What is an Independent School?

In the UK, independent schools are fee-charging schools that typically have more control over their curriculum and their teaching methods than state-funded schools do. They often have better facilities and resources and achieve better exam results than state comprehensive schools, but they also vary a lot in terms of how much they cost to attend and what facilities are available. Many independent schools are also boarding schools. There are independent schools that cater for all ages, from reception to sixth form.

Read more: Top 30 UK Independent Schools

What is the Independent School 11+ Entrance Exam?

Increasingly, many independent secondary schools admit students at the age of 11, and decide who to admit by using an 11 plus exam that applicants sit in Year 6. The exam usually takes place in January or February.  The structure of the exam and the subjects that are tested varies from school to school, with maths and English the most common. Some schools may also have tests in Science, or in Verbal or Non-Verbal Reasoning. Students must pass the exam to win a place at the school, and in some cases a good performance may also entitle them to a scholarship to help with fees.

Read more: Independent Schools vs. Grammar Schools. Which is Better for Your Child?

How to Prepare for Independent School Entrance Exam: 15 Expert Tips for Parents

1. Your child needs solid maths knowledge…

To do well in the independent school 11+, your child will need a solid grasp of the maths they have been taught at school. From algebra to geometry, it is important that your child feels confident about the topics he has been learning about at school. That way, they will be able to apply their knowledge quickly in exam conditions. It’s worth noting that independent schools test maths knowledge more than grammar schools do – grammar school 11+ exams tend to focus more on measuring inherent ability.

2. But problem-solving ability is even more important!

Still, what can really set your child apart and enable them to succeed are strong problem-solving skills. These help your child understand the questions in the paper, and quickly know what calculations are required. In this area, practice makes perfect – look at past papers for the kind of questions your child may need to solve!

3. The exam is based on the Key Stage 2 Maths curriculum

Preparation is important, but remember that no 11+ exam tests math skills or topics beyond the Key Stage 2 topics your child has learnt at school. You will not benefit by going beyond the curriculum, or by introducing topics your child hasn’t learnt about at school. Instead, make sure your child’s knowledge of the topics they have been taught about is rock solid.

4. Independent school papers are not multiple choice – your child needs to learn to show their working!

Many grammar schools use multiple-choice 11+ exams, but this does not apply to independent schools. In independent school 11+ maths exams candidates need to write down their answer (including, if applicable, the correct unit). Sometimes students also need to show their working in order to get full marks. Whether this is necessary varies from question to question and from school to school. Some schools explicitly ask students to show their working for all questions, while others have individual questions where students need to do so. These are often questions where there are only a small number of possible answers, and applicants could reach the correct answer by guessing. The safest thing to do when you prepare is to always encourage your child to show their working – but do also study past papers to see how important this is for your school!

5. The length of the 11+ maths exam varies greatly – make sure you check the length with your school!

Something else that varies a lot from school to school is the length of the maths exam. Here at Think Academy we have seen 11+ maths exams of only 30 minutes, and others that last 90 minutes! Make sure you ask your school if you are unsure about how long the exam is so you can prepare accordingly.

6. The exam may be designed on purpose that applicants don’t have enough time to finish all questions

Some schools also design their exams on purpose that it is near-impossible for an applicant to complete all questions in the time available. This means that it’s important for students not to get stuck on one question for a long time – it’s better to move on and then return to that question if there is time left at the end.

7. Concentrate on key skills and problem-solving skills, not the most difficult questions you find in past papers!

Some papers end with one or two very difficult and convoluted questions. These are meant to test the most able students who have passed through most of the exam with time to spare. Don’t focus on these in your preparation – they are not representative of the rest of the exam. Instead, make sure your child can solve the easier questions in the paper quickly and consistently.

8. Make sure you practice your child’s algebra, and they can save a lot of time in the exam!

Key to this is practicing the core skills of addition, multiplication, subtraction, and division. Algebra is the first part of the maths paper for almost every school, and can make up half the exam. This is a great chance for well-prepared students to pick up easy marks and save time for the difficult problem-solving questions that usually come later in the exam.

9. Study angles and how they work carefully!

In terms of geometry, questions about angles are very common and can be relatively challenging. Make sure your child is comfortable with them and familiar with a range of question types involving angles. Past papers can be a good guide to the kind of question that may appear.

10. Also practice calculating area and perimeters of shapes

It is also useful to be familiar with how to calculate the area and perimeter of shapes of various kinds, though circles don’t tend to feature. These questions are generally quite straightforward, and a well-prepared student can solve them quickly.

11. Make sure your child is familiar with 3D shapes too

While they are less common, 3D shapes do also appear in independent school 11+ exams. These are almost always cuboids, and students should be familiar with how to calculate their volume.

12. Make sure you child has a good understanding of clocks and time!

Questions about time are very common, and knowing how to solve them is a useful life skill too! Questions on this topic vary a lot, but students taking the 11+ for independent schools should be very familiar with the clock face, the 12-hour clock and the 24-hour clock. They should also know how to read a bus or train timetable, as these often appear as part of the 11+ exam for many independent schools.

13. Help your child visualise and understand word problems

Graphs and diagrams feature in some 11+ exams, but they are not especially prominent. A far more useful skill to master ahead of the exam is the ability to visualise questions that are represented as long bits of text. Teach your child to note down the key facts from these questions, or even to draw a diagram to help them, before attempting to solve the question.

14. Make sure your child knows their fractions and percentages

Questions about fractions are very common in independent school 11+ exams. These, however, tend to be quite straightforward and limited to adding fractions together and occasionally subtracting them from each other. It can be useful to be able to do this quickly. Many questions also involve percentages, so make sure your child is familiar with how they work, and how they relate to fractions.

15. Learn to recognise and tackle problem-solving questions

Many questions in the independent school 11+ maths exam can be broadly described as problem-solving questions – in some exams, these can make up half the paper. When solving these questions, usually presented as text, students first need to figure out what calculation they will need to make, before using their maths skills to find the answer. Use past papers to see the range of questions that can appear as you prepare!

We hope you find this guide helpful as you prepare for the independent school 11+ maths exam. It’s important to be well-prepared to give your child the best chance of winning a place at your chosen school, but the exam is nothing to be scared of – it’s simply s chance for your child to showcase what they know, and to cement their maths knowledge. Good luck!