The school year is well under way and Christmas is just around the corner. KSOL are here to give you support and advice throughout the year – we want you to hit the right milestones at the right time – so we have compiled some advice for parents to help guide you towards what you should be doing right now.

If your child is in Year 6:

The 11 plus may almost be a distant memory. Following the results over the past two months, decisions should have been made which may include considering new options.

The deadline for school preference forms has passed so hopefully you and your child have made important decisions and handed these in. If you have not yet done this, it is vital that you look into late application submission.

If the 11+ was just one possible option, you may be looking into Independent Schools. It is a good idea to organise a visit to – you can do this by phoning individual schools to get a feel for the place and ask any questions you may have.

Some Independent entrance exams take place before Christmas but the majority take place in January, so it may be a good idea to enrol on an intensive revision course to keep your child’s mind ticking over during the holidays. Make sure they are reading a lot too as this can make a big difference to their English skills and writing abilities.

If your child is in Year 5:

The most important piece of advice right now is to make sure that your child is getting into a routine and setting good habits.

Lead tutor, Paul White says:

Make sure your child is doing their tests every day and that they are completing any homework on time. If your child is not on one of our online programmes, there is still time to enrol and begin their preparation. Doing this now will help prepare them for the coming year and make the build up to the exam much easier and less stressful.

Many children begin to lose momentum over the Christmas holidays, so it is important to put the hard work in now so that they can relax before the new year. When January comes along, the year will start to fly by and before you know it, September will be in sight!

Keep up to date:

Look into the Grammar Schools that you are interested in and note down important dates in your diary. Record open days and times as these will offer both you and your child the opportunity to visit the schools and decide what is the best option.

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