While it may feel as though the Autumn term has barely begun, parents and children across the nation are gearing up for the upcoming 7 Plus exams. As a parent you want to give your child the best start in life and send them to a school where they will not only develop, but thrive. As such, there’s a pressure to get the 7 Plus right and that can be an overwhelming prospect so we’re laying out the need-to-knows about the exam and providing you with some of the best resources to support your child’s journey.
The 7 Plus exam is an assessment carried out by a number of the nation’s top independent schools to help understand prospective students’ capabilities, where they are in their academic journey and ultimately select students they feel are right for entry into Year 3.
Each school will have its own registration procedure and registration fee so be sure to check the requirements of your preferred school(s) well in advance so you don’t run into any last-minute surprises.
Exact dates and formats also vary from school to school but the exam typically takes place between the November and January of Year 2 and involves:
In addition to the above, some schools may also conduct brief interviews with 7 Plus students. At this young age students aren’t expected to come prepared with developed answers and interviews tend to be kept short and focus on questions about their personal interests and what they like about the school.
Interviews will either take place individually to assess a child’s conversational skills or may take place in a group setting with tasks or activities set to assess how prospective children interact with one another.
Independent schools will only have a limited number of places available but may have a high volume of applicants from within the catchment area meaning the 7 Plus exam is competitive, so preparation is key. Fortunately there’s a number of resources available to support your child’s learning and ensure they’re equipped with the skills they need when they sit their 7 Plus.
People often think of tutors to support learning as children get higher up in education and take their 11 Plus, 13 Plus, GCSEs and A Levels. But many people don’t realise tutoring is available to support with 7 Plus preparation too.
At Hampstead and Frognal Tutors, we have a number of specialist 7 Plus tutors who will nurture your child’s enthusiasm and tailor tuition to help them shine in both the interview and exam process. While our London tutors have years of experience, we also offer additional training and development opportunities to ensure our tutors are always up to date with any changes to the 7 Plus format or curriculum.
Our team is made up of a range of qualified teachers from those who have taught at leading preparatory schools to full time professional tutors but each is well-acquainted with the different application procedures which is of benefit for both parents and children.
You can find out more about our specialist 7 Plus tutors here.
There are a plethora of practice papers readily available both online and from select stores that can help you prepare your child for their 7 Plus exam. Practice papers will allow you to test their knowledge and capabilities across the various areas of assessment and identify any areas for improvement before the real thing.
If you can, try to replicate an exam environment at home. Unfamiliar experiences can cause children undue stress and impact performance in an exam. Familiarising your child with the exam process can help set them up for success.
During the 7 Plus exam children will be assessed on how well they read and their ability to sound out words and phonetics so reading at home together provides a good, low-stress environment for them to practice this skill.
The more they read the more their vocabulary and spelling will improve too, which comes in handy for English or creative writing assessments in the 7 Plus.
The 7 Plus exam will test your child’s handwriting, grammar and vocabulary so practising with short writing tasks at home can be helpful. For example, get them to write a story as a fun activity one afternoon or encourage them to write birthday, thank you and holiday cards to practice their writing.
While parents often search for ways to get their children away from handheld devices, there are some fantastic apps available that support learning and help develop some of the necessary skills needed for the 7 Plus in an engaging way.
DoodleLearning is a great example and is curriculum aligned. The platform is split across a few sub-platforms like DoodleEnglish, which is an award winning programme designed to support children aged 7-11 with reading, comprehension, spelling, grammar, writing and punctuation. They also offer DoodleSpell as an extension that focuses on spelling but also aims to teach children the meaning behind words and how to use them in sentences which they can then take forward into school and exams like the 7 Plus.
DoodleMaths offers a number of interactive exercises for KS1 to KS3 so you can even continue using it throughout your child’s progression or to challenge your child if they’re performing at an above average level.
IXL Learning is another great app to help with both English and Maths development and can be tailored to suit the curriculum from reception up to university level, with skills grouped together to suit relevant key stage levels. IXL’s English practice supports reading comprehension, creative writing and understanding of phonics, all of which are essential for the 7 Plus. The maths practice offers interactive questions to help children develop their maths and problem-solving skills.
The interactivity of each of these apps helps make learning fun and engaging so your child can practise the crucial skills they need for the 7 Plus in a relaxed and enjoyable environment.
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