Student and Parent Interview: Sheena Ager & Jude

Sheena Ager is the author of The Cadwaladr Chronicles' and 'The Cadwaladr Quests' Novels and Workbooks

In this interview, Sheena, and her son, Jude, share their knowledge about the 11+ process and the experience of attending a grammar school.

Jude, former Reading Boys student

When you first started your 11+ preparations, did you feel motivated? Why/why not?

Yes, because my sister had passed the Kendrick test. She got such a high score, so I worried I might not be able to pass. I wasn’t always motivated though. I’m still not!

Did you have a tutor? How did they help you?

Yes. The tutor helped more with Maths and NVR because my mum wasn't good at those topics. Dad also helped with Maths. The tutor also gave me the discipline to finish the work on time.

What workbooks did you use? Feel free to mention your mum’s books 😊

Lol! We used CGP, Bond and First Past the Post. My tutor also used Scholfield and Sims for maths. I didn’t enjoy reading fiction, so my mum started writing sentences with me, which grew into paragraphs and, ultimately, Tangled Time, the first of The Cadwaladr Quests. My sister and I were heavily involved in developing those books, and without them and my mum, vocabulary learning would have been tricky for me.

Did you take any mock exams? How did you get on?

I did three mocks and never scored over 80%. I once missed out on an entire maths section. Sitting the mocks really prepared me for the test.

Were you nervous before taking your exams? How did you alleviate your nerves?

A little, but it was my birthday, so I focused on that. Mum had told me the ‘monkey in the box’ trick, which helped. Imagine there is a monkey on your shoulder causing nerves. Put him in a box and sit on that box until the exam is over!

How did you feel when you received your 11+ results?

Very pleased. I didn’t get my sister's super-high score but scored enough to get into Reading school without joining a waiting list.

Were you nervous when you started at Reading Boys? How did the teachers and other students help you settle in?

I was nervous as no one from my school went to Reading. I did have a friend in a higher year. I caught the train with him. I soon settled in and made friends quickly. I now have great friends from school.

Overall, how was your experience during your time at Reading Boys?

Great! I have no regrets about choosing Reading over the local school (I could walk there easier than getting the train). A couple of my friends from primary school joined Reading in the sixth form.

Why did you decide to continue at the school for your A-levels? Did you have other options?

It was the only place I wanted to do A-levels, and I had to achieve certain points.

Sheena, successful parent and published author

Why did you decide to apply for a grammar school place?

My daughter was easily distracted in primary school but showed signs of being capable. Therefore, we decided to apply to Kendrick Grammar School. Although we have an exceptional school nearby, we believed that our daughter would benefit more from an all-girls environment. We wanted her to be surrounded by like-minded parents and pupils prioritising education. Furthermore, I knew the headmistress at Kendrick to be strict, and I was aware that the school follows a rigorous curriculum and ethos.

We felt this would better suit our daughter, so we followed the same path for our son.

What were your target schools? Why did you decide on the particular schools?

Kendrick and Reading. Although we were in the catchment for Slough, the commute would have been too long.

When did you start the preparation? Why did you opt to start then?

Year five for our daughter, but year four for our son. Having done it once, we realised vocabulary and English cannot be rushed. My son also hated reading, hence the vocabulary issues.

Did you do any research? Where did you find information about the exam boards, structure of the exams, etc.?

Back in the day, when my daughter first started, there were no Facebook groups. The only resource I found online was a forum, which proved fairly useful. Apart from that, it was anecdotal stories from the playground and information from the school's website. I also asked friends who had been through the process before for a list of tutors. That was it.

Did you have any concerns at the start of the process? How did you alleviate them?

Many. I wanted to give up many times. I didn’t alleviate them all until we got my daughter’s results.

How did you prepare at the start? Did you use a tutor, workbooks, etc.?

We used CGP, Bond and First Past the Post. We started with a tutor but felt she didn’t quite understand our requirements, so we changed. We did a lot of the heavy lifting at home.

How easy was it to manage the balance of schoolwork, 11+ prep, extra-curricular activities, family time, etc.? What advice would you give parents about creating an effective schedule at the start of the process?

We adopted a consistent approach to study, with shorter regular sessions preferred over intensive periods. Although we avoided a summer holiday before the tests (there is no right or wrong in this; it’s your call), there were still rest days and outings to prevent burnout. Like athletes prepping for a significant event, we felt a continuous effort was key.

Our materials were always accessible (scattered over my kitchen table) to minimise study startup time. Our children thrived with a clear finish time, so 20-minute periods were standard, except for timed papers.

We placed continued daily emphasis on vocabulary expansion, utilising blackboards for posting unfamiliar words and incorporating these into our daily conversations for reinforcement. Often, we revisited workbooks repeatedly and over time, recording the kids’ progress and identifying any learning gaps. We employed various resources to ensure a well-rounded preparation, adjusting based on their progress.

Do you have any other advice for parents starting the process?

Start early with vocabulary and English. If your exam requires creative writing, then this is even more important. Small-bite-sized pieces as often as possible. All 11+ tests are not made equally; some require MUCH more prep than others. Make sure you understand catchment rules (critical). Marathon, not a sprint.

If your child isn’t always enthusiastic, don’t worry; mine weren’t, and both passed. If your child doesn’t pass, move on with the same support from you. Two of my son's friends who did not pass the 11+ have joined Reading in the sixth form with stellar GCSE results.

Please can you tell me more about your novels and workbooks

My son was a reluctant reader, so I wrote these original, fun, fantasy adventures for him!

The Cadwaladr Chronicles/ Quests: Vocabulary Novels for 11+ Preparation: An Overview for New Readers

Purpose: Crafted to engage reluctant readers like my own son, these are adventure novels packed with 11+ vocabulary.

Built-In Dictionary: Each book features a built-in dictionary on every page to flag parts of speech, synonyms, and antonyms.

Target Age Group: Ideal for children in years four and five.

Bonus: Weekly interactive Zoom vocabulary/comprehension sessions available for readers

Link to The Cadwaladr Quests Series: https://amzn.to/3ZgON1p