The 7 plus entrance point to independent preparatory schools is now very popular, especially for those schools with a senior department*. However, parents are often concerned about subjecting their children to exams so early, and confused about precisely how schools can assess children at this young age. To set minds at rest, we will explore and demystify the 7+ exam process here, and explain how best to prepare children for it without putting them under too much pressure.
Tutoring is not that unusual among children as young as 6 and 7, but it should be undertaken for legitimate reasons, based on a child’s specific needs. We tutor for the 7+ exams, but also for confidence building in maths, reading and writing, and for those children with specific special educational needs who may need additional support to help them access the mainstream curriculum. We often tutor children for the 7+ entrance exams if they are in a state primary school and need additional curriculum coverage to comfortably complete the exam and show their ability and potential.
How to decide if the 7 plus is the right choice
As we have said, tutoring at this age should only be undertaken for good reasons, and children should not be entered for 7+ exams and tutored to get through them unless they are equipped to thrive in an academically selective school. To make sure it’s the right choice for your young child, they should have an academic assessment to establish their potential before embarking on this journey. If their academic potential doesn’t match up to the school’s expectations, then applying there might be setting them up to fail in the long run; children should not be intensively tutored to get into a school for which they lack the innate ability to do well once they are there.
How schools assess 7+ candidates
It might seem harsh, but academic performance in a written entrance exam is the primary way that schools will create a shortlist of 7 plus candidates to choose from. Children sit the 7+ exams in Year 2 for Year 3 entrance, and there is generally an expectation that they will display knowledge, reading and handwriting beyond the Year 2 curriculum levels.
Parents are often concerned about such young children sitting formal exams, but careful preparation can take the fear factor out of this by providing the right knowledge base and lots of practice in writing exam papers. We are often asked what is on the 7 plus exam. It varies between schools, but the written exam content will be primarily English and maths based, whilst spelling, memory, mental arithmetic and creative skills may sometimes be assessed verbally on a one-to-one basis. More schools are including verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, and although many children really enjoy these puzzles and challenges, they should still be practised beforehand.
By the way, there’s no need to worry if a child is young in their year. At such a young age, a child born in September will still have a clear developmental advantage over one born the following August, but schools will take relative ages into account. And if tested, verbal and non-verbal reasoning scores are generally weighted against birth date.
Interviews and group exercises
Schools are looking for well-rounded children who also display the required academic standard as well as a positive learning behaviour. Group exercises are also sometimes used to look at a child’s initiative and creativity, and their ability to both follow direction and cooperate with other children. These group exercises may form part of a set of interviews held on the day of the exam, or as part of an interview process for those children who have been shortlisted after the exam and called back for a one-to-one meeting with the Headteacher.
The interviews are designed to reveal the child’s social skills, confidence and focus, not whether they remember a script of any kind. Parents should note that schools will be able to identify children who have been told what to say, preferring those who spontaneously answer questions well. Our 7+ mock group interview preparation sessions help children know what to expect and give them practice in a group interview environment. Our individual interview preparation sessions then teach children what’s expected of them and give them a chance to practise answering questions, but we carefully avoid providing any sort of set answers.
How to prepare for the 7 plus
It’s important to let your child know what to expect from the 7+. They need to understand what they will face and how best to be ready for it, which is why we offer gentle, expert tutoring support for it. If your child is at a pre-prep, the school may be able to offer help – although this isn’t always the case – while state primary schools cannot provide extra teaching for 7+ candidates.
Sitting an exam under timed conditions will be new to this age group, so it’s a good idea for your child to write timed practice papers, to get used to the added pressure and the need to plan their time effectively. Children aged six and seven are obviously not very established in school life and aren’t capable of much academic focus, but the schools are very aware of this. The exam results are key, but the schools will also place value on social skills demonstrated in interview and group tasks, and on creative and verbal or listening skills.
How parents can help
As the 7+ is not centrally regulated, you will need accurate admissions and testing information about the schools in which you are interested. Testing is largely undertaken by the individual schools, although some schools might commission tests from external agencies. Within JK Educate, we have great depth of experience and up-to-date knowledge about these exams and what the individual schools are looking for; our senior training and support team provide individual tutors with everything that they need to prepare children effectively for success.
The 7+ journey should not be taken lightly, but successful entrance exams at this age can potentially provide longer-term stability within an excellent school. It’s important that you try not to apply any pressure on your children about passing these exams; it’s far better to portray the assessment process to them as a chance to show what they can do. This approach will help them to relax and do their best. In addition, try to encourage them to be themselves and enjoy the interviews and group exercises, as this can only make them more appealing to the prospective schools.
* The 7+ might facilitate entry to independent prep schools designed to prepare children for entry to academically selective senior schools, or for admission to academically selective independent schools with their own senior school. Once a child is in such a school, they still need to meet the senior school’s required standards, and may still be examined at 11+, but they often effectively by-pass further exam pressures.
