5 tips for surviving the lockdown with children

17th May 2020

Now that we are coming into the second month of the lockdown, you may feel like you’re losing not only your patience but also your enthusiasm to provide the much needed support to your children. As parents of young children ourselves, we know the struggles of trying to juggle work, daily chores and then the education and wellbeing of our children (and ourselves!). Here are just a few tips that we have found have worked with our own children and will hopefully give you some new ideas to get through this next phase.

1. Be mindful of your child’s eating habits
It’s easy to fall into bad habits when you don’t have much to do and snacking is one thing that people do when they are bored. During the first week of the lockdown we found ourselves constantly faced with requests from our children of ‘wanting a snack’. As we know this is not only frustrating for the adult, but can also cause children to become lazy and unmotivated if they’re eating the wrong types of food at the wrong times. An easy way to tackle this was an idea found on Facebook from another mum, who gave each of her children their own box/basket which they would fill each morning with healthy snacks and their water bottle. The children were then told this would be their only snacks for the duration of the day. We found this idea very successful and it saved us a lot of trips to the kitchen!

2. Maintain routine
Where possible, try to have some structure to your day. This does not necessarily have to be driven by the strictest of timings but knowing what the general pattern of the day will be, is not only beneficial for you as a parent but will also give your children a sense of security and should hopefully prevent boredom. A loose schedule could look something like this:

Breakfast
Exercise
Home Learning
Lunch
Reading
Short Walk
Arts/Crafts
Games
Dinner
Free Time

3. Create a dedicated learning environment
Getting your child to work at home can be challenging enough especially with all the distractions the children face at home that they do not have to deal with at school. In order for you to get the best out of your child in terms of work, it is essential that you set up a space specifically for learning. This could be as basic as a table and chair set up with all the stationary available. Having a dedicated area along with a dedicated time for work will help you in ensuring that the distractions are kept to minimum within that time and space. You should hopefully find your child is much more focused and committed with this set up.

4. Exercise and the outdoors
When you calculate how much time your child would be spending being physically active outdoors at school, it would average to about one and a half hours a day. With this in mind, it is clear to see that within this lockdown, we need to get our children moving and taking in some vitamin D from the sun. Whether it is a walk around the block, a game of hopscotch in your garden or following exercise videos on YouTube, ensure your child is getting some sort of physical activity daily.

5. Have fun!
I’m sure most parents have had the thought of ‘If only I had some time, I would do….. with my kids’, I know I have! Well, this is the time to think of all the silly and crazy things you have always wanted to do with your children and do them. We’ve baked; we’ve role played; we’ve had performances; we’ve created masterpieces; we’ve turned bedrooms into castles; we’ve made musical instruments; we’ve created sculptors, the list is endless of what you can do with your child. The great thing is if you can’t think of anything to do, just ask your child what they’ve always wanted to do and they will always come up with the best ideas!

I’m sure everyone is doing the best that they can during these unusual circumstances; we would like to commend all parents out there for doing a great job with your children. If you would like any further support regarding your child’s education, contact us at info@lbctuition.com or ring 01535 600009 and one of our tutors will be happy to help.

How to pass the 11 plus exam

5th February 2020

Are you thinking about sending your child to a Grammar School? Have you ever tried to find out more information about the tests and the preparation process? If so, you may feel overwhelmed and slightly confused about where to start. So what do you do? Many people rely on various websites or information acquired from friends and family. But there are a few things you should know before you start the preparation process to ensure your child’s success. This post will take you through the steps of your 11 plus journey.

1. Find out which tests and which exam board your chosen school uses

Each school will have their own tests, exam board and formats. It is essential to acquire this information first before you begin any preparation.

2. Start the preparation early

It has become a forgone conclusion to start the 11 plus preparation in year 4, which in our opinion is certainly not too early. However, this must be approached in a gentle and nurturing manner to ensure that there is a gradual build up in skills before year 5.

3. Find out the important dates for the 11 plus tests

Make sure you find out the following key dates with regards to the tests:
• Registration date – this is the date you can start registering your child for the test
• Open evenings – this is a good opportunity for you and your child to visit the school
• Test date – this is the actual date the test will take place
• Results date – this is the date they will send the results out to you

4. Ensure all aspects of the tests are covered

Whether you decide to prepare your child yourself at home or you decide to find a tutor, you must ensure that the correct subjects and topics are covered in order to best prepare your child for the tests. The main subjects are usually a combination of Math’s, English, Verbal and Non Verbal Reasoning.
11 Plus Mathematics
The 11 Plus Mathematics part of the test could include any of the 30 main topics. The format of the questions will usually be in the form of word problems.
11 Plus English
For English, depending on the particular tests a child is taking, they could include exercises in spelling, punctuation, grammar, comprehension and vocabulary.
11 Plus Verbal and Non Verbal Reasoning
This part of the test will include a mixture of different sections focused on one question type at a time. They are usually expected to complete some of these sections under timed conditions.

5. Work on exam technique

Where possible try to encourage your child to sit Mock tests. One of the biggest hurdles to 11 plus success is confidence. Mock exams give children the opportunity to find out how the exams will be structured and what to expect when they get to the exam room, that way it’s not so scary on the day! It’s also a great way to practice working under timed conditions. At LBC Tuition we offer Mock Tests for all subjects, contact us to find out more.

6. Consider extra tuition

If your child is really struggling with the 11 plus process or you just don’t have the knowledge or the time to prepare them at home, then you may want to consider sending them to a tutor. This way at least you know that you are sending them to someone who really knows the tests and can prepare them in the best way. However, finding a good 11 plus tutor can be hard to come by, so start your search early for one. If you live in the West Yorkshire area, then you’re in luck, as at LBC Tuition we have experienced tutors who can help you and your child through every step of the 11 plus process.

7. Have the correct mindset

A good approach to take is to focus on the rewarding of effort your child has put in rather than the result. Whether the desired school is achieved, or an alternative is found, the journey there is worthwhile and rewarding. Your child’s learning ability will excel and inevitably they will have surpassed the standardised level for year 7 merely by completely the 11 plus process.

Although following this advice on how to pass the 11 Plus isn’t a guarantee of success, it will help you prepare your child as fully as possible.