Getting back on track after a missed week
Everyone misses a week. A calm plan to catch up in a few short sessions, without cramming or making it a big deal
How to read your child’s weekly progress report
What each part of the report tells you, and the one thing worth doing when you see pending work
How vocabulary shows up in 11+ English papers
Comprehension, synonyms and cloze questions all lean on a wide vocabulary. Here is where words make the biggest difference
Synonyms and antonyms in verbal reasoning
Word-pair questions reward children who know shades of meaning. Simple ways to practise spotting close and opposite words
A ten-minute daily word habit
Ten minutes a day adds up to more than an hour a week. A simple routine your child can keep
Keeping a word notebook
A notebook of new words, meanings and example sentences turns reading into revision. How to set one up
Reading aloud with your child
Hearing a new word inside a story helps it stick. How to read aloud with a nine or ten year old
How to use mock papers without stress
Mock papers help most when they feel routine. When to start, how often to sit them and what to do with the results
Spelling patterns that trip children up
Double letters, silent letters and tricky endings cost easy marks. The patterns to practise first
Choosing books that stretch vocabulary
The right book is a little harder than comfortable but still enjoyable. How to pick books that grow your child’s words