, nets,)

Odd one out/Similarities and Differences

Bar Charts/Statistics

Codes

Hidden Shape

That is it! There are 180 marks. You need at least 121 to get into Grammar Schools. But aim higher, for there may be loads of talented people! Keep in mind there are not 180 questions. Grammar Schools are in the UK specially for talented and hardworking people. People who are the best of the best. I did the test myself at Royal Latin (check the blog). But there is still much more you need to know if you are preparing or will prepare, so keep reading!

Do you WANT to do the test?

When you get the invitation (You do not randomly go - you have to apply), you can do 2 options: accept or decline. Honestly, I would choose accept, but if the parents are busy they may decline. Or they may find it too wasting. For example, after 3 years of preparing, your child didn't enter. Imagine the thousands of pounds. Or they may not go and forget. It is important you make the decision clearly because it will be a very tough job to get the invitation back. If the kid has no interest, they may also not do. Or if the kids did a tour of the school the year before (like i did), they may be impressed by the other school. It is important that you make the decision, for you won't always have your parents in life. If you accept, make sure to do the following:

Parents should not force their kids to study NONSTOP

A very common problem is that parents force their kids to study. And they should, but they should also have some fun in between. Follow my rule if you want to be successful: Study 1 1/2 hours, have 3 hour break (not just gaming), Study 1 hour, break (probably sleep). It is a rule that is called "Studymatic's Law" (give credits to me). Studymatic's law teaches you not to be sad. It is also very important you do not let your child fidget from 10 days before the test so they have a realistic example of a test. My parents did similar stuff to Studymatic's law. 

Be aware of the rules/location/time/form

If you get the form, read it with your parents within 3 days. Best you read it early so you know what to do. Check all the pages (There will be more than 2 probably) and understand the requirements. Also, give the form to your teacher/headteacher. They will accept it and give it back to you. Make sure to give that same form to that school you're applying for. It must be a Grammar school, or else they will kick you out. Test dates are very, very important, for if you do not come at the time, you will yet again get yeeted out. Follow the rules when inside the Grammar School building. Enter through the correct enterance. May result in prosecution if not followed. Enter the correct school or they will, again, kick you out.

What to do if my child has club

Skip Club. It is also very unlikely you have club in the middle of the school day.

If my child has disabilities

If your child has disabilities you will still be allowed into the school. Disabilities do not affect anything, and your child should be fine if they have a wheelchair/ADHD/ Autism. It highly depends on the type of autism. If they cannot write either the school will fix the problem or you will, very sadly, have to go. If you have asthma, do not worry for the test is not a marathon.

What's your hardest subject/ sub subject

If you are stuck in a specific subject (e.g. fractions, spelling), go through it with them. Teach them and they will hopefully master the subject. If your child says they are stuck, do not wait. Go to them quickly and help them slowly. By teaching slowly, they will know better, rather than rushing. If you are calling, tell them to give a minute or two.

Tuitions/Academies

This is by far the most complicating thing. It really depends on the type of tuition you want them to do. Private tuitions are more expensive than bigger group tutors, which let you get on with the work (like Kumon) but they can teach you better. However, this isn't always the case. You can do online tuitions for less money, but your parents will probably be "teaching" you in a way. Doing online means more eye damage, but you can learn yourself and better. Yet again, all of them are different in different ways. Some can be similar. But many parents do not do this because it is more expensive. This often means they do not do good in 11 Plus. For example, I asked a boy a question about ratios. He changed the subject. Really, they are the core of the exam, but your parents can still teach you for free (They may not know everything).

Common Mistakes

Kids make mistakes by:

Skipping questions accidentally (uncommon)

Not reading the question properly (very common)

Doing the answer on the wrong answer. (common)

Not marking correctly (there will be a question/answer sheet) (common)

Getting distracted (rare)

Daydreaming (extremely rare)

Are you ready for the 11 Plus Exam, be it practice or transfer? Make sure to follow the tips you think are best, and you will find the exams all easy! (like i did). Remember, you can apply for more than 1 test, and don't put silly answers! Study, but also chill, and you'll get the hang of it! believe in yourself, and anything you think can happen will happen.

note: I got 141 marks.