The August School

5/5 And what should Year 2s be able to do by the end of the year?

4/6 What is possible by the end of (the autumn term) in Year 1?

4/5 What's the goal for the end of Reception?

3/5 What you can aim for before nursery?

2/5 In sports there are clear standards against which athletes can measure their success.

There aren't clear, public standards in academics.

There are a range of standards, even in primary school.

How do you know what to aim for?

1/5
In which is it easier to succeed? Academics or sport?

We think it is easier to succeed in sports.

In sports there are clear standards against which athletes strive to achieve their personal best.

We think clear standards can make achievement easier.

What do you do if your child is working at the 'expected level' rather than at greater depth?

Is 11+ preparation worth it if your child is working 'below' the expected level?

The answer to these questions depends on how valuable you think academic skills are.

Do you think it is important for your child to read fluently?

Or do you think AI will 'read' for your child, by the time your child is an adult?

Do you think it is important for your child to mentally calculate the answers to addition, subtraction, multiplication and division questions?

Or do you think the calculator on a mobile phone will do the job just as well?

The questions you've answered yes to will tell you whether it's worth it to give additional help to your child, even if they are working below the level at which they can excel on the 11+ tests.

You can help your child to improve their academic skills without also having them sit 11+ exams. But you may also find that helping your child to improve their academic skills will get them to the standard required for success in the exams.

The August School are a group of experienced teachers who have prepared our pupils for admission to Eton College, Westminster School and other selective schools.

We're fed up with over-priced tutors and stressed-out parents.

We think hard-working families should have access to the information they need to help their child succeed.

In 2025, we'll tell busy parents everything you need to know about 11+ prep - for FREE.

If you like our posts and want to read more > please follow.

What's the first step when preparing your child to apply to an academically selective, fee-paying school?

Be honest about your child's current academic achievement.

If your child is attending a state primary school, re-read their last school report.

To successfully sit the exam, your child needs to have completed the curriculum for KS2. That usually means your child will be working 'above the expected standard' or they are working 'at greater depth'.

If your child's school report includes standardised scores then your child will score at least 110 or above (out of 135).

In mathematics this means that your child knows their multiplication and division facts fluently, can use the standard algorithms for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with whole numbers, fractions and decimals and have a simple grasp of percentages.

Click here (https://august-school.kit.com/4b9c4500ba) for a free sample mathematics test from GL Assessment.

Follow the instructions and help your child to complete the test under test conditions:

-stick to the time limit
-let them read and complete questions independently
-don't read the questions to your child if they are stuck/confused

Mark the test. Do not award any half-marks (every answer is either correct or wrong).

Talk with your child about questions which they answered incorrectly. Find out whether your child did not read the question properly, did not understand the question or was careless.

If your child gets any questions between Q1 and Q25 wrong (particularly if they get the question wrong because they don't understand the question, rather than because they were careless) - they will struggle to do well enough on the autumn exams to be admitted to an academically selective school.

If your child can answer most of Q26 to Q50 correctly then it is likely your child will succeed in the mathematics portion of the autumn exams.

If your child gets some questions between Q26 and Q50 correct but does not understand how to find the answers for some of the questions between Q26 to Q50 then it is likely that with some extra help, your child can still succeed in the autumn exams.

The August School are a group of experienced teachers who have prepared our pupils for admission to Eton College, Westminster School and other selective schools.

We're fed up with over-priced tutors and stressed-out parents.

We think hard-working families should have access to the information they need to help their child succeed.

In 2025, we'll tell busy parents everything you need to know about 11+ prep - for FREE.

All we ask is that you follow if you like our posts and want to read more.

44 weeks until 11+ entrance tests for independent schools.

If your child is in Year 5

and your child attends a state school

or a non-selective private school

and you want to apply for a fee-paying school

then you are in the right place.

The August School can't guarantee an admission offer from your dream school but we will explain the process clearly, reduce your stress levels and show you the best resources for 11+ prep.

And we do this for FREE.

We are a group of experienced teachers who have prepared our pupils for admission to Eton College, Westminster School and other selective schools. We're fed up by the over-priced tutors and stressed-out parents.

We think hard-working families should have access to the information they need to help their child succeed and that's why we're telling families what we've learnt...for FREE.

All we ask is that you

share if you like our posts
follow if you want to read more.