January is literally just days away and for many parents, it's an incredibly hectic time.
Here at TheTutoress, we're wrapping up our 11+ Christmas course and have spoken to dozens of parents who are struggling with helping their child to prepare for the exams.
So, how do you prepare for the exams when they're just days or weeks away?
What are the best tips or pearls of wisdom for time-pressed parents?
Here are a few of our biggest quick tips.
Tip 1: Keep calm and carry on.
The more stressed you are, the more stressed and nervous your child will be. Rather than panicking and running around like a headless chicken, try to be as calm as possible because evidently your child will react and respond to your behaviour in the run-up to the exams. Always keep calm and have a 'carry on' approach. In other words, be calm but persistent.
Tip 2. Get moving.
Yes, you're travelling or spending time with family but that's no excuse to avoid preparing for the exams. These days it's easier than ever to carry or download 11+ preparation materials with you. Simply download them to your laptop or purchase an online 11+ practice service such as 11 Plus Hero so that your child can study in short bursts wherever they are.
Tip 3. Get Social.
Make sure your child receives a great blend of academic and social preparation before their exam. Why? Well, these days most independent/private schools select students based not just on their academic ability but on their social skills and interview performance. It's therefore important to ensure that your child isn't just an academic genius but also has outstanding social/extra-curricular skills. Ultimately, students who have both are far more likely to pass the exam and also excel in all areas of their studies.
So there you have it, three quick tips for handling last minute 11+ revision.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post and as always, please feel free to share it on Twitter using the hashtag #thetutoress @thetutoress.
Wishing you the best of luck with the January 11+ exams.
Victoria (The Tutoress).