The new 11+

A major change for families is that the test date is being moved from the start of Year 6 when it is currently sat to the summer term of Year 5. I think this is a major quality of life change for families who will no longer have to continue studying throughout the summer, taking test books on holiday with them, and booking intensive September courses to make up for a summer off practicing.

The non-verbal reasoning section will be removed, which will be a welcome bonus for all. In my experience this was the most hit and miss section of the exam, and many of my pupils struggled to get to the 30-seconds-per-question timings, often being determined to finish a question even if it took them 3 or 4 minutes of valuable exam time.

Full details of the test are due to be released in September. On their website the new test provider, FSCE, say 'No teacher, tutor or parent can know what will be on the test. FSCE does not issue past papers and our test content changes every year.'

The head of Pate's Grammar School in Cheltenham has said the test would be more aligned to the national curriculum, according to the BBC. Currently, much of the 11+ tests content beyond Year 5, such as algebra, advanced vocabulary, and sections of the verbal and non-verbal reasoning questions.

Historically in Gloucestershire under the previous test a 'pass mark' to aim at was around 80%. This was also tricky to explain to children who wanted to pick up every mark that it was an exercise in how to pick up the most marks in the least time rather than shooting for 100%.

Being a new test to the Gloucestershire schools, and customised to their requirements specifically, it will likely be some time before a 'pass mark' is established, if one ever does. It could be that the papers will vary wildly in content tested and performance so there may not be a stable mark.

Until now Gloucestershire schools used the GL Assessment, which was more predictable in the type of content that came up. In addition, in my opinion, the questions were split into two parts:

• questions you could figure out if you had never seen them before
• questions that you had to memorise the method for and repeat if it came up in the exam

I think this penalised creativity as some questions made it impossible for an otherwise bright child to just turn up, sit the test, and pass.

It's important to recognise that each group of grammar schools who appoint a test provider like FSCE will get their own customised version of the test. I had a look online to see if other counties, who have been using the FSCE test for some time, had tips from parents whose children had sat the test, and the consensus was that sections such as:

• creative writing
• reading comprehension (with advanced vocabulary)
• solving mathematical problems from real-world data such as charts and diagrams, rather than abstract calculations

However, we will need to wait for the Gloucestershire grammar schools in September to confirm more details around this point.

From speaking with Cheltenham parents, some common questions are:

As before, the number 1 thing to do with your child is to encourage learning and curiosity at home. This means things like:

• reading with them at bedtime, and not just easy books! If your child is never having to look up what new words mean, the book is too easy for them
• getting them to make calculations with money, for instance for pocket money or buying sweets, things like percentages and fractions

Remember, if doing these things feels like an uphill battle every time, or your child is really resistant, it may be that grammar school is not for them. If they feel like this extra work is a punishment rather than something enjoyable, they are unlikely to thrive at a grammar school where it will be even more intense.

If you have any questions about the upcoming exam or want help boosting your child's confidence in English and Maths - the two areas the new test will hone in on - send me a message below!