Many parents ask when is the right time to start the 11+?
But is there ever a wrong time to start the 11+?
Yes.
Starting too early
This one may seem strange to some parents, but it is possible to start the 11 plus too early.
The 11 plus is a difficult exam that requires around two years of studying and preparation. Therefore, pupils must have…
- An understanding of foundational concepts
- Focus & maturity
Understanding of foundational concepts
Parents should bear in mind that generally speaking, the 11 plus work is at a higher standard compared to Key Stage 2 work (though new Bexley exam provider, Quest, has said they will now examine to a lower level going forward). Therefore, when a child is enrolled into an 11 plus tuition centre, it should be understood that most of the children will already be working at a higher level. If a child is very young, there is a high chance he or she has not covered foundational ideas in school (in some cases, children do not even know their multiplication times tables or know how to use the column method). A child lacking basic understanding in key ideas may be too young to be put into an 11 plus course. Doing so may even cause long term harm. If the child is struggling, it may affect their confidence and they may view learning very negatively as a result. This will have a negative knock-on impact on the child’s overall education.
To avoid all this, it is important to start the 11 plus course with children at the right level and at the right time.
I managed a large 11 plus tuition centre in Bexley for several years and some parents would enquire about the 11 plus course for Year 1 and Year 2 children. This is far too early. That is not to say children should not do any extra learning at all – they should, but they should learn at an age-appropriate level.
Focus & maturity
Very young children find it hard to hold attention for a long time. For some children, it can take a long time to improve their focus. For this reason, the school teachers who teach very young children undergo a different type of training compared to secondary school teachers. In addition to learning the curriculum, these teachers have to be skilled at engaging young children using a variety of techniques.
In an 11 plus setting, the tutors are unlikely to have these skills (most tuition centres employ university sudents, who themselves are barely adults). The end result is that really young children may very well be at the 11 plus tuition centre physically, but their mind is on something unrelated to the learning. In addition to the lack of prolonged focus, very young learners get easily distracted, which causes problems for other learners in the classroom.
Starting too late
Starting too late is also a problem. For many parents, the process of the 11 plus is very unfamiliar, especially in areas where there are no grammar schools.
Given that the 11 plus curriculum may take two years to cover comfortably, starting with only a few months left till the exam can be very stressful for the child and parents.
There have been cases where I have spoken to parents who were so late to the process that they missed the registration deadline entirely. Sometimes there are only a few months left between registering a child for the 11 plus exam and the child sitting the 11 plus exam. Trying to get children to reach a sufficient level to pass can be very difficult when the time is very tight.
Final thoughts
Parents should take a long term, holistic look at the 11 plus. The most important thing to understand is that every child is different and what worked for your friend’s child may not work for your child. Therefore, make sure you understand your child as a learner and plan their 11 plus journey around their needs. Some children will be fine at an 11 plus tuition centre studying an 11 plus course. Other children may need a private tutor on top of going to an 11 plus tuition centre. Some children will need to revise everyday, other children may not. The point is, every child is different, so it’s important that parents support their child in the way that is right for their child.
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