11 Plus Study Centre

COVID-19 - Motivating Your Child to Learn at Home

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 10:47:42 GMT

COVID-19 - Motivating Your Child to Learn at Home

Finding ourselves in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and suddenly becoming a primary carer, parent and teacher is proving to be a test for many parents across the UK. While some have set up schedules and make it look like its easy, others are struggling to keep their child focused while trying to get on with their own jobs from home. We take a look at some tips to inspire and motivate your child:

Learn How Your Child Learns

While you try and emulate the school day to keep your child educated from 9 am – 3 pm, the reality is that we aren’t teachers. We don’t have the knowledge or the experience to stand up and teach a class, what we are trying to do is the work that the teacher sets during a lesson. Try and focus on what works for your child.

If they learn better in bitesize chunks at the beginning of the day then start the day with maths and the more academic subjects. If you discover they will quite willingly learn at the end of the day then let them play outside, bake and do other activities in the morning and set them academic work in the afternoon. Homeschooling in such times as these requires a little fluidity.

Let Them Set the Schedule

If you find that your children are great at focussing for 30 minutes and then suddenly lose focus, don’t try and push them into more academic work, let them go outside and have some free time or watch something on the TV for a while.

Maybe they work well for a couple of hours (with breaks) and then that’s all you are going to get out of them. In the short term, remember this is not going to do them any harm. Perhaps you can find some online resources where they can sit and answer some questions for a while. Use this time yourself to do the work that you need to do or get into a routine where you work before they wake.

Motivate Children by Letting Them Choose

If they feel more motivated to do what they want to do then let them choose. You will get much more out of a child that is doing something they enjoy rather than something they are being forced to do.

If they want to learn a new language, you may be wondering how that is going to help them at school – any learning is good learning and it may just help them in other areas that you haven’t considered like retention of information. Learning should be fun and it has got to be better than forced learning.

Think Outside of the Box

A nature walk can be a field trip for geography – they can spot the different types of butterflies and wildlife, learn about trees, discover more about the seasons and, if you know your local history (Google may be good for this), discover how the area was used many years ago.

When you get home, get them to write a report of their work. Maybe they can draw pictures of something they picked up or something that they saw on their walk. All of a sudden, you have delivered a history lesson, a geography trip, a literature creative writing exercise and art. Boom – now you are winning at homeschooling.

COVID-19 and the Coronavirus are new for all of us and putting pressure on ourselves will only add to the stress for both parent and child. It’s time to get creative and encourage your child through motivating them to learn rather than trying to rigidly stick to the curriculum. Perhaps you can use incentives to get them to do the things they don’t want to do like promising them their favourite subject once they have done the one they don’t want to do.

How to Educate Your Child at Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic – a Few Helpful Tips

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 18:44:39 GMT

How to Educate Your Child at Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic – a Few Helpful Tips

As we enter the strange and unchartered territories of COVID-19 and the impact it is having on our lives, we suddenly find ourselves our children’s educators, which for many can feel daunting. What should we be teaching our children, how and at what times of the day? Many parents will be wondering if they should try and stick to the routines of school, what subjects should be taught when and how often and experiencing genuine concern as to if they are going to get this right and will their children miss out on too much education?

The truth is that everyone is finding their way in the dark through the unknown world of the Coronavirus with some feeling more prepared than others. While we watch our friends set out the perfect schedules while seeming to have everything perfectly under control, we may be feeling the pressure to do the same. Let’s take a look at a few tips that will help you to keep on educating your children until such a time that COVID-19 stops dictating our lives and the children can return to school.

Break it Down

Don’t worry about creating a whole 3-month schedule of learning. None of us know how long the Coronavirus will affect our lives. In the first instance, just tackle the first week. Then the second and then it will be the Easter holidays at which point, you don’t have to provide any education if you choose, although it may help to keep a routine when the children cannot go anywhere.

Break it down into days - mornings and afternoons, hour by hour until you have some sort of schedule that you feel comfortable with. Involve your child in this planning so that they feel they have some sort of ownership over things and get them excited about their new home schooling.

Plan & Prioritise – Core Subjects

For those parents who are concerned about their children falling behind at school while the world comes to a halt thanks to the Coronavirus, think about the core subjects and prioritise them. English and Maths are priority. In a large number of cases there will be work and guidelines set by your school. Some primary children will have books to follow or they will have been advised in the direction of certain resources.

Take some time to do some discovery with your children before you start. What are they studying in maths, English, science and history or other subjects at school. What topics, figures from history or scientific matter have they been learning about. These things can help you to find online resource and test their knowledge, in the process you will be learning new things together.

Set Up a Routine Similar to School

Get out of the pyjamas, get dressed, brush teeth, have breakfast and then be ready to go at 9am. If you think it will help, let them wear their school uniform. Consider the following:

• Schedule the lessons, with input from your child

• Talk about what they do at school currently and find online resources to support this

• Make the day interesting by varying things. Don’t have them sat at a desk from 9am until 3pm

• Have a dedicated study area, free from distractions and switch the phones and iPads off during this time

• Get them outside – learn about nature in your very own garden or local nature trails

• Have regular breaks

• Test their knowledge regularly by asking them to teach you

Take Advantage of Free Resources

Celebrities like Joe Wicks are coming together to offer their support during this COVID-19 crisis. He is currently offering live 9am PE lessons every day. Set them up for the day by making this part of their daily routine or tune in twice a week to take part. This way, you know that your child is getting enough exercise even when they can’t get out.

You can even make it a group activity where the whole family gets involved. If they can get their friends involved too, they can all discuss it later when they get free time to chat online. These things are new to you and your children and will help to break up the days ahead.

Supply Children with Healthy Snacks

Fruit, water and healthy snacks will fuel their brains and help them to concentrate. Focus on feeding them a healthy diet with home cooked foods at meal times. Make cooking part of their studies – be the Home Economics teacher.

Try and vary the snack each day and maybe even try some new fruits and healthy snacks. Use the opportunity as more learning. Find the fruits that they haven’t tried before and use these. Give them a fruit that they may not have seen and ask them to find out what it is.

Consider Your Approach

You are not trying to get them to tidy their room, you are their teacher. You need to think about how you approach this and be everything a good teacher should be. Don’t criticise them, encourage them, don’t get frustrated and try and show them how to do it, let them find their own way.

Be supportive and switch off from being mum or dad to become their educator, their mentor and someone they can feel comfortable with in a learning environment. Celebrate their success, praise them and help them when they make a mistake to realise the mistake for themselves.

Champion Reading

Reading is a great way to escape from the worry and anxiety that they may be feeling in this strange and uncertain time. Amazon are still delivering and no doubt there are a plentiful supply of books that they can get stuck into. Encourage them to read.

If they are reading quietly for an hour in a corner of the house or in the garden then that is fine. The more reading they do, the more knowledge they will gain. Set up a reading corner with a light and comfortable bean bags or pillows for those days when the weather isn’t so nice but try and encourage them to read on a blanket in the garden or in a garden chair.

Use the Tools You Have

You aren’t qualified as a teacher and you aren’t going to get inspected by Ofsted so be creative. If you want them to learn history, find documentaries on TV or films that closely follow fact. Horrible Histories is a fun way to learn about historical events and there are nature programmes such as Blue Planet to help them learn and escape.

Perhaps you are an expert in a certain field as part of an interest or your profession. Teach them what you know. Help them to learn new skills that you are confident in. Learning is learning – the more knowledge they have, the better.

Fuel their Imagination

Get them to create stories, to document the events going on in the world, to become their own news reporters, have fun with them, inspire them. Get them outdoors by allocating a part of the garden where they can grow their own fruit and veg. Where permitted, take them on dog walks and explore hidden trails free from other people where they can take pictures of wild plants and flowers and then Google them when they get home. Use this time to be creative and to inspire your children to learn more about the world around them but above all, don’t worry – you’ve got this!

How to ensure your child is sticking to their study schedule

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 10:18:36 GMT

How to ensure your child is sticking to their study schedule

Study schedules are a vital tool for children preparing for the 11+ examinations as it gives structure to their revision and allows parents to see which subjects their child will be focusing upon on any given day.

But when it comes to your child sticking to their timetable, how do you know that they're doing the revision they say they are?

Although no parent wants to quiz their offspring too intensely when it comes to their revision, you'll still need to ensure that they're not becoming distracted and are actually carrying out their studies as they should be without accusing them of slacking off. Here are a few tips to help you discover if they are sticking to their study schedule.

Ask leading questions

Instead of just asking if they’ve finished their study session for the day, approach the subject by asking questions that require more than a yes or no answer. For example, ask them what they’ve learnt today or ask them for their opinion on any study tools or textbooks you’ve bought them to help prepare them for their 11+ exams.

If they aren’t particularly forthcoming when it comes to details, then it could be that they’ve been getting distracted and not following through with their study plans.

Talk to their tutor

If you’ve been working with an 11+ tutor to help prepare your child for the 11+ exams, then don’t be afraid to talk to them about any concerns you might have. Your child’s tutor will be able to give you regular updates on your child’s progress and will also share any insights that show if they’ve improved in their subjects.

If your tutor is happy with how your child is improving, then it’s highly likely that they are sticking to their study schedule and you have little to worry about. However, if they feel that progress is slow, you’ll need to have an honest talk with them.

Remove any distractions

Distractions are without a doubt the main reason that your child may not be keeping to their 11+ study schedule. To help them focus on preparing for their exams, remove anything from their designated study space that could cause them to become distracted such as tablets, TVs and computer consoles.

You might even wish to make the space a mobile phone free zone during study time as this will go a long way towards improving concentration and cutting down on distractions.

Why 11 plus tuition can improve success rates

Wed, 18 Sep 2019 19:30:43 GMT

Why 11 plus tuition can improve success rates

With four subject areas to tackle in order to try and gain a place at grammar school, the 11 Plus examinations can be daunting for even the most academic of students.

If you’re hoping to send your child to grammar school, then you’ll want to give them the best possible chance of getting through the exams with good results and minimal stress. To do this, the support of an experienced tutor can make all the difference to your child’s grades, so here’s just a few benefits of working with the team at the 11+ Study Centre …

1. A big confidence boost

Exams can be stressful but having the right 11 Plus tutor can help your child sit their examinations with confidence knowing that they’ve had all the support, access to the right teaching methods and feedback needed to give them the best possible chance of success.

Not only does working with the experienced tutors at the 11+ Study Centre ensure that your child receives expert tuition, but we’ll also help prepare your child for the exams mentally, so they’ll walk into that exam hall ready to tackle whatever questions the exam board throws at them.

2. Extra support on all subject exams

With success rates for children sitting the 11 Plus exam without the help of an experienced tutor currently standing at around 30%, a good 11 Plus tutor can provide individual support on the four subject areas. Of course, this must be coupled with giving your child the attention they require that they won’t receive at school.

This extra support ensures there is sufficient time to work on all four exam subject areas. Extra support also means learning with their tutor can be tailored to ensure that any areas where they need a little extra help are covered.

3. Learn new techniques and skills

The verbal and non-verbal reasoning elements of the 11 Plus exam are something entirely new to 10 to 11-year-old students, so learning these skills is essential to help them get through this part of the examinations and perform well.

Practice makes perfect, so our tutors here at the 11+ Study Centre will be able to set tasks and exercises to help hone their fledgeling skills and provide feedback on any mock examinations provided in the run-up to the exams. This careful introduction of new skills with lots of support will them to develop with confidence and gain the results they deserve.

How to understand the new GCSE results

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 15:42:06 GMT

How to understand the new GCSE results

With the government choosing to scrap the traditional A* to G GCSE grades in favour of a brand-new grading system in 2017, many students and parents are struggling to get their heads around the totally different marks system.

Starting with English, English literature and maths, it is expected that most GCSE results will utilise the revised system this year with all subjects using this system by 2020.

But for parents who’ve only ever known the previous system, how do the new grades measure up?

Previously, we saw eight grades from A* to G, but the addition of a ninth grade (grade 9) is confusing many parents who aren’t 100% sure why the system was changed in the first place. According to government sources, the grades have been changed following a national curriculum review in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

With findings that around 60% of students achieve a B or C grade, dividing grades up even more will make it easier for teachers, colleges and potential employers to differentiate between the good and the great students.

It also comes as reports show that UK students are falling behind other countries on international educational rankings; therefore plans have been put in motion to make the GCSE examinations more ‘rigorous' to bring them in line with the rest of Europe and further afield.

Here’s a simple comparison guide that details the new numeric grades against their traditional alphabetical counterparts.

The top two grades of A and A* are roughly equivalent to a grade of 7, 8 or 9, but fewer grade 9s will be awarded to students than A* results prior to the changes. Grade 9 will only be awarded for exceptional performance in any subject.
The good to average grade passes of B and C – which are the minimum grades expected by colleges for entry onto A level courses - have now been replaced by grades 4, 5 and 6.
At the lower end of the scale D, E, F and G grades will now be scored 1, 2 or 3 with a fail graded U as per the alphabetical scale.

According to the government, not only will this make it easier for employers and colleges to see which students gave the best performance in their examinations and coursework, but it will also mean that students will have to work harder to achieve the top grades than they would have done prior to 2017. With this change, it might be worth investing in a GCSE tutor to help your children get the results they deserve under this more taxing new system.

How to create a perfect study environment at home

Thu, 18 Jul 2019 18:42:15 GMT

How to create a perfect study environment at home

Studying for the 11+ exams doesn’t just stop when the school day ends, students will need to carry on with their revision sessions at home too in order to have the best chance of gaining a place at grammar school.

Our homes are often busy and bustling hives of activity, so if your child needs to continue with their studies at home, then you'll need to help them create a perfect study environment at home. This can be easier said than done, so here are a few tips to help you get started and provide your child with the perfect space to study.

Remove any distractions

Our homes are filled with technology that’s designed to keep us entertained, but these items can also serve to distract us too!

If your child isn’t feeling 100% motivated to carry on with their study schedule at home, it can be easy to turn on the TV or pick up the tablet instead, so where possible either cover up or remove anything that could possibly turn their attention away from their 11+ studies.

Of course, you’ll need to make sure that your child has access to these items once they’ve finished their studies as a reward for all their hard work, so just grab a couple of cardboard boxes to store any such items until later.

Make a sign together

It isn't just technology that can cause distractions; other family members can be a source of real frustration for children who are trying to study for their 11+ exams but keep getting interrupted by parents or siblings.

A fun way of tackling this problem is to make a sign for them to hang on their door that shows that they are busy with their 11+ studies and do not wish to be disturbed, so grab some coloured card, glitter and anything else you have to hand and get creative.

A tidy room for a tidy mind

Clutter is never conducive for learning, so it’s a good excuse to declutter your child’s room of any old toys that they no longer use and to generally have a good clean up. Clear their desk space of any unnecessary items and make sure that they have plenty of pens, highlighters and notepads handy should they need to make any notes and you’ll be on your way to creating the perfect study environment in your home.