Effective Strategies to Prepare for Exams

Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11 Plus and SATs: How a Little Support Can Make a Big Difference

Preparing for the 11 Plus or Year 6 SATs can feel like a big step for children—and for parents too! These milestones can bring pressure and uncertainty, but with the right support and strategies in place, they can also be a valuable opportunity for your child to grow in confidence and show what they’re really capable of.

Children benefit from regular, focused preparation in the run-up to these exams. This isn’t about cramming or piling on pressure—it’s about building familiarity, developing skills over time, and helping your child feel calm and ready on the day. A little structured practice each week can go a long way.

As a tutor with over 13 years of teaching experience, I work with children to gently build their confidence and strengthen the core skills they’ll need. For students preparing for the 11 Plus, this can include verbal and non-verbal reasoning (though not for The Torbay Schools, such as the Torquay Grammar Schools), reading comprehension, and maths problem-solving—all taught in fun, manageable ways that avoid overwhelm. For Year 6 SATs, we focus on understanding test formats, filling any learning gaps, and improving accuracy and speed, all while keeping stress levels low.

Parents often tell me they want to support their child but aren’t always sure where to start. That’s where I come in. I offer both 1:1 tuition and small, friendly group sessions, designed to teach effective exam strategies through engaging, inclusive and adapted activities to suit each child’s needs. Sessions include a variety of resources, games, and activities that bring learning to life and make preparation feel positive and achievable.

Most importantly, I take the time to get to know every child I work with—so they feel safe, understood, and encouraged to do their best. If you're looking for expert, down-to-earth support to guide your child through their 11 Plus or SATs journey, I’d be delighted to help.

Using place value counters to support deep understanding of calculation methods

Collecting and sorting synonyms and antonyms.

Using a wide selection of books to increase vocabulary and become familiar with test formats

SPaG - changing the meaning of root words with prefixes ahead of SATs

Learning about BODMAS ahead of exams and writing our own questions for others

Learning to apply formal written methods to calculate

Using sweets to learn about ratio and proportion

I use plenty of games to recall concepts and vocabulary

A seasonal game to recall factors and multiples at the start of a session