This is a rough timeline with suggestions as to when to start.
The first time we went through the process with Tom we didn’t start early enough and we didn’t really know what we were doing. By the second time through – with James – we had learnt what to do and roughly followed the this schedule.
Timeline
| Month | Prep | Deadline |
| April | Get them used to setting aside an hour every other day to do work with you – make it enjoyable | |
| May | Background prep – start making crib sheets and memorising | |
| June | Start CPG and Bond mock books (they start easy and get more complex) Keep making and learning cribs | |
| July | Continue with CPG and Bond and Cribs. Mix in Kahn Acadamy. Start going to the theatre and galleries | |
| Aug | Add mock papers from the schools you are planning to apply to into the mix | |
| Sept | All the above but start doing the mocks in a library so they are used to being somewhere different during exams | |
| Oct | Introduce some exam skills | School Registration deadlines |
| Nov | Ease right down in the week before the pretest | Pre-test Perhaps some exams |
| Dec | Focus on the things they have problems with Start some interview practice | |
| Jan | Ease right down the day before each exam exams | Exams |
| Feb | Interview Practice | Interviews |
| March | Interview Practice | Interviews |
When to Start
The sooner the better! With my first son we started six months before the exam season – that was too late. We had to cram too much into too short a time. Tom was good at English but struggled with Maths so we had to spend a lot of time on it and that lead to the quote I’ll never forget:
“Dad, do you realise that the thing we do most together is the thing that neither of us enjoys – Maths”
The second time round with James I knew better. We started a year before the exams and did little and often. We had time to mix it in with other things and the journey was a whole lot easier.
I had learned from my mistake – if we had started earlier then it would have been a much easier journey for Tom and we would have been able to make it more fun.
The Year Before That
The year before you start the prep you should ensure your child has all the basics such as number complements and times tables; also try to get them to enjoy reading – it will make the next year a lot easier.