11+ preparation is a big journey! Here are 5 areas to focus on that are often particularly challenging for students.
Below are five topics that are known for costing students marks in 11+ exams. For each one, we have included our top recommendations on how you can use Atom School to develop these skills.
1. Algebra
Algebra first features as a subheading on the National Curriculum under the Year 6 programme of study. However, it is often included in Grammar School entrance exams in September of Year 6. This means that, unless you are actively teaching a year ahead, many students will not yet have covered algebra at school by the time they take their exams. We recommend using the activities area to begin introducing algebra from mid-year 5 to support 11+ preparation. This will also give your students a head start in a topic that will form a large part of the maths curriculum up to GCSE level and beyond.
Our Top Tip:
”Set your year group slider to Y6+ to allow your students to access the most challenging questions in this area. The algorithm will adapt the difficulty to each child so no-one is disadvantaged if they find it tricky, but it will allow a real stretch and challenge for those who are ready.
For students on Atom Home, you can advise them to make the most of the lesson library where they can watch recordings of lessons on Algebra and Equations. When it comes to the most challenging topics it can be very beneficial to revisit the steps a teacher takes to solve a problem and pick up any tips they have for exam technique!"
2. Following Folds
Whilst some students are strong in Non-Verbal Reasoning, for many it is the most challenging 11+ subject. Following folds questions such as the one below need students to visualise and keep track of many shapes in their head at once.
Our Top Tip:
“When revising one of the best things to do is get an A4 page and a pair of scissors and follow the instructions to make the pattern that is being described. This helps students create a mental representation of how the shapes move and interact with each other for the real exam. Once they understand the method, repetition will be key in building confidence.”
3. Comprehension - Inference
Being a confident reader is vital for any entrance exam. Reading varied and challenging texts will not only improve comprehension skills but also spelling, vocabulary and punctuation. (Visit our downloadable reading lists here!) Within comprehension 'inference' tends to be the area students struggle with the most. It requires students to form their conclusions based on contextual evidence from the text.
Our Top Tip:
“One fun way to build inference skills is to play ‘storytelling’ games. In reading groups, have your students adopt the persona of one of the characters in their book and describe what they think they next event will be, how their character will react and why. This develops prediction skills (getting clues from the existing story) and inference skills (reading between the lines to explain why their character would respond).
4. Worded Problems
Maths worded problems are infamous for costing students marks in 11+ exams! Often the last sentence alters what they think the question is asking so it is important to read the full question carefully, something we're sure you've said more than a few times!! Alongside this, confidence converting worded questions into numerical sums will ensure your students gain marks rather than losing them.
Our Top Tip:
"We recommend setting homework or lesson tasks in 'Worded Problems' under the subtopic: 'number' > 'operations' > 'worded problems', alongside Time, Speed and Money under 'measurement' > 'weights and measures'. These questions are frequently displayed as worded problems. Once your students have completed each activity, have them revisit the transcript, reflecting on any corrections and what they would do next time. If the child spots themselves that they didn’t read the question properly, they are far less likely to make the same mistake in the real exams!"
5. Nets and Cubes
Another non-verbal reasoning area (with maths crossovers!), questions involving Nets and Cubes can be one of the areas students struggle with most. Visualising a 2D shape folding without a concrete resource can be really challenging!
There are three different rules to bear in mind when answering these types of questions:
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Look for a dud: a dud shows shapes or colours that are not present on the net or cube it needs to be associated with.
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Breaking the opposites rule: some 3D shapes can’t be made from a net, and vice versa, because their faces are shown next to each other on the net when they should be opposite on the 3D shape.
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Breaking the orientation rule: some 3D shapes can’t be made from a net, and some nets can’t make 3D shapes, because they show shapes in the wrong orientation. For example, an arrow pointing in the wrong direction.
Our Top Tip:
We recommend watching the 11+ Exam Prep: Nets and Cubes live lesson to learn all about the dud rule, opposite rule and orientation rule. Combined, these will help students face any nets and cube questions they may see in the real 11+ exam.