What is the 13+

Students wishing to gain admittance to independent secondary schools in the UK will have to sit the 13+ exams. Also known as the Common Entrance exams, the 13+ aims to gain an understanding of the student’s academic level with regard to subjects such as English and Mathematics. In certain cases, the 13+ will also contain both verbal and non-verbal reasoning papers. However, this is not always a given. What is guaranteed is that candidates will be required to complete an English exam consisting of two sections: a reading comprehension and creative writing task.

Reading comprehension

Commonly, Section A of an 13+ English exam is a reading comprehension. Students will be presented with a text, which may be fiction or nonfiction, and must complete a number of associated questions. For many, this may seem like light work. However, to ensure that full marks are gained, 13+ candidates must be careful to compose well-structured, evidence-based responses to the questions asked. Students must be sure to incorporate the language of the question into their answers, as well as select quotations from the text that help to illuminate the point they are trying to make. It is necessary, therefore, that 13+ candidates follow some version of the PEEL paragraph structure—point, evidence, explain, and link. Moreover, those sitting the 13+ English exam must have a clear understanding of literary and structural devices to ensure that thorough analysis of the text in question can be achieved. Needless to say, the reading comprehension portion of the 13+ English exam can be deceptively challenging.

Creative writing

Following on from the reading comprehension portion, Section B of the 13+ Common Entrance exam is concerned with a creative writing task. Students are required to select one of a number of prompts, in some cases associated with the text they read in Section A, and complete a piece of imaginative writing. To achieve the highest marks possible, a student’s writing must be well-organised and evocative. It must incorporate a variety of literary and structural devices and present a clearly developed line of thought. Creative is encouraged, of course, but the end product must be coherent. The attitude of some is that you cannot revise for a creative writing task. This is incorrect. Reviewing past 13+ English papers and writing to their prompts, as well as reading widely, will assist students in completing a creative writing exercise of considerable quality.

13+ support

The challenges facing candidates of the 13+ Common Entrance examinations are considerable. In many instances, the 13+ will be the first formal exam these young learners will sit. The texts and question types may also be of a higher standard than expected. Consequently, the assistance of a tutor is essential. At BartyED, our tutors have a wealth of experience guiding students through the 13+ examinations. We conduct lessons that are uniquely formulated to the needs of each individual learner. Every aspect of the 13+ exam can be covered, from English reading and writing, to Mathematics, so that candidates are fully prepared for what is to come. Moreover, our tutors impart essential time management and organisational skills whose benefits stretch far beyond the 13+ exams.

If you believe that your child could benefit from a 13+ tutor, contact us today by phone (+852 2882 1017) or email (enquiries@bartyed.com).