After months of practice papers, revision schedules and plenty of reassurance, your child’s 11plus entrance exam date is almost here! With all the hard work and time invested into their 11+ preparations, it is important that the last few days before the exam are as smooth and stress-free as possible.
To help ensure your child performs at their best on the day of the 11plus exam, KSOL tutors use their 16 years’ experience to offer useful tips for the last 24 hours before the big day.
The day before:
Tip 1 – Avoid revision overload
Your child will now have learnt as much as possible before the 11plus exam. At this stage, cramming in revision will only add unnecessary pressure.
KSOL recommend that you use the day before the exam to relax as much as possible. However, if absolutely necessary, flashcards are a less intense form of revision, as it will just be a case of re-visiting key information e.g. NVR checklist or mathematic formulas.
Tip 2 – Plan the route
It will most likely be very busy on the day of the 11plus exam, so it’s always useful to test the route from home to your child’s exam location. This will make you aware of traffic, parking restrictions or any other delays to your arrival time. It is much better to arrive very early than too late!
The night before:
Plenty of sleep the night before the 11plus exam is essential. After all the hard work and energy invested into their preparations, you want your child to perform to their best ability. Sleep will help them to feel more alert, focused and generally more upbeat about the process.
Turn off any bright screens and switch to a book before bed. Blue lights emitted from televisions, tablets and mobile devices keep the brain alert and can impact sleep. It may also help to get plenty of fresh air and gentle exercise the day before, to contribute to a more sound, restful sleep. Finally, double check you’ve set your alarm for the morning!
The morning of the exam:
Tip 1 – Eat a healthy breakfast
Ensure that your child has a good breakfast before the exam. Protein-rich foods and slow-releasing carbohydrates can lead to greater mental alertness on the day of the exam.
Tip 2 – Take the pressure off
After following each of the steps above, the morning of the exam should be relatively straightforward. You don’t want to be rushing around adding unnecessary pressure to your child. Take this time instead to remind them that regardless of the outcome, you will be proud of them no matter what. If they enter the exam feeling confident in their abilities and proud of the many skills they have built, this should alleviate any final exam nerves.
KSOL wish your child all the best in their 11plus entrance exam and further education!
