10 Mistakes Parents Make in Selective Exam Prep

Some families don't start preparing until a few months before the test, leaving insufficient time to build the deep skills required. Others start intensive tutoring in Year 3, leading to burnout years before the exam.

The fix: Start with light skill-building in Year 4 (reading, puzzles, maths enrichment) and transition to structured exam practice in Year 5. Consistency beats intensity.

Enrolling a child in 4–5 tutoring sessions per week is counterproductive. Studies consistently show that beyond a certain point, additional tutoring produces diminishing returns while increasing stress, fatigue, and anxiety. Burnt-out children often perform worse on test day.

The fix: One or two quality practice sessions per week, supplemented by daily independent reading and light maths practice, is more effective than intensive drilling.

Many families focus exclusively on the multiple-choice sections (Thinking Skills, Reading, Maths) because they're easier to practice and score. Writing is often treated as an afterthought — but it contributes to the composite score just like every other section.

The fix: Practise timed writing (30 minutes) at least 2–3 times per week. Have someone review the essays and provide feedback on structure, vocabulary, and ideas.

Try it on SelectiveExams: sit the current monthly mock selective exam in Mathematical Reasoning, Reading and Thinking Skills, review every answer and see where your child ranks against students who completed that named exam.

See the current monthly exam.

The transition to Janison and Cambridge as the test provider changed the style and format of questions. Students who only practise with older papers may be unprepared for the current computer-based format, which includes new question types like vocabulary cloze in Reading and expanded abstract reasoning in Thinking Skills.

The fix: Use up-to-date practice materials that reflect the current 2026 format alongside older papers. Variety in practice materials is key.

Maintaining strong academic performance at school is important. Students who focus exclusively on test preparation while letting their school grades slip are undermining their overall development.

The fix: Maintain strong academic performance at school. Don't sacrifice homework or school assignments for test preparation.

Children absorb their parents' anxiety. When parents frame the selective exam as a make-or-break, life-defining event, it creates enormous pressure that can impair test-day performance. Test anxiety is a real and significant factor.

The fix: Frame it as an opportunity, not an ultimatum. "Let's see how you go" is healthier than "You need to get in." Remind your child that their worth is not defined by a test score.

Many students do practice tests, check their score, and move on. The real learning happens when you review every wrong answer and understand why the correct answer is correct. Without this step, students repeat the same mistakes.

The fix: After every practice test, spend equal time reviewing mistakes as you did taking the test. Use platforms that provide worked solutions for every question.

Doing 100 practice papers superficially is less effective than doing 20 practice papers thoroughly — with careful review, mistake analysis, and targeted follow-up on weak areas.

The fix: Do fewer practice tests, but review each one deeply. Track patterns in mistakes (e.g., "consistently gets geometry wrong" or "runs out of time on reading passages") and target those areas specifically.

Try it on SelectiveExams: sit the current monthly mock selective exam in Mathematical Reasoning, Reading and Thinking Skills, review every answer and see where your child ranks against students who completed that named exam.

See the current monthly exam.