A mother in a blue, sleeveless dress looks at a sheet of workings with her son, who is wearing a grey tee-shirt

20 top tips to help you and your child through the 11 plus exam, which can be a stressful time for both children and parents alike.

A blackboard with 'back to school' written on it in white chalk

BLOG: Back to school with Satchel

The ‘back to school’ buying spree of uniform, pens and bags has started – but have you considered giving your child’s education a lift too.

A blond-haired woman points at an i-pad with a smiling brown haired boy wearing a blue jumper

This can be crucial time in the 11 plus process. Children improve enormously between year 5 and 6 as they prepare for entrance exams in Satchel, and it’s vital to keep these improvements going in the run up to the tests.

A young boy wearing a green jumper ponders a maths division question

BLOG: Divided by Coronavirus

Satchel’s tutors are just beginning to see the effects the Coronavirus has had on our pupils. If your child is struggling with division, help is at hand.

In the middle of January 2021, the Calderdale schools quietly announced major changes to their 11 plus admissions test for September 2021. Find out what they were.

North Halifax and Crossley Heath Grammar Schools have recently announced the admission test dates for children currently in year 5 who are looking for entry in September 2022. The exam this year will be on Saturday 25th September. The schools have yet to announce whether they will be hold open evenings this year. They are

We see a number of secondary school children at Satchel who are extremely able at maths and science subjects, but who seriously struggle (in terms of motivation and results) with English. Whilst they will almost certainly drop English as soon as they have finished their GCSE, it is vitally important that they achieve a minimum

Finger Counting

Finger counting is encouraged in many schools as a way of helping calculate additions and subtractions. However many children continue to rely on this method for years to come.

How early is too early?

We have received a number of enquiries from parents with children in year 4 and earlier asking us about when they should start 11 plus preparation. Our general advice is that the sooner you start, the greater the chance you will have of success. We have had examples of very able children joining us just

Progress Cards

At Satchel we believe it is vital that we work in partnership with parents and their children. A key part of that is the regular feedback we provide. This can take the form of a quick chat at class, a text message or phonecall. We also hold Parent and Children meetings twice a year in

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