FREE 11 Plus Practise in Torquay

FREE mock 11+ exam in Torquay

If your child is in year 5 we invite them to attend a free mock exam in Torquay on Saturday 14th March 2015. Places are limited by the size of the room so book your free place now to avoid disappointment. Ring Kate on 01803 501411 and she will be delighted to reserve you a place.

Mock 11 Plus Exams in Torquay

Sitting formal mock exams helps children to be more confident when they sit the real tests and we strongly recommend it.

Our series of mock 11+ exams start on 14 March 2015.

As we predicted, the 11+ has changed this year and our mock exams have changed to reflect the new content and format. Your child will have the opportunity to practise CEM style papers and the Torbay maths and English papers.

These have been written with the sole aim of helping children to prepare for the Torbay 11+ exams. Our exams follow the format and type of questions that occur in the real tests. They reflect the standard of the real exams and children will find them challenging.

For more information contact Kate at Torbay Tutors on 01803 501411.

Mock 11+ exams in Torquay.

Sitting formal mock exams helps children to be more confident when they sit the real tests and we strongly recommend it.

Our series of mock 11+ exams start on 15 March 2014. These have been written with the sole aim of helping children to prepare for the Torbay 11+ exams. Our exams follow the format and type of questions that occur in the real tests. They reflect the standard of the real exams and children will find them challenging.

Other 11+ practice papers will not give you the same preparation. The VR tests published by GL are by their own admission for familiarisation only and are designed to be easier than the actual tests. They are useful but you need something harder as well. The actual maths and english tests are written locally by the schools themselves and are not published. There are published past papers from schools in other areas of the country but these are different in format and content from the local ones and are therefore of limited use.

What ever mock exams you use make sure they are written specifically for the Torbay 11+. Beware of past papers from other parts of the country and nationally published practice papers.

For more information contact Kate at Torbay Tutors on 01803 321283.

Good Luck Everyone

Good luck to everyone taking the 11+ tomorrow! 

I will be thinking of you and I am sure you will do fantastically. Kate

Is the Torbay 11+ going to change?

There has been speculation on local websites that the format of the Torbay 11+ might change. 

The three local grammar schools have all published the format of the 2013 tests on their websites and these are essentially the same as previous years. So, if the schools are minded to change the format the earliest that they are likely to do so would be for the 2014 tests. According to the national admissions code where changes are proposed, the admissions authority must publicly consult on those arrangements; and where no changes are proposed, there still must be a consultation every seven years. The consultation must be for eight weeks and must take place between 1 November and 1 March. Admission arrangements must then be determined by 15 April. So this is a date to watch out for in future years.

How might the tests change?

Well, the Torbay schools could copy Plymouth where they have dropped Verbal Reasoning and now only test in English and Maths. This would be a cost effective solution for the Torbay schools as they already write their own English and Maths papers in house. A feature of this format is that children are only tested on subjects that they have learnt in school which helps those children who are not coached by parents and tutors. Further more if children are coached it will be to improve their Maths and English which must be a good thing in itself.

Alternatively they could look to other parts of the country where Durham University's CEM assessment scheme has been introduced. Typically the test covers Verbal Reasoning (English including comprehension, synonyms, antonyms and cloze passages); Numerical Reasoning (Maths), and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Such tests are full of techniques that children will not have encountered at school and will require considerable coaching by parents and tutors. 

Whether the tests will change and if so, how, only the schools themselves know. However, please rest assured that whatever happens, we will be ready to respond, so that we can continue to help your child to succeed.

Bright Children Being Failed By Non-Selective Schools

It has been reported in the media over the last few days that thousands of bright children are being "systematically failed" by England's non-selective secondary schools.  Education inspectors have found that:

• 62% of pupils (at non-selective secondary schools) who got Level 5 in their English Sats did not get an A* or A grade in this subject at GCSE in 2012
• 25% of pupils who got Level 5 in their English Sats failed to get at least a B
• 53% of students who got Level 5 in their maths Sats did not gain an A* or A grade in this subject at GCSE
• 22% of pupils who got Level 5 in maths in their Sats failed to get at least a B

In 40% of the schools visited, the brightest students were not making the progress they were capable of, and many had become "used" to performing at lower levels, with parents and teachers accepting this "too readily", Ofsted said.

What an endorsement for selective education. I am so pleased that Torbay still has its selective Grammar Schools. Long may they continue.


Kate Marke

Torquay Grammar Schools 11+ Familiarisation Days

Torquay Boys' Grammar School and Torquay Girls' Grammar School have announced two 11+ familiarisation Saturdays on 22nd and 29th June 2013. We recommend that children intending to sit the 11+ should attend. To book a place ring the school.

We have children booked into our mock 11+ exams on both those days and so we will now repeat those exams on 6th and 13th July. Children are very welcome to switch dates if they are going to attend the school's familiarisation days.

Kate Marke

TorbayTutors   realising potential