Let your child look through a past paper with a highlighter. Mark the questions they know immediately (Green), the ones they might figure out (Yellow), and the ones that look like a foreign language (Red). This tells you exactly which topics to focus on during the summer.
The 11+ is a marathon, not a sprint. And every runner needs a map.
Set up the kitchen table like an exam hall. No phones. No snacks (except a water bottle). Strict timer. Grade the paper together. Do not yell at the grade. Instead, look at why the answer was wrong (rushed? didn't understand the verb? calculation error?). A Word of Caution Don't use past papers too early. If you use a 2020 paper in September and your child scores 40%, you will both panic. Past papers are a barometer , not a textbook. Teach the topic first (e.g., long division), then use the past paper question to test if they understood it. The Final Takeaway The Barbados Common Entrance is a test of endurance, logic, and literacy. The student who has seen the most past papers walks in with a quiet confidence that no amount of last-minute cramming can buy.
Don't do full tests yet. Do sections . Monday: 20 minutes of Math computation. Tuesday: 15 minutes of English comprehension. Use past papers as a workbook.