insideKENT Magazine Issue 60 - March 2017 | Page 131

EDUCATION
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
GALORE PARK
PREPARING YOUR CHILD FOR PRE-TEST AND 11 + EXAMS
When your child is busy with homework and after-school activities it is tempting to wait until the last few months to concentrate on preparation for these tests – but this can be a mistake .
BUILDING FAMILIARITY TAKES TIME
Familiarity with a new subject or situation is the key to facing any new challenge with confidence , and the 11 + tests are no different .
These exams are testing your child ’ s ability to think through problems , and crossword puzzles are a good analogy ; you can ’ t train somebody to solve crosswords but practice can improve your speed and ability to solve them .
Introducing this learning process into family life 12 – 18 months ahead of the tests builds your child ’ s confidence in much the same way and consequently leads to a greater chance of success .
CHOOSING THE CORRECT RESOURCES
Most products target specific tests , such as GL or CEM , although many independent schools set their own more challenging exams meaning these standard products can be pitched too low . An additional problem is that test providers introduce new question formats each year , which these resources do not cover .
Pre-tests are often delivered online and may be adaptive . This means that if a question is answered correctly , a more challenging question is set . Children who excel in these tests work quickly and accurately and can consistently answer the most challenging questions .
GALORE PARK ’ S NEW FLAGSHIP 11 + SERIES represents the new wave of publishing designed to support children through entrance exams for Independent schools and adaptive testing .
Revision Guides work in separate topics designed for short bursts of study .
Workbooks ( three for each subject ) contain practice for the different question types and formats they are likely to encounter , leading to greater accuracy and faster response times .
Practice Papers , based on previous 11 + tests in different formats , are designed for children to practise working through a paper in test conditions for their final preparation .
Galore Park specialises in preparation for 11 + and 13 + Common Entrance exams and leads the market in textbooks for pupils studying at independent schools .
www . galorepark . co . uk 020 3122 6405
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