09/09/2026
Is your child sitting the 11+ exam next Saturday?
Here are some top tips to get the most out of these last 10 days to help your child feel prepared.
⭐️ Get plenty of sleep.
This one is super important especially as they settle back into their school routine. Adjusting to being in Year 6 and back at school can be exhausting. So, make sure to rest and reset after school by playing, spending quality time together when you can and going to bed at a good time.
🌟 Little and often.
Spend short bursts of time each day or a few times a week to focus on your weakest subject areas. Whether that’s the inference and deduction of a comprehension text; common spelling patterns (double consonants, silent letters, and vowel sounds such as ie/ei); converting units of measure (km to m, ml to l); or rounding decimals to the nearest whole, tenth or hundred in Maths, a bit of regular practice now is good.
⭐️ Review test questions.
Look back at the assessment tests and/or any mock exams you have taken. Look at the familiarisation materials on the grammar school’s website. Look at the questions you find harder and talk it through with somebody who can help explain the method. Try to answer it - is there more than one way of finding the answer? Which is the most effective method for you? Use scrap paper and practice this with similar questions. Remind yourself to move on if your stuck and always keep an eye on timings. At the half way mark, are you half way through the paper? If you run out of time, breathe and don’t panic, just mark an answer for every remaining question.
🌟 Get test ready.
Make sure you know how to get to your chosen grammar school and where to park. Doing a practise run this week or next can help reduce anxiety for both the student and their parent. Check you have the required stationery including 2 sharpened pencils, a rubber and sharpener. Pack it all the night before the test to reduce overwhelm and stress in the morning, giving you time to connect, eat a good breakfast and focus on the important things.
🙌 And remember, this is a small step in your educational journey. You have shown up every week: determined, resilient and curious. You have put in so much effort and we are all so proud of you.
To my own students this year, take your lucky duck 🦆, or wear your ‘You rock’ badge 🪨 Remember how incredible you are 😊
