Helping your child to prepare for the Bucks 11 Plus - some practical steps!

As you can imagine, many parents come to me asking how they can best prepare their child for the Bucks 11 Plus. This is something I have been doing for a number of years in my role as a tutor, and below I detail some practical steps that can help your child to feel ready to perform at their best on the day.

First, it’s important to know what you’re dealing with as the format of the ‘11 Plus’ varies up and down the country. In Buckinghamshire, all Year 6 students are automatically entered into the Bucks 11 Plus (the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test), so if you don’t want your child entered you will need to opt out. The test itself is administered by The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (TBGS) and is provided by GL Assessment.

Students sit two Secondary Transfer Test papers in September of Year 6. One paper will test verbal skills and the other tests mathematics and non-verbal skills. Each tests last approximately 1 hour, with 45 minutes spent working and 15 minutes allocated to introducing the test and giving examples. Both papers are multiple choice and in order to pass a student needs a standardised Test Score of 121.

Of course, this test is designed to select, and I know from working in Bucks secondary schools that motivated and bright children do fail the 11 Plus and will still go on to have excellent academic achievements. However, if you feel a grammar school environment is right for your child and you want to give them a good shot of passing, here are some steps that can help them on their way:

1. Foster a love of learning in your child from an early age.
   When I say ‘foster a love of learning in your child from an early age’ I do not mean that you should be drilling them in spellings and times-tables from Reception. What I mean is you should try to create an environment in your home where your child can learn about the world through play and via reading. This can take many forms, such as playing board games as a family, visiting the library often, daily reading, watching documentaries, growing plants together, doing science experiments, writing diaries, crafting, visiting museums, learning instruments and so on and so forth. Generally speaking, you want to ensure that your child is a curious one and that they view learning as an enjoyable and fulfilling process. Also, don’t be afraid to model this attitude yourself. After all, you are their role model!

2. Close gaps as soon as you discover them.
   As your child progresses through primary school their school will likely tell you about any gaps in your child’s understanding via their reports. If they don’t, or if you are unsure of any gaps that might exist you can check your child’s knowledge against the National Curriculum yourself. It can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-primary-curriculum
   If you do spot a gap (especially in English or Maths), try to close it as best you can as soon as you can. Speak to your child’s teacher and ask for advice if you need it. There are also a wealth of free resources (such as BBC Bitesize) that can help with this. Generally speaking, it’s also very useful for a student to have a wide vocabulary and a solid grasp of their times-tables before they begin formal tuition so make sure these areas receive some focus.

3. Have a plan and stick to a routine.
   When your child is old enough to begin preparation for the 11 Plus (which is usually when they are in Year 4 or Year 5) make sure you have a plan of what they will cover by when. If you are using textbooks (such as those provided by CGP) map out which topics you are going to complete every half term over the course of the year and then have a regular time (or times) each week when this work will be completed. Make a note of anything your child found difficult and make sure you return to it time and time again until your child’s understanding is secure. Alternatively, contract a tutor or a tuition centre who will be able to provide this structure for you.

4. Be patient and realistic and avoid placing too much pressure on your child.
   Be aware that learning isn’t a linear process and expect bumps along the road. Some children ace everything, but in my experience the vast majority get to their final destinations in a piecemeal way after a lot of trial and error. Whilst this can be worrying, try to normalise failure and help your child to see mistakes as an opportunity to learn what went wrong and why. This can lead to them knowing what to do next time. Also, I always caution realism. Many children thrive in grammar environments, but if your child isn’t particularly interested in academic learning and has a tendency to wilt under pressure then a grammar school might be a difficult place for them to be.

5. Practice in timed conditions!
   This is absolutely key to doing well in any exam. Not only should your child be familiar with the content of the Bucks 11 Plus, but they also need to be able to complete the work by themselves in the time available so they can maximise their chances of success. Generally, they should aim for 1 mark per minute in English and Maths and 1 mark per 30 seconds in Verbal and Non-Verbal. This is a skill that can be learned, so make sure you factor in some time for your child to repeatedly practice this. There are many 10 Minute Test Books available on the market that can really help with this.

I hope that helps and do get in contact if you’d like any more advice.

Rachel