For parents with children at primary school, deciding on a secondary school is no small task. One of the first decisions to make is whether you’ll be putting your child in for grammar school entrance exams. It can put pressure on children but there are plenty of reasons to consider the 11+ that go beyond gaining a place at a top school.
Of course, the main reason parents even consider the 11+ is to get their child into the highly competitive grammar schools across the country. But there are other benefits to sitting the exam too, here we’ve got three for you to consider.
- Measure their progress
The 11+ exam is a good indicator of how your child is progressing in their studies. It tests a vast range of areas and put their knowledge against that of their peers. Even if they don’t get into grammar school, it can help you to assess the areas where they need greater support moving forward. For many children, it gives them something to work towards, providing an incentive to speed up their progress toward their full potential.
- Prepare for formal exams
Exams are part of the education system whether children head to grammar or state school. The majority of primary school pupils have sat only a handful of formal exams and none that they understand will influence their education. The 11+ acts as a good way to ease them into sitting exams, preparing for GCSEs, A Levels, and beyond. The more practice they have at being in an exam environment, the more comfortable your child will be when it comes to taking them.
- Setting revision standards
Getting into the habit of revising can be hard but starting early means the task can become second nature. Children will need to revise and stick to a schedule if they’re to perform at their best during the 11+ exam. It can help set a standard and expectation when they’re next planning to take a formal test, even if it’s years down the line, making it less difficult to fit into their busy routines.
Practice papers for the 11+ exam are one of the best resources for helping pupils to achieve their full potential. With the ability to see which area they need to work on and identify where they’re dropping marks, practice papers can allow for more focussed revision to achieve results.