11+ St Paul’s Girls’ School Stage Two Exam Information

• For the Maths paper:

– Make sure you are familiar and confident with the KS2 Maths syllabus, as this is what the questions will be based on. This is especially important for the St. Paul’s Girls’ exam, since this is a very challenging test. You will need to apply your knowledge of KS2 Maths to unfamiliar situations.

– Make sure you write down your workings out. Even if you do not end up with the correct answer, you may get some marks for using the correct method.

• For the English paper:

– Spend as much time reading as possible before the exam. This will help you get used to reading and understanding texts quickly, build up your vocabulary, and give you practice at working out the meaning of unfamiliar words. Reading widely will also improve your creative writing skills.
– Practise writing creatively within a time limit, and spend some time planning your creative writing piece before you begin. This will help you structure your writing and reduce the possibility of running out of time and leaving your work unfinished.

• For the Comprehension paper:

– Make sure you are familiar with KS2 scientific enquiry skills, such as the presentation and evaluation of data, as these will be tested in this paper.

– Whenever you are faced with an unfamiliar question or scenario, remember to read all the information carefully; you are being tested on your ability to read and handle new information, not your pre-existing knowledge of a subject.

• For all papers:

– Pay attention to the time! Read and listen to any instructions about timings carefully. This means that you should move on if you are stuck. These are challenging and time-pressured exams, so it is important not to spend too long on one question. You should aim to answer every question, but don’t worry if you have to guess a couple. For any creative writing exercises, make sure you divide your time sensibly between planning and writing. Spend no more than 5-10 minutes planning.