11+
11+ Training must begin in Year 4.
My experience as a Year 6 teacher and as a KS2 examiner led to an interest in the 11+ exams. Far too many students are entered for these when they do not have the ability to pass as the skills are not taught at Primary Schools.
Unless your child has an excellent knowledge of Math and is able to complete Year 6 and Year 7 level Math questions, then your child should commence 11+ tutoring in Year 4.
Primary schools should expect all their students to know their 1-12 timestables by the end of Year 4. If you wish your child to sit the 11+ then your child should know all of these timestables and be proficient in them.
For the 11+ [Kent test & Bexley Test] and all selective school testing: students must be able to complete skills in Verbal Reasoning, Non verbal reasoning, Spelling, Math and English. I teach all of these.
I set work each week for homework, for each individual student based on their individual needs.
All homework set must be completed in full EVERY WEEK - if your child has any chance of succeeding.
This is not a part time attempt - If you and your child want to pass the 11+ test it requires focus and dedication from both student and parents.
Students must work and study continuously throughout their holidays and during school weeks.
There are thousands of spellings and word definitions to learn.
Lots of math skills not taught early enough in Primary schools that all have to be learned.
You must remember that the 11+ tests you on math you do not learn until Year 6 - after you've taken the tests.
READING
EVERY DAY READING
Reading - a broad reading knowledge is required. See the recommended reading list.
This will improve their overall knowledge, increase their exposure to different terminology; a broader range of spellings and words used.
Students must be able to read well and quickly, whilst retaining the information that they have read.
This must be practiced. Do not assume that because your child likes to read, or is a good reader, that this is therefore a skill that they have.
They must know what all the words mean, along with their synonyms and antonyms.
Verbal reasoning consists of a vast range of different skills: compound words, analogies, anagrams, shuffled sentences, codes, embedded words, form a word, word definitions etc.
Non verbal reasoning consists of students being able to find patterns with shapes, decipher codes, identifying relationships, similarities and differences between shapes and patterns, recognising visual sequences and relationships between objects, and remembering these.
Non-verbal reasoning involves the ability to understand and analyse visual information and solve problems using visual reasoning.
English skills: these include comprehension, spellings, identifying literary techniques such as alliteration, allegory, anomaly, coloquialisms, euphemisms, hyerbole, metaphors, similies, personification etc.
If your child cannot spell they will fail the 11+ tests.
90% minimum must be achieved in all sections of the tests in order for any child to succeed.
Math: The problem with the Math and Numeracy sections is that many of the areas to be examined on are not taught in Primary Schools until Year 6, after the students have already sat the 11+ tests.
Students needs to be able to complete Long Numerical Reasoning, Short numerical Reasoning including: algebra, fractions, long multiplication, long division. They must be competent and fast at all of the their timestables. They must know all their prime numbers up to 31, cube numbers and square numbers and lots more.
THERE'S LOTS TO LEARN
THE KENT TEST
If you want to apply for a year 7 place at a Kent grammar school, you can register your child for the Kent Test.
The test assesses whether grammar school is a suitable option for your child.
Your child will take the test in September of their year 6 of primary school.
The Kent Test dates for 2025 will be around:
11th September 2022 for children who go to school in Kent.
13th September 2022 for children who go to school outside of Kent.
Registration opens on the Kent website on Monday 2nd June 2025. You must register before Monday 30th June 2025.
Routine and Consistency are KEY.
If your child does not do their homework set, they will not pass.
Your child's score: Your child will get three standardised scores, 1 for English [including SPAG], 1 for maths and 1 for reasoning.
Standardisation is a statistical process which compares your child's performance with the average performance of other children in each test. A slight adjustment is made to take into account each child's age, so that the youngest are not at a disadvantage.
The score ranges for 2024 will be published later this year.
To be given a grammar school assessment, children need to get a total score of 320 or more, with no single score lower than 106.
In England over 100,000 children take the 11+ exams.
There are 32 grammar schools in Kent.
Even if your child passes their 11+ with scores over 106 in each area they are not guaranteed to gain a place, as the competition is so high from children being brought in from London and other areas in England, which results in over 17,000 children applying for 5,566 KENT grammar school places.
This is why more and more parents are now also applying for private schools, so they are guaranteed smaller class sizes and qualified teachers in every class. [Please be aware though it doesn't mean that they are qualified in the subject they are teaching!]
**Be aware, Labour are now going to add tax to your private school fees, so more and more parents want their children to go to a free grammar, or gain a scholarship, so that their fees are free, or greatly reduced. This means even more competition for grammar school places.
"A child without education is like a bird without wings"
Tibetan Proverb
The Kent Test Papers:
The tests are multiple-choice with a separate answer sheet. They are marked by an automated marking machine.
The first test will be an English and Maths paper and will take 1 hour.
Each section will involve a 5 minute practice exercise followed by a 25 minute test.
The English section will involve a comprehension exercise as well as some additional questions drawn from a set designed to test literacy skills.
The second test will be a reasoning paper. It will take about 1 hour, including the practice sections and questions.
It will contain a verbal reasoning section and a non-verbal reasoning section of roughly the same length. The non-verbal reasoning will be split into short sections, administered and timed individually.
There will also be a writing exercise which will not be marked but may be used by a local headteacher panel as part of the headteacher assessment stage of the process.
40 minutes will be allowed for the writing task, including 10 minutes planning time.
Whether completing the 11+, Bexley test, selective schools or paying for a private school, all students need the same skills to pass their entrance exams.
THE BEXLEY TEST
The Bexley test:
Selection test in September 2025 is for children transferring to secondary school in September 2026.
The test covers entry to the four grammar schools in Bexley and is open to all children regardless of where they live.
There is an information leaflet for parents in related downloads, which you should read before registering your child for the test. You can register from May 1st 2025.
The Bexley test consists of two test papers with a mixture of questions on verbal reasoning and comprehension, non verbal reasoning and mathematical reasoning.
Each paper will be divided into timed sections, and instructions will be given on an audio soundtrack.
Most questions are multiple choice, and all answers are marked on a separate machine-readable answer sheet.
There will be a short break between the two test papers.
All parents who register their child for the test will be sent a link to practice questions and a familiarisation booklet.
The test provider is GL Assessment.
Children can be admitted to grammar schools in Bexley after the start of Year 7 if vacancies arise because, for example, other children leave the school.
If you would like to apply for a place at a grammar school in Bexley for your child, you should apply directly to the school.
The tests are not the same as those taken by children in the last year of primary school.
If your child is deemed selective but a place is not available at your preferred school, you will be able to request that he or she is placed on the waiting list for a place.
Being deemed selective does not guarantee that a place will be offered.
Children going into Year 5: You can apply for a secondary school place between 1 September and 31 October 2025.
Please ensure you apply before the deadline as late applications will only be considered after all on time applications have been resolved.
Registration for the Bexley Test is Tuesday 3 May 2025 to Friday 1 July 2025.
The Bexley Test is currently due to be sat the week commencing the 13th September 2024.
Follow this link:
All registered children who attend a primary school in Bexley will sit the test on the morning of 13th September, either in their own school or in a test centre. These dates may change.
All other children will be invited to one morning or afternoon test session on either the 13th or 14th September at a secondary school in Bexley. These dates may change.
If you have registered your child for a selection test in another area they will allocate a different session, if you let them know by emailing them at:
selectiontests@bexley.gov.uk
by June 2025.
They will not allocate alternative sessions after 1 July.
"Education is the gaining of knowledge, knowledge is power."
100%
GCSEs grades 9-4
100%
Dulwich College, Eltham College, with scholarships.
97%
11+, Bexley test, Kent test & Selective tests.
11+ needs.
Consistency, consistency, consistency = Routine = SUCCESS.
For the 11+ [Kent test & Bexley Test] and all selective school testing: students must be able to complete skills in Verbal Reasoning, Non verbal reasoning, Math and English.
I teach all of these.
I set work each week for homework for each individual student based on their individual needs.
All homework set must be completed in full EVERY WEEK - if your child has any chance of succeeding.
This is not a part time attempt - If you and your child want to pass this 11+ test it requires focus and dedication from both student and parents.
Students must work and study continuously throughout their holidays and during school weeks.
There are thousands of spellings and word definitions to learn.
Loads of math skills not taught early enough in Primary schools that all have to be learned.
Reading - a broad reading knowledge is required. See the recommended reading list.
This will improve their overall knowledge, increase their exposure to different terminology; a broader range of spellings and words used.
Students must be able to read well and quickly whilst retaining the information that they have read.
This must be practiced. Do not assume that because your child likes to read or is a good reader that this is therefore a skill that they have.
Verbal reasoning consists of a vast range of different skills: compound words, analogies, anagrams, shuffled sentences, codes, embedded words, form a word, word definitions etc.
Non verbal reasoning consists of students being able to find patterns with shapes, decipher codes, identifying relationships, similarities and differences between shapes and patterns, recognising visual sequences and relationships between objects, and remembering these.
Non-verbal reasoning involves the ability to understand and analyse visual information and solve problems using visual reasoning.
English skills: these include comprehension, spellings, identifying literary techniques such as alliteration, allegory, anomaly, colloquialisms, euphemisms, hyperbole, metaphors, similes, personification etc.
If your child cannot spell, they will fail the 11+ tests. 90% minimum must be achieved in all sections of the tests in order for any child to succeed.
Math: The problem with the Math and Numeracy sections is that many of the areas to be examined on are not taught in Primary Schools until Year 6, after the students have already sat the 11+ tests.
Students needs to be able to complete Long Numerical Reasoning, Short numerical Reasoning including: algebra, fractions, long multiplication, long division. They must be competent and fast at all of the their times tables. They must know all their prime numbers up to 31, cube numbers and square numbers and lots more.
"Education is the gaining of knowledge, knowledge is power."
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