2. THE FOUR DISCIPLINES OF THE 11 PLUS
In most cases, the 11 plus consists of four sections:
English;
Maths;
Verbal Reasoning (VR);
Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR).
Of course, this is subject to each school, and therefore the exam may differ slightly. For example, we know that the 11+ for the CSSE (Essex) exam, it only consists of an English and a Maths paper.
The types of questions your child will face in their exams are designed to test the knowledge that they have acquired throughout their primary school education thus far. The eleven plus however may have some types of questions or topics that your child is not entirely familiar with. This is because the test aims to seek out children who can apply the skills and knowledge that they have attained to various diverse topics and questions. This demonstrates an initiative and aptitude to the examiners.
Ultimately, one of the best ways to ensure your child performs as well as possible in their exams is to familiarise them with the types of questions that they are likely to face. They will naturally feel daunted on the day to some degree but equipping them with adequate prior preparation will ensure that they have the best chance of success.
Think about covering each of the 11 plus sections in turn with your child to make them feel fully prepared and confident on exam day.
In the next section, we are going to provide a breakdown of each section, including example questions, and how to work them out.