The last month isn’t for learning new things. It’s for getting used to the real format, keeping the basics sharp and arriving calm.
Weeks four and three: practise the real format
- One or two full timed papers a week, in your test’s format and on the same kind of answer sheet.
- Mark them together and only fix things your child has already learned.
- Ten minutes a day on the basics keeps them quick. A few Rush games does the job.
- Stop starting new topics. A method learned this late is the one most likely to wobble under pressure.
Week two: the last full paper, then the admin
- Do the last full timed paper this week.
- Move bedtime back to school hours if it’s been the holidays.
- Find the test letter: the time, the place and what to bring. If it hasn’t arrived, chase it.
- If the test is at a school you don’t know, do the journey once.
The last week: short and light
Ten minutes a day of easy questions, finishing on something they get right. Keep clubs and friends as normal. No practice paper the day before.
The answer sheet
On multiple-choice tests, only the answer sheet is marked. So:
- Draw a firm pencil line in the box.
- Check the question number matches.
- Rub out completely to change an answer.
- Do any working in the question booklet, never on the sheet.
Print the sample answer sheet from your familiarisation booklet and use it for every practice paper.
Three bits of exam technique
- Stuck? Move on. Circle it, leave it and come back if there’s time.
- Don’t leave blanks. In most tests a wrong answer costs nothing, so a best guess beats an empty box. Check your own booklet to be sure.
- Watch the time. Many tests don’t allow watches, so practise with a clock on the wall.
What to bring
Usually HB pencils (pack a spare or two, sharpened), a rubber and a sharpener in a see-through case. No phones, smart watches or calculators, and in some areas no watch at all. Every area’s rules are a little different, so check your letter.
The night before and the morning
Pack the bag together. Normal dinner, normal bedtime.
What to say: “You’ve practised this. Some questions are hard for everyone. If you’re stuck, make your best guess and move on.”
What not to say: anything about which school depends on it.
In the morning, the usual breakfast, leave early, and keep the goodbye short.
Afterwards
Ask how it went once, then do something nice together. Going back over the questions can’t change the result.
Questions parents also ask
Is a month enough to prepare?
To learn the format and timings, yes. It isn’t enough to learn much new content, which is why the basics need to be built long before.
Should my child do a practice paper the day before?
No. A bad score the day before can only knock their confidence. Ten minutes of easy questions, or nothing at all.
Is a tutor worth it in the last month?
Rarely. The last month is about calm and familiarity, and you can do both at home.
