insideKENT Magazine Issue 84 - March 2019 | Page 136

IN ASSOCIATION WITH
EDUCATION
HOW TO PREPARE YOUR CHILD
FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF ENTRANCE EXAMS
IF YOU ARE APPLYING TO MORE THAN ONE INDEPENDENT SECONDARY SCHOOL, IT IS LIKELY THAT
YOUR CHILD WILL ENCOUNTER DIFFERENT KINDS OF ENGLISH, MATHS, VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL
REASONING TESTS. THESE MAY INCLUDE PRE-TESTS, WHICH ARE DELIVERED ON-SCREEN, OR 11+
ENTRANCE EXAMS SET BY EITHER THE CENTRE FOR EVALUATION AND MONITORING (CEM), GRANADA
LEARNING (GL) OR THE SPECIFIC SCHOOL TO WHICH YOU ARE APPLYING. TESTS ARE DESIGNED TO
VARY FROM YEAR TO YEAR. THIS MEANS THAT IS IT VERY DIFFICULT TO PREDICT THE QUESTIONS
AND STRUCTURE THAT WILL COME UP, MAKING THE TESTS HARDER TO REVISE FOR.
This can feel a little overwhelming at first, however
it’s worth remembering that a great many of the
questions require similar skills, and it is knowing
these skills that can lay the foundation for succeeding
across each exam type. To give you the best chance
of success in these assessments, Galore Park
has worked with 11+ tutors, independent school
teachers, writers and specialist authors to create a
three step learning journey to help both you and
your children feel prepared and confident going into
every type of exam.
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1. Study and Revision Guides
Learn the skills and understand the question types
for all Pre-Tests and 11+ entrance exams in English,
Maths, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Learning
these core skills enables children to adapt to the wide
variety of formats these increasingly unpredictable
tests include.
2. Workbooks
Apply knowledge learned in the Study and Revision
Guide by practising different types of questions. To
prepare you for these exams, these books include
even more question variations that you may
encounter. The more you do, the better equipped
for the tests you will be.
3. Practice Papers and Practice Online
Perfect exam technique by practising with a variety
of exam paper styles under pressure that replicate
the different Pre-Test and 11+ exams you may
encounter. They include realistic test timings and
fully explained answers. You can also practise online
adaptive mock tests with AtomLearning.co.uk.
To help children manage exam stress and reach
their full potential, Galore Park also publish a Study
Skills book for the 11+ and Pre-Test.
To find out more and view Galore Park’s full 11+
and Pre-Test revision range, go to.
galorepark.co.uk/kent11plus.