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When school transition is hard

Mel Caden Tutoring

For many children, Transition Day (or “moving up day”) is fun and exciting.

But for many others, especially neurodivergent children, it’s a very scary time.

Many neurodivergent people thrive with predictability and familiarity, which goes out of the window when presented with the prospect of moving to a new classroom, with a new teacher and TAs, new rules, new expectations, new routines, new curriculum, a new seat and seating plan, new books, and sometimes new classmates.

On transition day, they may come out of school quiet and thoughtful. They may be feeling exhausted or overwhelmed. Or they may be excited and talkative, wanting to tell you all about their new classroom, teacher, or seating positions in assembly! They may be anxious, argumentative or aggressive.

There are so many different ways that children express their feelings around big changes, and sometimes those feelings don’t become clear straight away. You might see them develop over the evening or over the next few days or weeks, as we head towards the end of term.

What you can do

Acknowledge and validate your child’s concerns. Let them know that it’s very normal to feel nervous, scared, or sad about leaving their old teacher, classroom or friends.

It’s tempting to try and minimise their fears by telling them that it’s no big deal, but this won’t help; it will actually make your child feel less heard and more dismissed. Instead, validate their feelings and offer your support. “It’s OK to feel like this. It’s a big change and I’m going to help you with it. “

Ask for an informal meeting with the new teacher, in the new classroom, if you can. See if the school will let you, your child and the new teacher spend some time together, away from a whole class. Your child can familiarise themselves with the room; you can both tell the new teacher anything that you think is important to know; your child can ask questions and voice concerns more easily than they might in a whole class scenario. It might be useful to ask how the class timetable works, how seating arrangements work, what will be the same as now, and what will be different.

Make your child aware of the positives. Explain to your child that people who are scared for a while at the start, find that they’re a lot happier after a few weeks of the new year. They find their new topics interesting, and there will be things they are allowed to do that they couldn’t before, because they’re that little bit older now. Try to avoid, “YOU’LL feel better in a few weeks…” which can seem like an impossible expectation for them at this stage, and instead use the less personal, “People who really worry about this feel better after a few weeks…” It can be reassuring to know that others go through this and end up happy.

Thinking back to their own previous transitions and how they overcame those fears, can also be helpful. “Do you remember when you felt like this last year? What was it like when you first started in this class? When did you start to feel happier? What helped?”

Maintain consistency at home. Keeping your child’s familiar home routines, sleep schedules, homework arrangements etc will provide grounding and reassurance that not everything in their lives is changing. Now is not the time to be changing things at home. While their school life suddenly seems unpredictable and up in the air, they have a safe, consistent, familiar environment at home.

Remember that it won’t always be this hard. As a parent, it can feel very difficult to know that our child is scared, sad or anxious. Try to keep in mind that worry, fear and sadness, while difficult, are a normal part of childhood, and your child will grow and learn from this experience. With your support now, your child will survive this difficult period of transition and emerge from the other side. Future transitions will be made that little bit easier by having the experience and hindsight of having survived this one.

Top Tips for Test Day

Mel Caden Tutoring

The Kent Test is just around the corner! Here are my top tips to remember on the day…

(A downloadable, printable version of this list is available here.)

1) Be well-rested and well-fed!  The value of a good night’s sleep the night before the test CANNOT be over-emphasised! It will give you a clear, calm head, ready to tackle even the trickiest questions! Eat a good breakfast too, and drink a good, hydrating drink with it.  Your brain will benefit from the fuel boost!

2) In English and Verbal Reasoning, you can choose the order you do the sections in. Use the short practice test to suss out the different sections, and decide if there are any slow sections worth leaving until last. In English, for many (but not all) children, the spelling, punctuation and/or sentence completion sections (usually found at the end of the English test) are good to do first, to bank some quick marks, before going back to the more time-consuming reading comprehension section. 

In VR, many students find the alphabet jumping questions are the time consuming ones. It’s best to know in advance which ones are your slowest, so you’ll know to leave that section to last. The VR logic/story problems ALWAYS take longer and are both only with 1 mark each, so don’t get held up doing those before doing other, quicker sections!

Side note- this advice isn’t true for maths or NVR or SR, where I advise that all questions should be attempted in the order they appear. 

3) Always attempt a question, even if it looks too hard! Don’t dismiss it without giving it a try. Always give it at least a few seconds thought, and attempt it.

4) Never leave an answer blank before moving on. If you’ve spent a few seconds reading and looking at a question, it’s worth the split second it takes to guess one of the 5 answers, even if it’s a random guess.

5) In maths and English, after you’ve decided on your answer,  always re-read the question before inputting it on the answer sheet. People that don’t do this lose marks because they give part-way answers, forgetting the final step of a multi-step calculation, or because they were so busy choosing an answer that they forget the exact wording of the question. 

6) Don’t fret about getting all the questions done. You do not need to do all the questions! It’s better to spend the time you need to on them and score a mark,  than to rush,  guess or make careless mistakes that will give you a lower score. Remember – the questions are MEANT to be difficult. The test-writers have intentionally set questions that are supposed to take longer than some others.  They expect you to take the time to solve them carefully. Just don’t go wasting any time,  and you’ll be fine!

7) Do workings out,  eliminations and jottings on the questions. This is mentioned in the instructions, but many people forget! Cross off eliminated options, but also circle your answer letter on the question before inputting it onto your answer sheet,  just in case you lose your place or your train of thought.  Graphs, coordinate grids, shape questions, sequence questions and lots of SR and NVR questions are designed to be drawn on or written on, so don’t be afraid to!

8) Eliminate options by crossing out their A/B/C/D/E letters,  not by crossing or scribbling out the whole answer. You might want to come back and check it at the end, so you’ll need to be able to see it clearly.

9) Circle the question numbers (on the question paper,  not the answer sheet) of any questions you’ve put a best guess for,  so you know which ones to come back and look again at,  if you have enough time at the end. 

10) Try out spellings and word possibilities by writing them down (in English and VR). Sometimes our brains will only recognise a word when we see it written physically in front of us. If you’re trying out options in VR, keep them in organised lists. Likewise,  for maths calculations, lay out your workings in a sequence that is easy to follow and check later.

11) Don’t lose your place on the answer sheet! When every answer box looks the same,  it’s easy to lose track and accidentally start putting your answers in the wrong boxes, and never realise.  Always double check the question number on the question paper, and go to the correct answer box. You can also use your rubber to keep your place on the answer sheet,  by just placing it over the next answer box so you can always go straight to the box you need. 

12) Pay no attention WHATSOEVER to anything that any other student in the test is doing.  Everybody is sitting the test in their own way.  You are sitting it in your own way. It doesn’t matter if you see somebody else doing something you didn’t do,  or tackling questions in a different order,  or in a different way.  Just be confident in doing it the way that is best for you.  Try not to get distracted by other children around you asking for help.

13) Do put your hand up if something is bothering you! The teachers won’t be able to help you with the test questions, but if there is something causing you to be distracted, or causing you some worry or upset, do tell them. They may be able to solve the problem for you, or report to the examiners to explain that something went wrong on the day. Don’t suffer in silence, if something is stopping you from performing at your best. 

14) Go to the toilet in the break, even if you think you don’t need to!

15) Don’t spend your precious seconds colouring in answer boxes; they are designed to be done quickly,  with a quick (but firm) line across the box.

Right – you’re all set! Wishing you the very best of luck, and keeping all my fingers and toes crossed for you!

Which practice books should I get for the Kent Test?

Mel Caden Tutoring

This article contains affiliate (advertisement) links.

If you have a child in Year 4 or Year 5, planning to sit the Kent Test, it is worth investing in some practice books. Even students with tutors will benefit from dipping into practice books between sessions. But it is, admittedly, a minefield when it comes to looking for the right books for your particular tests! There are so many available! Here are my recommendations.

One thing you may notice when you search for 11+ practice books is that some will say on the cover, “For GL Tests”, some will say, “For CEM tests” and some will say, “For GL and CEM tests”.

The Kent Test is written by GL, so as a tutor, I recommend books that are specifically for GL tests. The style of questions can be very different in CEM tests (CEM is the other main 11+ test provider). GL tests tend to follow a consistent format of separate tests for English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Spatial Reasoning. The questions in GL tests have consistently been multiple choice format, which often requires its own set of critical thinking skills. Other 11+ tests may require written answers, more like those found in normal school curriculum tests. While other practice books are still useful for developing understanding, they aren’t so good at mimicking the style of the Kent Test.

All book links on this page are affiliate (advertisement) links for the books that I recommend. Please note, if you buy via the links on this page, you pay the normal price on Amazon (which is often cheaper than buying direct from CGP), but I also receive a little bit back from Amazon, for sharing the link.

The books I recommend for home practice, are the CGP 11+ Practice Books with Assessment Tests – Ages 9-10. Below, I have explained why these are my preferred books.

There is a bundle of all 4 books here:
11+ GL Ages 9-10 Practice Book and Assessment Tests Bundle

If purchasing the books separately, the links are:
11+ GL English Practice Book with Assessment Tests – Ages 9-10
11+ GL Maths Practice Book with Assessment Tests – Ages 9-10
11+ GL Verbal Reasoning Practice Book with Assessment Tests – Ages 9-10
11+ GL Non-Verbal Reasoning Practice Book with Assessment Tests – Ages 9-10

Why do I recommend these particular books?

The first half of each book is filled with practice exercises that are grouped by topic (they call these “themed practice” pages). In English and Maths, this is ideal for learning and revising the content of the curriculum, which students need to have a really secure grasp of. For Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, it is perfect for learning the skills needed, which aren’t explicitly taught in school. The Non-Verbal Reasoning book also covers Spatial Reasoning.

If your child is working with a tutor, the tutor can guide you on which sections it would be wise to complete at different times, to complement or reinforce the content they’ve covered. If you are supporting your child without using a tutor, you can work together through the pages in the first half of the book, to make sure they understand it all. These themed practice pages are not GL-exam-style questions, but they are a very good way of making sure that your child has all the subject knowledge they need.

The second half of each book is filled with GL-exam-style practice tests, which are very useful for children who have completed all of the themed practice pages, to help them get used to the multiple choice style. They follow the format of previous Kent Tests quite closely, although they are longer (40 minutes) than those used in the Kent Test (25 minutes), but I have found that this seems to be true of most 11+ practice books. I am always searching for new books that have 25 minute tests!

The more recent editions also have downloadable student answer sheets, accessed with a QR code on each test. This is particularly useful for helping students get used to the format of the answer sheet and how to input their answers.

The other useful thing about these books is that they have explained answers in the back.

Later on…

If your child finishes these books, you could get the next level up. These are labelled Ages 10-11, and are harder. I would recommend aiming to moving onto the 10-11 books during the second half of Year 5, only if your child finishes the 9-10 books.

For the 10-11 books, there is a bundle of the 4 books here:
11+ GL Ages 10-11 Practice Book and Assessment Tests Bundle

If purchasing separately, the links for the 10-11 books are:
11+ GL English Practice Book with Assessment Tests – Ages 10-11
11+ GL Maths Practice Book with Assessment Tests – Ages 10-11
11+ GL Verbal Reasoning Practice Book with Assessment Tests – Ages 10-11
11+ GL Non-Verbal Reasoning Practice Book with Assessment Tests – Ages 10-11

Many people also find that towards the end of Year 5, it is helpful to use more timed practice tests. For this, I recommend the “10-Minute Tests” range, which can be ordered here:

11+ GL Ages 9-10: 10-Minute Tests Bundle for English, Maths, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning

and the Spatial reasoning is in a separate book here:
11+ GL Ages 9-10: 10-Minute Tests Spatial Reasoning

If you are considering using a tutor to help your child prepare for the Kent Test, please see details of my Tutoring Service, and contact me to enquire about availability. You are also welcome to send me a message through my Facebook page.

See also:

8 Tips For Last Minute 11+ Prep

Mel Caden Tutoring

The 11+ tests are right around the corner,  so here are my top tips for helping your child in these last few weeks before the tests:

1) Quiz them on key facts (a few at a time) that are easily forgotten.
My free Revision Prompts document is very useful for this.  It doesn’t have answers, just prompts to ask your child. If they can’t remember, you can help them look them up.

2) Keep their brain sharp and fast!
Several times a day,  get them doing some mental maths, spelling, reading and talking about a text (the trickier the text, the better). This doesn’t mean overdoing it; setting them hours of work every day will probably be counterproductive because it will just result in fatigue and resentment. Little and often is likely to be much more effective. 

3) Finish those practice books.
These won’t be much use after the test,  so make sure you put them to maximum use now. Be sure to get your child to check their answers against the answer pages,  and read the explanations if provided.
Remember to get them to look back through sections they already completed too (and any tuition notes they might have), to remind themselves of topics and strategies. This might be especially useful in Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, as it might have been a long time since they practiced specific types of question.

4) Plug any gaps and tackle any problem areas. 
The practice that your child has been doing, may have highlighted some weaker areas or topics. Those are the places to focus your time and energy most in these last weeks. It’s tempting for children to go to the areas they found easy or that they’ve got more answers correct. While this is great for reassurance and raising confidence, it probably won’t help them boost their score. Practising questions from their weakest areas is much more likely to.

5) Don’t neglect the times tables and old spellings!
Have them recite the times tables (or just counting up in multiples for each one) once per day. It only takes 5 minutes (hopefully less if they know them well already), but it means they’ll be right there at the very top of their brain when they need them. And they definitely WILL need them. Look back at the Year 3/4 and Year 5/6 Statutory Spellings lists to make sure that these are all secure. My free 11+ Vocabulary List is also useful for this.

6) Make sure they are familiar with the method of inputting answers correctly.
In my area, for the Kent Test, this means drawing firm pencil lines through the correct box on the answer sheet.  This is very different to normal school tests (although they may have used this method if they have done CAT tests in school), so it’s worth familiarising them with it. I talk about this more here, in a previous article about the Kent Test. The familiarisation samples on the KCC website are also a good place to go for this.

7) Try not to panic, or let your child panic.
A panicky brain can’t learn well or rationalise well. Your child has done a lot of work over the past 3 years (in school, even if they’ve not done any preparation outside of school), which will all be helpful. And you’re both doing these things now to help them. So try to remember that your child IS ready for this. And remember,  if the results don’t go the way you’d hoped, there are appeal processes in place if you need them (see my article here, about what happens after the test). Whatever happens,  you and your child will find a way forward, and they can still thrive and excel wherever they go.

8) Don’t worry about what others are doing.
No other child is exactly like your child. No family is like your family.  Sometimes it can seem very daunting when other parents are proclaiming that their child has been doing hours and hours of study,  or reams and reams of worksheets. Whether that’s true or not, it should make no difference to you and your child. Your child’s priorities,  personality,  ability, circumstances and mindset are unique, so thinking that you need good child to be learning in the same way and completing the same work, is unwise. Do what is right for your child and your family.

If you are considering using a tutor to help your child prepare for the Kent Test, please see details of my Tutoring Service, and contact me to enquire about availability. You are also welcome to send me a message through my Facebook page.

See also:

What are CAT tests, and why do schools use them?

Mel Caden Tutoring

Around this time of year, many parents of my Year 4 and Year 5 students’ ask me about CAT tests. Sometimes the school has told them they’ll be doing them soon; sometimes the student has come home and mentioned that they’ve done them. So what are they, and why are our children sitting them now?

CAT (also known as CAT4) stands for Cognitive Abilities Tests. Rather than assessing children’s understanding of the curriculum (like all their other school tests do), these tests are designed to assess children’s “natural” reasoning or cognitive ability, and their potential for future school tests, such as Year 6 SATs, 11+ tests, GCSE and A levels.

Schools may use the results in a variety of ways:

  • to set target grades for the upcoming year or key stage. The publisher, GL Assessments, markets CAT tests as “a reliable indicator for national tests and examinations, including Key Stage 2 Sats, GCSEs, A Levels”.
  • to personalise learning for individual students. For example, a student with a low numerical reasoning score is likely to need specific support in Maths, and a student with a low verbal reasoning score may need more support with reading, writing, speaking and listening. Schools may use the results to split classes based on their pupils’ needs. The Teacher’s Guide that accompanies the tests includes lots of teaching strategies that may be employed, depending on individual pupils’ results.
  • to identify which pupils would benefit most from intervention groups or “booster” groups. For example, a student with high CAT scores should have the potential to work at greater depth in their year group (at primary) or achieve high exam grades (at secondary). If those pupils are not currently demonstrating that ability in their curriculum learning, then booster/intervention groups would benefit them.
  • to enable them to advise parents about their child’s suitability for grammar school. This is the one I see most, and the reason that our schools are doing these tests now, and reporting the results to parents. Around this time, right before the registration period opens for the Kent 11+ Test, schools are informing parents about the 11+ process. Many schools offer parents the opportunity to meet individually, and discuss the decisions that need to be made, and their child’s potential. As the CAT tests are very similar in style to the Reasoning section of the Kent 11+ Test, they provide a very reliable piece of evidence to help teachers or headteachers to advise parents.
    The Reasoning skills tested in the CAT tests are only half the story, as they do not test reading comprehension, spelling, punctuation, grammar or maths, in the way that the 11+ tests do. But when combined with the school’s own evaluation of a pupil’s curriculum attainment, they can be very useful.

What’s in the tests?

The tests do not cover the usual Maths, English and Science – as the usual Key Stage 2 tests do – but instead they test various types of reasoning ability: verbal reasoning; non-verbal reasoning; quantitative reasoning; spatial reasoning. You can read more about the content of the CAT tests on the publisher’s website, here.

Schools (and indeed the writers of the CAT tests) usually make it clear that it is not necessary to do any preparatory work toward these tests. In fact, to do so may skew the results, and would not provide any real benefit to the pupil. Since the tests are designed this way, having prior practice may create a more generous or optimistic picture of a pupil’s potential than is realistic.

This may be the reason that some schools only inform parents about the tests after they have been completed.

The different parts of the test may be spread over more than one day. In total, the time required is usually around 2 and a half to 3 hours. Some schools use a paper booklet version; others use a digital version on computers or tablets.

What do the results mean?

Although they are not obligated to, most schools that use these tests will share results with parents, to give you a clear idea of your child’s academic potential. In the most helpful of cases, the results are sent with a clear explanation of what they mean, and in the case of Year 5 pupils in Kent, an indication of the scores that would be indicative of suitability for grammar.

This means parents can use this information to decide whether they wish to register their child to sit the Kent Test, or not.

A full set of scores over 110 are usually a good indicator that a student could have the potential to succeed at a grammar school. Scores below that, are within the average range, and usually indicate that the child would be better suited to a non-grammar school.

For more information on CAT tests, see the information on the GL website.

It’s time to register your child for the Kent 11+ tests

Mel Caden Tutoring

If you have a child in Year 5, and are considering applying for grammar schools in Kent, you must register them for the Kent Test and/or one of the other tests that the local schools use.
Some of these registrations have now opened. The deadlines are at the beginning of July, so make sure your registrations are submitted during June.
If you live within range of the Dover or Folkestone schools it is wisest to register both for thes Kent Test and the Dover/Shepway test. Many children have found success on the Dover or Shepway tests, despite not reaching the threshold for the Kent Test. It’s definitely worthwhile doing both.

Registration for tests:

Kent Test (Registrations open on 1st June)
https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/school-places/kent-test#tab-1

Dover Grammar School for Boys
https://www.dgsb.co.uk/605/key-information-1/key_information/1/admissions

Dover Grammar School for Girls
http://www.dggs.kent.sch.uk/368/admissions-1

Shepway Test (for Folkestone School for Girls and Harvey Boys Grammar School)
https://www.folkestonegirls.kent.sch.uk/index.php/information/theshepwaytest

Medway Test (Registrations open on 1st June)
https://www.medway.gov.uk/info/200137/schools_and_learning/1049/medway_test_11/2

Can my child sit the Kent Test if they have special educational needs or a disability?

Mel Caden Tutoring

Yes. The Equality Act 2010 ensures that local authorities and schools have a duty to not discriminate against disabled pupils in their access to education, and to make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils in operating the admissions selection process.

KCC attest that they carry out this duty by granting “reasonable adjustments” (also known as access arrangements), ensuring that the Kent Test is accessible for all.

The Equality Act 2010 defines a person with a disability as having a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. For children, “normal day-to-day activities” includes the work they do in school.

Essentially, if your child has additional needs that are addressed in school via some kind of curriculum adaptations or special provisions, you can request that the school apply for similar provisions during the test.

As a result of an FOI request in 2015, KCC provided the guidance they supplied to schools, which outlines the kinds of arrangements that can be requested, and which pupils they might apply to:

  1. Adapting the test booklets for children with visual difficulties;
  2. Adapting the answer sheets for children with manual dexterity problems or visual difficulties (including colour blindness);
  3. Using coloured overlays or filters for children who have found benefit in this strategy in normal class sessions;
  4. Using an adult scribe to complete the answer sheet on the child’s behalf, for example if they have a motor disability or visual difficulties;
  5. Using an adult reader to read the instructions and question types (though not the questions themselves) for children with a current reading age much lower than their actual age;
  6. Using an adult prompter for children with severe attention difficulties, to ensure the child stays on task;
  7. Providing extra breaks (“stop the clock” breaks) during the tests for children with physical, motor or visual difficulties that increase fatigue, or conditions which impair concentration;
  8. Up to 25% extra time for the writing task for children with physical, motor or visual difficulties which affect their writing speed, or who have a specific learning difficulty which means they take longer to write;
  9. Using a word processor or laptop for the writing task for children with physical, motor or visual difficulties, or who have a specific learning difficulty that makes writing more difficult;
  10. In very rare cases, up to 25% extra time for other parts of the test for children with significant physical, motor or visual difficulties or significant specific learning difficulties;
  11. Other reasonable adjustments, provided there is supporting information and evidence from the headteacher and other professionals involved with the child.

Any reasonable adjustments must be applied for by the school, at the request of the parents. Parents themselves cannot apply for these arrangements, so it’s absolutely vital that you speak to your schools headteacher and/or SENDCO, early in Year 5. The school must complete forms and provide evidence that the special arrangements they are requesting permission for, are a part of your child’s everyday classroom practice, and have been used previously during tests. You may also provide reports from other professionals, provided the reports are no more than 18 months old.

You must discuss your child’s needs with their school’s headteacher or SENDCO before you register them to sit the test (which is usually during June of Year 5). Then, after you submit your form online to register your child for the test, you will be asked to send confirmation that you have discussed a request for access arrangements with the SENDCO. Schools usually need to submit their requests and evidence during June or July.

All requests for special access arrangements are dealt with individually and unfortunately not all requests are successful; they are granted at the discretion of a “Special Access Panel” once the request and the evidence has been submitted by the school.

The school will usually let you know once they hear the result of their request.

If the request for reasonable adjustments/special arrangements is declined, don’t lose hope. There is still an opportunity for headteachers to lodge an appeal for your child after the test, if they believe the results are not representative of their abilities. There is also the opportunity for parents to lodge an appeal for a grammar place after the school places have been allocated. For an outline of how these appeals work, see What happens after the Kent Test?

See also:

When should parents start thinking about the 11+ test?

Mel Caden Tutoring

11+ tests and secondary school choices can seem a long way off. Our Year 3 and 4 children live very much in the moment, usually oblivious to the choices they will be facing a couple of years from now. But as parents, we need to be aware of what opportunities await our children and how the system works, and it definitely pays to be clued up on all this earlier rather than later.

Over my years of teaching in schools and tutoring children from Years 3 to 6, I have become certain that the earlier you begin thinking about it, the better. It is always disappointing when parents contact me mid-way through Year 5, hoping that I can help them get their child ready for the tests, and I sadly have to tell them that my books are full. Not only that, but 11+ preparation involves a lot more than some students and parents realise, and a few months really doesn’t allow long enough to really get the hang of everything involved.

I hear the same from other tutors: don’t wait until your child is in Year 5. Places fill up fast at the start of an academic year, and they stay full all year. We have children on waiting lists, sometimes a year or two in advance, whose parents have been thinking ahead, and many start their tuition or at-home preparation as they enter Year 4.

Once your child is settled in Year 3, it’s time to start looking into what happens at the end of primary school. That might seem too early, but it’s actually the perfect time to start considering it. Year 3 is the time for you, the parent, to start investigating. Find out about the secondary schools in your area. Are there grammar schools, or only comprehensive schools? Is there just one local high school that everybody seems to move on to, or are there several, perhaps even in nearby towns, that your child’s school “feeds” in to? If you aren’t sure, ask the staff at your child’s school, or look on your local authority’s website. Arm yourself with the knowledge of what’s going to be available when your child reaches the age of 11.

Next, if you live within range of a grammar school, even if it’s in a neighbouring town, find out about the entry requirements. Here in Kent, our schools are a mixture of grammars and comprehensives, and children often take buses to neighbouring towns, to attend the school of their choice. Don’t presume to know which school your child will want to attend. One of the main reasons I get so many late requests for help, is that parents have assumed their child won’t want (or won’t be suitable for) a grammar school place, until sometime in Year 5 when they start hearing from friends who are already preparing for grammar tests, and they suddenly become intent on it! Cue some frantic requests for help! Armed with this knowledge early, during Year 3, you can support your child steadily through their key stage 2 years, to be ready for the tests if they/you decide they will sit them, when the time comes.

Contact a tutor while your child is in Year 3, to get their name on the waiting list, ready to start in September of Year 4. A good, solid, two years of weekly, one-to-one sessions with a good tutor, will give them the best grounding and steady progression towards the tests.

Starting at the beginning of Year 4 means that as a tutor, I can often quickly work through the Year 4 skills, ensuring that those are fully embedded. At the same time – during Year 4 – I can help them extend their skills and understanding into Year 5 content, giving them a headstart on other students in their cohort. It is widely accepted among 11+ tutors, that in order to be in with realistic chances of passing, students should be about a year ahead of their curriculum requirements. And I agree with this; there are skills and areas that are tested in 11+ tests, that are taken from the Year 6 curriculum, despite the tests occurring in the very first week of Year 6. Consistent, weekly tuition from the start of Year 4 enables children to get ahead of their year group, to exactly where they need to be by the end of Year 5.

It’s not just the curriculum learning that they need either; there’s also the Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Spatial Reasoning (different areas vary in their requirements). These are skills that are not explicitly taught in school, so the style of questions in these tests is completely unfamiliar. By beginning early in Year 4, and setting up a really strong, secure foundation in Maths and English, by the time students reach Year 5, they are ready to tackle these difficult areas. I often begin to introduce VR, NVR and SR questions during the second half of Year 4, along with continuing to advance their Year 5 level Maths and English skills. By the start of Year 5, students are hitting the ground running, and often breeze through school work because they have already been taught it. It means we can really focus in on the trickiest areas that will give them the edge over other students in the test. As an experienced tutor, I see a big difference between those that started tuition in Year 4, and those coming to me in Year 5. Those who started earlier, and have had the extra year of quality 1-to-1 teaching through Year 4, find that they can breeze through their Year 5 school work and enjoy the challenge of the higher level skills during 1-to-1 tutoring.

It really does pay to be prepared early. Don’t leave it to chance whether you’ll be able to find a good tutor late in the day, or whether your child will be able to cope with cramming lots of preparation into the last few months of Year 5.

The early bird really does catch the worm.

If you are considering using a tutor to help your child prepare for the Kent Test, please see details of my Tutoring Service, and contact me to enquire about availability. You are also welcome to send me a message through my Facebook page.

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“Help! My child’s practice Kent Test scores are really low!”

Mel Caden Tutoring

– 6 reasons why this might be, and what you can do to help

It can come as a shock if your child takes a mock test and scores poorly. It can also be bewildering: why have they done badly when their teacher said they were doing well?

There are several reasons why their score may be lower than you expected:

1) Perhaps they aren’t yet working at the level that the test demands

The Kent Test is designed to be harder than regular school work, and to identify those students attaining within the top 25% of children in their year. To be within this range, they need to be working ABOVE the level that is generally expected for their age group.

When working at this higher level,  your child’s teacher should have reported to you (either in their written report or verbally at parents evenings) that they’re working “at greater depth” or “above expected” for English and Maths.
Students are unlikely to pass grammar tests if they are working “at expected”; they need to be working consistently above that. Beware of phrases like “at the right level”, or “they are doing well”; these do not always indicate that a student is working at the high level that the tests demand.

If in doubt, ask the class teacher outright whether your child is on track to achieve at greater depth.

So what can you do if they aren’t yet at this level?

You can work on supporting them gain the extra skills and knowledge they need. You could invest in some workbooks and text books (I find these Maths ones and these English ones to be very comprehensive), and create a schedule to help them yourself. Or you could seek the help of a tutor who knows the requirements of the Kent Test.

Beware that if your child is in Year 5, and is not already working at greater depth, it can be very hard work, both for them and for you, to raise their levels enough. The Kent Test examines content and skills from the entire key stage 2 curriculum,  including some areas that are often not taught in schools until Year 6. The earlier you start, the better.

2) Perhaps they were affected by anxiety

While mock tests are really useful for lots of reasons, including reducing anxiety on the day, they can of course still feel scary for children. Students understand the significance of the Kent Test, especially those who might already have their hopes firmly set on a particular school, so it’s understandable that even practice versions of the test might invoke big emotions. If your child is usually working at greater depth, but scores uncharacteristically low in a practice test, anxiety may well be the reason. 

Talk to your child so that they can feel reassured. Talk through what happens on the day (see this post) and talk (positively) about what will happen if they don’t score enough to pass. Try not to drive more anxiety by promising extra rewards if they pass. If the pressure of the test alone is enough to affect their scores, adding any extra will only be detrimental. There are also some useful tips for helping children deal with exam anxiety, here.

3) Perhaps they are unfamiliar with the style of questions

Some parts of the Kent Test can be totally unlike any other tests or work that students will have done in school.  This is especially true of the Verbal Reasoning, Spatial Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning parts, which are not explicitly taught in the curriculum at all, but it can also be true of parts of the English and Maths tests.

Many students are unfamiliar with the multiple choice style of questions, and may think this makes them easy to pick an answer that looks good enough, without really giving the other answer options much thought at all. In fact, in many cases the multiple choice format makes it more difficult; often there are two or three options that could seem correct, but the question requires that they think very critically about which answer is the best. Curriculum tests are not presented in this way, so it can be quite unfamiliar.

The most supportive and helpful thing you can do as a parent, is invest in practice books or packs that are specifically written in the style of the Kent Test, and support your child to work through them. The packs from GL are probably the best bet, since these are produced by the same publisher as the real test, so you can be confident that they are authentic in style. You can purchase them on the GL website, or you may be able to find them on Amazon.

This will give them the familiarity they need, in order to not be disadvantaged by this on the day.

4) Perhaps they ran out of time

The time limits for all parts of the Kent Test are extremely challenging. Students have to work very efficiently, but of course, without rushing and making mistakes. This is a comment that I often hear from students after they’ve taken the real test – that it was hard because the time went so fast.

It takes a lot of skill and practice to get used to working through the questions at a suitable pace, recognising when a question is taking too long, and judging when it would be wiser to input a “best guess” answer and move on.  Deliberating too long can be costly.

There are books available with timed tests, such as these ones from CGP.
These can be very useful as the date of the test draws nearer,  to ensure that your child is quickening their pace.

5) Perhaps they rushed, or did too much guessing

On the flip side of working too slow, is working too fast! Sometimes students are so acutely aware of the tight time limits, that they find themselves giving up on too many questions before they’ve really worked them out, thinking it would be better to move on. Of course, this creates its own problems too. None of the questions in the Kent Test are supposed to be easy (except maybe those in the practice sections!). They are intended to demand careful thought and consideration. In the Maths test, they usually require calculations or careful checking of diagrams or wording. In the reading part of the English test, they require careful analysis of the text and each of the answer options to determine which one best answers the question. In the Reasoning tests, the questions often require a process of careful observation and analysis, followed by elimination of answer options one-by-one, until only the correct answer is left.

None of the questions are intended to be quick or easy. It is important that students get used to successfully judging how long questions are taking. They must understand that in order to get enough correct answers, they will need to focus their attention on questions that are complex and longer as well, rather than guessing and hoping for the best. Again, timed practice tests can help students get used to this.

6) Perhaps they lost their place on the answer sheet or in the questions

This may sound unlikely to cause a problem, but I’ve seen it happen, and it can have a big effect on scores.

Firstly, students must input their answers on a separate sheet, nowhere near the questions. This is unlike other tests they will have done in school, where the answer spaces are usually right underneath or beside each question.

In addition, the answer sheets can be very easy to make mistakes on. They consist of rows of identical answer boxes, to draw lines in, like this…

Although the boxes are numbered, students can be so preoccupied with thinking about putting the answer in, that they forget to check the number of the box against the number of the question. There is the risk that once one answer is put into the wrong box, all the subsequent ones in that section will be too. Sometimes a student reaches the end of a section and realises when they run out of answer boxes (or they run out of questions), at which point understandable panic sets in as they realise their mistake. The effect of losing their place on the answer sheet can be catastrophic if they don’t notice and rectify it quickly.

This can be avoided by making sure that your child is aware of the risk and showing them how to keep their place carefully and double check before inputting each answer.

The instructions given in the test do warn them to make sure they keep their place on the answer sheet, but they don’t advise how. Getting into a habit of double checking numbers before drawing the answer lines in is a quick and simple strategy. Ticking off the questions in the question booklet just before they input their answer is also helpful (this forces them to look at the question number again). Placing their eraser on the answer sheet and moving it along next to each box as they answer that question, can also be a good idea.
These might seem like unnecessary measures, but having seen the effects of students losing their place, they are worth considering.

Mock tests and less formal practice tests are hugely valuable in the run-up to the Kent Test. Not only do they give students the beneficial experience of the style, timings and expectations of the test, but they also help you to pick up on these issues and begin fixing them, in advance of the real test. The alternative is to not be aware of the problem until after the test, and of course by then, there’s really not much you can do.

If you are interested in booking a mock Kent Test for your Year 5 child, please see the details of my small group mock test sessions, here.

If you are considering using a tutor to help your child prepare for the Kent Test, please see details of my Tutoring Service, and contact me to enquire about availability. You are also welcome to send me a message through my Facebook page.

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What happens after the Kent Test?

Mel Caden Tutoring

When the test is all done, parents sometimes ask me, “What happens now?”

After the test, there is a (somewhat agonising) wait of around a month. During this time, the papers are marked, KCC’s standardising algorithms are applied, final scores are calculated, results are sent to headteachers, and any headteachers’ appeals are carried out.

Headteachers can lodge appeals on behalf of students whose scores did not meet the threshold, if they believe they have enough evidence to prove they should be assessed as suitable. They may or may not be successful.

The results are then sent to parents in early October, after those appeals have been heard. The result will list the student’s standardised scores, and state clearly whether the student has been assessed as suitable for grammar school, or not. KCC’s information about results can be found here: https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/school-places/kent-test#tab-4,5

For some this will mean celebration; for others, disappointment. There is usually also some information about how you can request a copy of your child’s raw scores, if you’d like to know them.

Now it’s time to start choosing schools. Usually during the summer and/or autumn term, secondary schools run open days, which help families decide which schools to list on their application. If a student had been assessed as suitable for grammar, they may be offered a place at a grammar school, if they list it as a preferred school on their application. This doesn’t mean they MUST apply for a grammar school; some families decide that despite being assessed as suitable, a non-grammar school is a better option for them. On the other hand, if a student has been assessed as not suitable for grammar, they won’t be offered a place at a grammar school, unless it is listed on their application in November, AND the parent submits and wins an appeal the following spring (after the places are offered). This IS possible, and usually requires evidence that some extenuating circumstances prevented the student from performing at their usual, high standard on the day of the test.

Those schools that use their own, alternative selection test, usually send out their own results on that same day in October. In many cases, children may not have scored highly enough in the Kent Test, but may have passed the school’s own test. This may happen with the Dover and Shepway grammar schools, because their location usually means that they’d be unable to fill their spaces on the basis of the Kent Test alone.

Once the school application forms have been submitted in November, there is an even longer wait (until March) to find out which school your child has been offered. Then, if you are happy with the place your child has been allocated, now is the time to officially accept that place and help to prepare your child for the transition.

It is important to remember that being assessed as suitable for grammar does not automatically mean the place that is offered will be at a grammar school. In some cases the grammar schools listed on a student’s application are over-subscribed (ie more people apply, than there are spaces), in which case, a non-grammar school from the list on the application may be allocated instead. In rare cases, where all the schools listed are over-subscribed, or where you live outside of the catchment areas, the offer may be for a school that was not on the list at all. This also happens sometimes when parents only list grammar schools, despite the student having been assessed as not suitable for grammar, in the hope that they will be successful in an appeal.

If this happens, you can now submit your appeal for a place at your chosen school. Appeals must usually be submitted in the few weeks after you received the offer (ie during March). KCC advises that you still accept the offer you have received, but also lodge your appeal. Appeals are heard by a panel of three people, unrelated to the school that you are appealing for. When they have reached a decision, they write to you. If successful, the school must offer you a place. KCC’s appeal application forms can be found here: https://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/schools/school-places/appeal-a-school-offer#tab-2

Once you’ve accepted a place at a school, it’s time to begin supporting your child in preparation for the transition. Their primary school will most likely be involved with transition days or activities and visits from staff members. You may need to discuss with your child all the things that will be different, including transport, lessons, lunchtimes, breaktimes, homework, uniform.

There is some good advice on how to support your child with this transition, here: https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/blog/helping-your-child-manage-the-move-from-primary-to-secondary-school/

If you are considering using a tutor to help your child prepare for the Kent Test, please see details of my Tutoring Service, and contact me to enquire about availability. You are also welcome to send me a message through my Facebook page.

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