During the exam candidates will be provided with two booklets. One booklet will be the testing booklet which will include all the questions. The other booklet is the answer booklet and should be filled out in relation to the testing questions. Students need to check that they have been given the correct testing and answer booklets, and that the booklets match the paper that you are expected to sit. During the test, to mark the correct answer in the answer booklet, students must draw a line through the small rectangular box, indicating their chosen answer.
Like so:
Remember, student’s answers must show correlation with the number of the correct question. You will not receive a mark for the question if your answer number doesn’t match the question number.
Top tips for the Independent Schools 11+ Maths exam
- Some people like to work on the questions they find most difficult first. Some people prefer to leave the hard questions to last. Pick a way that you feel comfortable with and use it throughout your Maths tests.
- Accuracy is key. You need to remain as accurate as possible to ensure successful marks. That’s why it is important to fully comprehend the questions and understand what is being asked. Most people find it difficult to finish all of the questions. These tests are designed to measure your level of accuracy against the speed at which you progress. Never sacrifice quality for quantity.
- Practice makes perfect. The more you practice these tests, the more likely you are to feel comfortable and confident with these types of questions.
- Make sure you brush up on the basics of maths. This includes multiplication, division, ratios, fractions, percentages, areas, mean, modes, median and range. You will face multiple questions that relate to the list above, so it is important that you have fully grasped these types of questions.
- Work on your weakest areas first. Whilst undergoing preparation, we recommend that you start off by practising questions that you are not so confident with. It’s important to ensure that you are well rounded in all areas of the mathematical assessment.
- When sitting practice papers, remember, knowing where you went wrong is just as important as getting the questions correct. You need to understand how the answer can be reached. Try practising the question again after reading the answers and explanations to ensure that you know where you went wrong.