How to make the most out of 11+ practice papers
1. Choose the correct papers
Schools use different types of entrance exams. Some have bespoke exams, while others use exam providers like GL Assessment, which all have different formats and topics. If your child practices using the wrong exam papers, they risk being blindsided on exam day, forced to navigate an unfamiliar format, and possibly missing out on questions they could otherwise answer.
As soon as you know your target school, find out what exam your child is taking. Then, you can begin to familiarise yourself with it. Is it multiple-choice? Does it include a creative writing section? How long is the exam? What topics will your child be tested on?
By gathering all this information early on, you can tailor your child’s 11+ preparation to meet the specific demands of their chosen exam. This will give your child the confidence to walk into the test knowing exactly what to expect. Instead of being overwhelmed, they can focus on demonstrating their abilities to the best of their potential.
2. Don’t rush into it
It can be tempting to jump straight into practice papers to prepare for 11+ exams. But this isn’t always an effective way to learn. If your child is unfamiliar with the exam topics, they may struggle to answer the entire paper, leaving them feeling demotivated and knocking their confidence. Instead, your child should learn the topics first and then move on to practice papers. This ensures they are fully equipped to tackle the exam with a strong knowledge base.
This doesn’t mean your child can’t do practice questions. Look at the exam and use it to guide what they should study and pick out some individual questions your child can try. Using the ‘little and often’ approach is a great method during this stage as it helps with retention and engagement. Your child won’t feel overwhelmed by a whole exam booklet. Instead, they’ll build up their confidence, learning little and often and staying focused and engaged on their learning.
When your child begins to feel more confident, then you can introduce timed elements and small sections from a mock test. As soon as you think your child knows all the topics well enough, they can get started on doing whole mock exams.
3. Practise exam conditions and refine technique
When your child takes a practice exam for the first time, don’t be surprised if they struggle or perform below expectations. This is perfectly normal and part of the learning process. The practice exam will present a set of new challenges your child hasn’t faced before, such as working under timed conditions and the pressure of a test environment. While your child may initially feel overwhelmed, regular practice will build their confidence and resilience.
Taking practice papers allows your child to refine their exam technique. When your child starts doing practice exams, you’ll quickly discover the areas they need to improve. Whether it’s time management or the topics themselves, it makes it easier to highlight the issue and work on it.
Many children find it difficult to pace themselves, leading to rushed answers or unfinished exam papers. It’s good to split the paper into smaller, more manageable chunks of around ten minutes. This will guide your child on how long they should spend on each section and encourage them to find the right pace to work at. The more your child practises, they’ll be less overwhelmed and more used to answering questions under timed conditions.
If possible, mimic an exam day at home. With Atom Home’s downloadable 11+ practice papers, you can do this as often as you need or think is beneficial to your child. We recommend starting with 1-2 practice exams a month and then, about 6-8 weeks before the 11 plus, increasing this to 1 or 2 a week.
4. Mark practice papers efficiently
While taking mock tests at home is good practice, your child won’t get the full benefit of them if they’re not being marked efficiently. Your child needs to understand how to learn from their mistakes, so they know what to focus on when studying.
As a parent, marking can be a difficult and sometimes laborious task. Atom Home takes care of that for you. When your child takes a timed online mock test, their answers are automatically-marked, and you'll see the results instantly. You can also download printable PDF paper tests and answer sheets. Once your child has finished the test, input their answers on Atom.
Once your child’s practice paper has been marked, go through all the questions they’ve gotten wrong together and see if there are any patterns. Is there a particular topic area they’re struggling with? If so, identify why and make sure your child practices that area and fills the gaps in their knowledge. With Atom, it automatically detects which topics your child needs to work on, so they can start practising right away.
Using practice papers can feel overwhelming at first, but their benefits are invaluable. With consistent practice, your child will gain the skills, confidence, and focus needed for the 11 plus. They’ll be able to go into the exam ready to tackle the it head-on and perform to the best of their ability.
