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+ 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.

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

11+ Mock Exams

The first 11+ mock exams of 2013 are on Saturday 16th March and Saturday 23rd March. To find out more visit Torbay Tutors 11+ mock exams website page.

Torquay Boys Grammar School has changed its admissions procedures for 2014 entry (that is for boys taking the 11+ in September 2013).

Boys will now be ranked according to their combined scores in all three subjects tested.

Previously preference was given to boys that achieved 50% in Maths and English who were then ranked by reference to scores in Verbal Reasoning.

11 Plus Mock Exams in 2013

We are now taking bookings for 2013 mock 11+ exams.

These were very successful in 2012 and played an important part in children's preparations.

These tests are not national publications or past papers from grammar schools in other parts of the country. The local English and Maths tests are written by the schools themselves and are therefore unique to Torbay. We have worked hard to make our tests as close to the real Torbay 11+ tests as we can.

We hold mock exams between March and September and these are open to all children who intend to take the 11+.

Further information is available on our website .

To discuss the tests or book a place please call me on 01803 782068 or email me at kate@torbaytutors.co.uk .

Kate Marke