At the time of writing, the 11 plus examination is less than two months away for my Year 5 children.

As they approach the test, their typical workload moves away from Satchel booklets (which are normally used to introduce them to new topics and improve their mastery of them) and towards more test-based work. 

My experience is that 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.

Corrections are an integral part of the Satchel Learning method for all children. I always stress that it’s fine to make mistakes in their booklets. If they never make mistakes, they are clearly completing work which is too easy for them.

Errors

But children must then work on their errors. Were the mistakes caused simply by concentration (children are often asked to complete a high number of questions in a Satchel booklet to help them develop fluency), or by a misunderstanding of the topic?

If the latter, it is vital that any misunderstanding is addressed before they move onto more demanding booklets.

In the build-up to the 11 plus, corrections take on additional importance. In a practice maths paper, they will be asked to work on multiple topics under challenging time conditions. Are children able to correct their errors as soon as they look at them? If so, that would indicate an issue with concentration or speed of working. In that case they may benefit from more time-based practice.

Satchel booklets

If, however, they are confused by the topic itself, they may benefit from additional help in class and / or more Satchel booklets. 

It is not easy to gain a place at a grammar school. The number of children taking the test continues to increase and the spread of marks is extremely small. One or two marks can be the difference between gaining a place and missing out. It is vital that all children learn from the errors and continue to improve all the way through the process.

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