The 11+ IS meant to be challenging. Here’s why

One of the fascinating aspects of being eleven-plus tutors is my wife and I have the opportunity to speak with parents of children across a wide age range. Some parents contact us when their children are in years 1 or 2 (always good to gain an overview of what’s ahead) all the way up to last-minute support in year 5 (there are always improvements that can be made).

We will also be asked to tutor children aiming for entry after the usual Sept-Jan year 6 entrance tests, often when joining the UK school system from out of the country.

This means we see children from a wide range of starting abilities, some used to a more focused workload and others who are, shall we say, more used to a relaxed, laissez-faire attitude.

What is the eleven-plus test?

In essence, the eleven-plus test is a test to assess whether your child is suitable for following an educational programme at a grammar or independent school. These schools pride themselves on a focused work ethic and being able to ensure children go on to achieve higher results than expected at a non-selective school.

But your child needs to be ready to meet them halfway. Your child needs to be able to show they can keep up with the standards expected at those institutions.

That’s where the eleven-plus comes in. The eleven-plus consists of a selection of tests that are designed to help schools ‘top-slice’ and select the best candidates from those who although good, simply aren’t good enough.

Sorry, but that’s the nature of testing. Every child taking the test is ranked and some won’t make the cut.

Maybe a child is a ‘late developer’ or doesn’t get on with the questions in the eleven-plus, and if so that would tend to suggest they might not gel with what follows in the grammar or independent schools.

That’s why we always recommend having children begin with some initial eleven-plus preparation at an early stage (eg from around year 3) so they can start to develop their understanding free from the rush that occurs in the later years.

Whilst I do believe that, in theory, most children can, with the right level of support, go on to do well in the eleven-plus, the very nature of selective testing means, not every child can achieve the highest marks in an eleven-plus test.

It’s best to think about your child’s eleven-plus tests as if they are a combination race (like a pentathlon) rather than a single event such as a sprint or a marathon. This is because your child needs to be highly proficient in a multitude of skills, and that’s something which develops over time.

A quick, last-minute blast left until the end of year five won’t do them any favours when they’re up against seasoned practitioners in the battle for school places.

So Why is Hard, Good?

Simply put, it’s going to get easier later, once your child has developed a mind-bank of skills to call on, so they no longer find difficult questions difficult and can ace those queries that used to leave them stuck.

This means there will be times when your child has to work harder than usual, to dig a little deeper than they might have expected, so they can get to grips with and understand a tricky problem or question.

They need to be comfortable being uncomfortable until they get good at stuff!

Many other children (and parents) will, however, give up, or put off having their children do the work required to up their game and improve their scores.

You, on the other hand, need to make sure your child doesn’t flag, or slack off, and you’ll need to be there to ensure your child continues to do the work, to put in the time, to do the revision to help them make those incremental improvements that translate into test success.

What are the Benefits of Rigorous Preparation

• Skill Development: They might not enjoy it to begin with, but having your child become accustomed to working through challenging problems helps develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and time-management skills. These are not only vital for the test but also invaluable skills throughout life.
• Realistic Expectations: Making steady improvements over time means they can see how they’re closing in on the target – test success – and how it is an achievable objective. This builds their confidence and helps them take ownership of their destiny, reducing anxiety and building self-confidence.
• Preparation for Future Academic Challenges: Being able to go from “I don’t know how I’ll ever do this” to “Yes! Another 100% mark on a paper” helps set your child up for success in future rigorous academic settings, including higher education.

Eustress vs Distress

• Balancing Challenge and Well-being: Whilst it’s necessary for your child to be under some stress whilst doing their 11+ work (otherwise they’re not stretching or growing) too much stress is a bad thing.
• Positive Stress: What we aim for is ‘useful stress’ or eustress, rather than too much stress or distress. This comes from balancing ability with setting goals just out of reach and for this a good balance is essential.

Doing Hard Stuff Makes Us Stronger

• Having your child do things they find challenging will help them in the future. Many children will bail out or stop their preparation, so simply having your child battle on through to the end will instil in them the skills and confidence to do similar in other situations.
• Encourage parents to view the challenging preparation as an opportunity for their children to grow academically and personally. Stress the importance of supportive involvement and maintaining a positive outlook throughout the preparation process.
• By framing the difficulty of the eleven-plus preparation as a necessary part of developing both academic proficiency and personal growth, you can help parents understand and embrace the challenges their children face. This perspective can transform their approach to supporting their children during this critical period.

Your next step

So if your child says, “But mum/dad, this is difficult.” you know what to say, “Good!“