How can a pupil prepare for the exam?
First, visit the school and talk to as many staff (and pupils!) as you can. Find out what the content and format of the exam will be. You may wish to support your Open Day visit with another, during a “normal” day, to see how things usually happen. Commonly, there are tests in Maths, English and Reasoning. Some schools prefer to use a Verbal Reasoning paper instead of English, some include Non-Verbal Reasoning, a few test Science and some ask for a short essay, either done at school or under exam conditions. The slant of the papers is often somewhat different to the National Curriculum SATs and many state schools have little time to introduce pupils to this, especially where Reasoning is concerned. Similarly, answers may be given in unfamiliar formats, for example by ruling a box on a separate sheet. Because of this, it’s a good idea to ask your prospective school, or look on their website, for Specimen Papers. If these are not available, there are many published examples you can buy a
