Academic

• Subject Areas
  • English
    • Ruth Miskin
    • Public Speaking
  • Maths
  • Science
    • Science Week
  • French
  • History
    • History Revision
  • Geography
  • Religious Studies
  • Classics
  • Art
  • Music
  • ICT
  • Drama
  • P.E.
  • Design Technology
  • Boys' Games
  • Girls' Games
• Curriculum Notes
  • Reception
  • Year 1
  • Year 2
  • Year 3
  • Year 4
  • Year 5
  • Year 6
  • Year 7
  • Year 8
• Pre-Prep
  • Foundation Stage
  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Science
  • Art
  • French
  • Music
  • Religious Studies
  • ICT
• Study Skills
• Learning Support

Cognitive Skills Development

Recent trends in educational practice have placed greater emphasis on the development of thinking skills. In response to this, St Hugh’s is formalising its work in this area. This year children in Years 5 – 7 (and Year 4 in the Summer Term) will begin a programme in Thinking Skills to help them among other things with their Senior School pre-assessments. The Headmaster has asked me to co-ordinate this initiative and to be a point of contact for you.

This is a new venture and we anticipate that the way in which the programme is delivered will develop and may change over the year. As the term progresses, some work may be sent home especially for pupils in Years 6 and 7. There are many resources which offer practice in the same kind of skills and you may like to use these at home with your children in addition to what they do at school. If you would like guidance as to what might be suitable, please get in touch with me.

All pupils in Year 7 will attend a Study Skills Seminar this term in which they will be encouraged to think about the way they work and look at strategies for more effective learning. They will receive a manual which will be an important and useful guide to study methods.

Resources to help your children develop their cognitive skills through Verbal and Non Verbal Reasoning.

1. www.11PlusSwot.co.ukThis site offers a range of practice papers.

2. (IPS) Verbal Reasoning 11+ Daily Practice Tests by Nicholas Geoffrey Stevens

3. ‘How to Do Verbal Reasoning: a Step by Step Guide’ and ‘How to do Non-Verbal Reasoning: a Step by Step Guide’ published by Galore Park. There are sets of work books in these series. If you visit the site you will see a wide range of resources and study books, together with tests papers. www.galorepark.co.uk The step by step guides are easy to follow and children can practice each skill in turn.

4. Bond Reasoning Papers – these are the ones used by children in school from Years 5 to 7

5. www.elevenplusexams.co.uk provides a wide range of books and CDs which give practice in all aspects of cognitive skills. They also offer on-line facilities for learning.

Susan Grenfell

Click here for Guidance Notes to Parents helping to prepare children for Pre-Assessment Tests