Dr David Smith of Quintessentially Education gives guidance on helping to prepare a child for the ISEB pre-tests

Q: My child is taking the ISEB pre-tests fairly soon. What can I do to help prepare them?

A: The key to ISEB success is preparation and familiarisation, and preparation time is invaluable to help children to get to grips with its features and the unique nature of the four individual tests: English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal reasoning.

Following a multiple-choice format, the assessment is adaptive (meaning that questions increase in difficulty after each correct answer) and it is the accuracy of the answers, not the speed in which they are answered, that is important. Children should spend time learning how to properly interpret the question, rather than rushing – in turn helping them achieve the higher scores which are required by top schools.

For parents, it’s crucial to understand the role of the assessment in their target schools’ admissions process. Used by more than 70 of the most prestigious schools in the UK, the ISEB is sometimes used as part of a wider, holistic assessment, only accounting for a small element of the overall consideration. For other schools, particularly those with higher numbers of applicants, the assessment is used as more of a screening exercise – only those scoring in the top percentile are invited back for the next stage.

As such, I would advise that parents get to know the assessment process of each school they are considering to ensure they understand the weighting of the test. Some children are natural test takers, whereas others may shine brighter at interviews, so it’s important to know whether the admissions process is suited to your child’s strengths.

With this in mind, setting some practice tests can be helpful in navigating the ISEB and, for children who require a little more support or who perhaps struggle with independent learning, working with a specialist school entrance exam tutor over a period of months or during holidays may make a real difference.

Quintessentially Education quintessentially.com/education

Further reading: Wolfthorn Knight on getting 11+ support for an anxious student

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