Two weeks out, one week out, the night before, the morning of. A practical checklist for 4+ exam day, by phase. Tick through it and you will have done everything that matters. Two weeks before Confirm the date, time and …
Knowing what actually happens on 4+ assessment day removes a lot of the unknown that makes the day stressful. Here is the honest walk through, from arrival to collection, with what is happening at each point and what your child …
By the time you are in the final weeks, the underlying preparation has already done its work. Whatmatters now is calm parenting, sensible routines, and small final calibrations. Here is the advice I giveevery family in the run up. Six …
If my other piece on 4+ mistakes is about the structural decisions made over months and years, thisone is about the day itself. The morning of, the arrival, the goodbye, the few hours after. Small choicesthat matter. 1. A rushed …
Some 4+ mistakes happen on the day. I cover those in my piece on what mistakes parents make at the4+ exam itself. This article covers the structural mistakes, the ones made in the months and yearsbefore the day, that quietly …
Confidence at four is not the same as confidence at fourteen. A confident four year old is not a childwho insists they are clever. A confident four year old is a child who tries, fails, recovers, and triesagain. Builds matter …
Parents often ask which preparation methods actually translate into offers. After two decades ofpreparing children for the 4+, here is my honest ranking. The methods that earn places are not alwaysthe ones with the highest profile. What works, in order …
Some parents worry that mocks add stress rather than build confidence. It is a fair concern. Thehonest answer is: a good mock builds confidence, a bad mock erodes it. The difference is in how themock is run and how it …
If I had to pick one preparation activity that adds the most value to a child sitting the 4+, it would bethe mock assessment. Not classes. Not tutoring. Not workbooks. Mocks. Here is why. What a 4+ mock actually is …
Parents ask me this often, sometimes guiltily. Should we get a tutor for the 4+? My honest answer is:usually no, sometimes yes, and the difference is in what you mean by tutor. Here is how I think about it. What …