This article provides information about 10+ exams and how your child can use Atom to support their preparation.
When will my child sit their 10+ exam?
- 10+ exams are taken by children applying for a place in Year 6 at an independent school.
- The exam is normally taken midway through Year 5 (around January time), when children are aged 9 or 10, for entry the following September.
What will be child be tested on?
The 10+ exam tests maths and English and may also include a reasoning paper containing verbal and non-Verbal Reasoning. In 10+ exams, there is usually a mixture of multiple-choice and standard-format (open-ended) questions. The assessment process can also include interviews and group activities.
There is no standardised 10+ exam so the process and content varies from school to school. For specific details about a particular 10+ exam, it’s always best to check your target school’s website. Or you can speak to their Admissions Team.
English
The 10+ English exam is normally split into a comprehension paper and a writing paper.
- Reading comprehension: Your child will be assessed on their vocabulary, inference skills and their ability to distinguish between factual statements and opinions. Their ability to read, understand and interpret age-appropriate texts will also be tested.
- Writing paper: Marks are awarded for interesting and creative use of vocabulary, good use of structure, spelling, handwriting and logical sequence.
- Spelling, punctuation and grammar: Your child should know their spelling list for Years 5 and 6. They should be able to use accurate punctuation, clauses and paragraphs.
- The fluency of your child’s reading, oral and listening skills may also be tested.
Maths
Maths questions will be based on the full Year 5 syllabus. The Year 5 maths curriculum covers:
- Your child will also be tested on these key skills:
- Problem-solving abilities
- Arithmetic skills
- Their knowledge of times tables
Reasoning
If a 10+ exam does incorporate reasoning, your child might see both verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning questions:
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- Verbal reasoning: Reasoning and solving problems with written information. This will test and assess your child's logical thinking, use of English language and vocabulary.
- Non-verbal reasoning: Solving problems using visual information. This includes shapes, diagrams, and pictures. This measures your child's ability to understand, interpret and problem-solve, testing logic and intelligence rather than knowledge.
What happens after the 10+ exam?
Prep schools usually take lots of factors into consideration when offering places, so there might be other tasks or activities to complete. This could include:
- An interview: usually a one-on-one informal chat with a member of staff. Your child might be asked questions about their interests and hobbies, both inside and outside of school.
- A short English and maths assessment
Most schools also request a copy of a child’s latest school report, and/or a reference from their current headteacher.
How can my child use Atom Home to prepare for the 10+?
Recommended Weekly Routine
- Use the subject courses in your child's learning plan 4-5 times per week, for 20-25 minute sessions. This is where your child will consolidate the curriculum that’s tested. Atom's adaptive algorithm will support them in building confidence with each question style.
- Encourage your child to use the Learn tool for each learning island to build on their understanding.
- Review your child’s progress weekly and use the Track page to identify any skills that require further practice. Get into the habit of tackling areas of difficulty early on and set 2-3 extra practices per week. These should focus on one skill each and incorporate around 15 questions.
- Complete a 10+ mock test twice a month. On Atom, there is a 10+ mock test for English, maths, VR and NVR. Increase this to 1 or 2 per week in the final 6-8 weeks ahead of exam day. The video below shows you how to set these:
- Mock test transcripts are so valuable to further highlight areas of improvement, whether that is skill-based or exam technique. For more guidance on interpreting a mock test transcript, please click here.
Top Tips
- Your child needs to read a range of genres including fiction and non-fiction texts. Click here to explore Atom’s Recommended Reading Lists to help your child choose an appropriate book.
- Building strong reading habits at home is one of the best ways to build your child’s vocabulary, comprehension and composition skills. Set your child short activities whilst reading. For example, writing a summary paragraph of what they have read or writing an alternative ending to the story. You can also ask your child questions to develop their imagination and inference skills. This can include: what might happen next, or what a character may be thinking or feeling at a particular moment.
- Building a broad vocabulary will also strengthen your child's composition skills. We recommend keeping a vocabulary log book at home where your child can note down any new or interesting words they come across whilst reading. Encourage them to research definitions using a dictionary afterwards.
If you have any questions on how to support your child with their 10+ preparation, please email us at support@atomlearning.co.uk.