How to Prepare for the Selective School Test
Updated: Aug 24, 2021
The selective school test can seem like a daunting task for any year 6 student. It is one of the first times they experience an exam situation, and it can make young students feel stressed and pressured to perform.
In light of this, we wanted to share some ways to best prepare for the selective school test and help students feel well prepared for when test day arrives!
Sample Tests
The first step to any exam preparation is to complete a sample test. This will allow you to become familiar with the exam process and the types of questions that may be asked.
Starting your preparation with a sample test also allows you to pin point specific strengths and weaknesses. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses at the beginning of your exam preparation allows you to clearly see what to focus on when studying.
We don’t recommend keeping to a strict time limit when completing the first sample test, as this test should be used as an indication of which types of questions need more practice. If students feel rushed when completing the first sample test, they can make little mistakes that they would not normally make, which does not give a good indication of whether they have understood the exam.
Explain your answers to others
Once you have completed and marked your first sample test, it is a good idea to explain the answers you may have gotten wrong to another person.
This can allow you to understand why you may have answered a question incorrectly, and give you the opportunity to ask about parts of the question you did not understand. Another benefit is that the other person can explain the correct answer to you from a different perspective, in a way you may not have thought.
Split your week in two
The selective school test consists of 4 tests in total:
20 minute writing test
40 minute general ability test (60 questions)
40 minute reading test (45 questions)
40 minute mathematics test (40 questions)
A good way to prepare for the test is to split your study week in two! This allows you to keep interest in your study, rather than getting bored and unmotivated revising the same content each week.
For more information on the selective school test, click here.