11+ and Entrance Exam Success: How to Help Your Child Stay Ahead This Summer

If your child is preparing for the 11+ or independent school entrance exams this autumn, you’ll already know how competitive these assessments can be, and just how important it is to keep skills sharp, especially over the long summer break.

Many parents worry about their child going backwards over the summer holidays, losing momentum with reading, comprehension and writing skills just when they need to be at their best. The good news is, with the right support, targeted practice and exam skills training, your child can stay ahead and go into their entrance exams feeling calm, prepared and confident.

In this blog, I’ll outline the key skills needed for success in both the 11+ and entrance exams for schools like Altrincham Grammar, Loreto, Sale Grammar, Stretford Grammar, Manchester Grammar School, Manchester High School for Girls and Stockport Grammar School and explain how one-to-one tutoring can make a real difference.

✅ Key English Skills for 11+ and Entrance Exam Success

English questions in these exams typically assess your child’s ability to:

• Read with understanding and inference
  Grasping implied meaning, tone and the writer’s message, not just facts.

• Understand vocabulary in context
  Spotting the meaning of unfamiliar words from clues within the text.

• Answer comprehension questions precisely
  Giving clear, relevant answers that avoid rambling or vague comments.

• Recognise and use literary techniques
  Identifying similes, metaphors, personification and understanding their effect.

• Write imaginative, descriptive or persuasive pieces
  Using ambitious vocabulary, varied sentence structures and correct punctuation.

These aren’t just academic skills, they’re exam techniques too. Many bright, capable children miss marks because they run out of time, rush answers, or misunderstand what the question’s asking.

✅ Vital Exam Skills to Build

As well as subject knowledge, entrance exams require:

• Speed reading and effective skim-scanning skills
  To manage tight timings without sacrificing accuracy.

• Answering concisely under pressure
  Learning how to write just enough, not too much, not too little.

• Planning and structuring creative writing pieces
  Quick planning techniques save valuable minutes and help children stay on track.

• Managing exam nerves and focus
  Practising under timed conditions builds familiarity and confidence for the real thing.

✅ The Danger of ‘Going Backwards’ Over the Summer

It’s natural for skills to slip over the summer if they aren’t kept active, especially in areas like reading comprehension, vocabulary and writing fluency. I often see students return after a break needing to relearn skills they’d mastered before the holidays.

That’s why regular, light-touch practice is so important in the lead-up to September exams. A tailored tutoring programme ensures your child keeps practising, refining and developing key skills right through the summer without feeling overloaded or burnt out.

✅ How Tailored One-to-One Tutoring Makes a Difference

Every child is different and the best preparation focuses on their individual strengths, weaknesses and interests. In my one-to-one sessions, I:

• Build a personalised plan based on your child’s needs and target schools.

• Use practice papers and comprehension extracts based on your child’s interests (football reports, animal adventure stories, history extracts, or fantasy fiction, because engagement drives progress).

• Work on specific exam techniques like time management, planning and answering to the mark scheme.

• Track progress carefully to build confidence and close any gaps.

• Create a calm, positive environment where children feel supported and able to ask questions.

For 11+ and entrance exams at schools like Altrincham Grammar, Loreto, Sale Grammar, Stretford Grammar, Manchester Grammar, Manchester High and Stockport Grammar, this kind of focused, individualised support can make a real difference to both results and confidence.

Want to help your child stay ahead over summer?

I offer expert one-to-one tutoring for 11+ and entrance exams, tailored to your child’s needs and target schools. Sessions are available online or in-person across Stockport, Cheshire and Trafford.

Visit the Contact page to check availability or book a free 20-minute consultation.