11 Plus English

The 11 Plus English syllabus covers key concepts from KS2 ( year 5 & year 6) such as spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, grammar, vocabulary, & comprehension. Broadly the 11 plus English papers covers most of the topics of KS2 English syllabus. The syllabus is broadly based on the National Curriculum guidelines. In our experience, as students learn English as a part of the school curriculum, most children are familiar with majority of the topics covered in 11 plus English papers. Having said that, some children require more support than others in preparing 11 Plus English, especially in areas like vocabulary , comprehension and creative writing skills.
When preparing for 11 plus English topics, the child needs a solid foundation in the following 5 core areas:

1. Grammar & Punctuation
2. Spelling & Vocabulary
3. Reading & Literacy
4. Comprehension
5. Creative writing

11+ English papers vary in style, based on the exam body that prepares the test paper, as each exam body’s test paper format differs from the others. In general, the exam format and question types will vary depending on the local authority in which the grammar school is situated or they will vary based on a specific grammar school. It should be noted that some schools prefer to prepare their own 11 plus English test papers and so their exam format can be different from the typical exam board papers. Some schools simply change the style and format of the paper every year, in order to keep the test fresh and challenging.

11 Plus English Topics

At Elite 11 plus tuitions, our tutors focus on improving core skills of the subject. For English specifically, we cover the following in our 11 plus English syllabus :

• 11 plus English Grammar : learning the basics of grammar usage in English language.
• 11 plus English Punctuation : Learning rules of punctuation along with specifics of various punctuations like colon,semi colon,commas etc.
• 11 plus English vocabulary list : We have a our own list of words and their meaning (Elite 11 plus English vocabulary list) which we encourage our students to learn and master
• 11 plus English spellings :  We encourage the children to focus on learning the spellings as well the meaning of the words. Special attention is also paid on teaching synonyms, antonyms, homophones & homographs.
• 11 plus English reading list : At  Elite 11 plus tuitions, we provide our time tested lists of books which are suitable for 11 years olds and help them in their exam preparation. Our tutors design the lessons to make children aware of various language skills that are commonly tested such as parts of speech and figures of speech.
• 11 plus English comprehension – Major part of English lesson preparation goes into developing skills in English comprehension. Students are encouraged to read for understanding, analysing and inferring from the text. Live classroom discussion help the child understand various points of views,  along with direct and indirect inferences.
• 11 plus English creative writing: At Elite 11 plus tuitions , we get the child to practice writing on a variety of topics. Our feedback revolves around developing skills like planning for a topic, handling various types topics, making paragraphs, making use of various literary devices and including rich vocabulary in their texts.

11 Plus English Preparation

Many of the core skills required for the English exam are covered within the Key Stage 2 Curriculum. If your child has a good grasp of the elements of KS2 English, then they should have a good grounding for the 11+.  Encourage your child to read curriculum texts and to pay particular attention to English classwork and homework. It may be worthwhile revisiting your child’s coursework throughout the year, to further identify any weak areas.
Our carefully designed tuition program covers all relevant English topics and students feel fully equipped with all the knowledge and exam taking skills before they appear for the tests.  At the end of 2 years of rigorous preparation at Elite Tuitions, students are fully confident to appear for high ranking grammar school tests in areas like Bromley ,Bexley, Sutton and Kent and hopefully pass with flying colours. We provide tuitions to pupils specifically targeting St. Olave’s & Newstead Wood in Orpington, Kent grammar schools, Wilson, Wallington and Sutton grammar schools and Bexley grammar school.

11 plus for parents English

Parents who wish to prepare their child for the 11 Plus exams will need to first assess their child’s ability in 11 plus English arena.  Elite 11 plus tuition have their own methodology to assess the child’s current level of skills and understanding of maths. This helps us to design a bespoke pathway for your child so that they can finally reach the expected standards towards the end of the 11+ tuition program. We at Elite 11 plus tuitions, assess various aspects of the child’s current ability which makes it easier for us to analyse their progress along the way.
Parents, if you child is in year 4 and you are thinking of starting their preparation for 11 plus exams, then below are some guidelines for you.

English – 11 plus preparation for year 4 :

• Focus on developing good study habits in your children. Elite 11 plus tuitions will provide our time-tested strategies, 11 plus English worksheets, and exams techniques in this matter.
• Parents can spend some regular time on their kids to help with reading. Try to read with them and encourage discussions post reading. Parents should help in developing perspective and analysis of content. Be patient and help the child when they encounter any difficulty in  doing  comprehension. Parents can also encourage children to note down any new words or difficult words and should find the meanings of such words together.
• Parents should broaden the child’s exposure by introducing various type of texts and they can use various media to do so. Watching news on TV is an example of such an activity.
• You should also let the child learn while have fun at the same time. Rather than playing any other game, the child should be encouraged to do word based games such as  word search and crosswords, which can be found both online or offline, using various books.

English – 11 plus preparation for year 5 :

• Parents should introduce the child to some sample 11 plus English past papers.
• Parents should inculcate a regular reading habit into the child. If your child gets bored easily with reading, try to visit your local library and help him choose the books which are of his interest.
• Try to include a wide variety of topics when choosing books.
• Test their vocabulary from time to time, without putting too much pressure on the child.
• Play games which revolve around learning such as ; Deliberately give him texts with wrong punctuation and ask him to spot mistakes.

Elite 11 plus Tuition offers courses starting from Year 4 and continued in Year 5 till the end of examination
Super selective schools and schools where there is an intense competition to secure a place, the English paper will include several questions which will stretch the students’ knowledge of English subject.

Please call Elite 11 Plus Tuition now at  0330 1137 996  to register your child and  get advice.