3 ways to mess up 4+ Assessment preparation

Preparing for the 4+ Assessment is a stressful process for parents.

Your child is the most important little human to you. You are emotionally involved. No parent ever wants to receive that letter or email saying that their child hasn’t been successful.

Every single parent wants to receive a letter or email saying that their child HAS passed their Assessment.

This is what we do.

We support children all across the country to receive as many yes’s as possible. We provide parents with options. They get to decide the school that is right for their child. This is a very privileged place to be in.

If you are currently preparing your child for their 4+ Assessments, avoid these three things and your child will have incredible success (as long as you prepare them correctly of course!)

1. Starting ‘late’

I say ‘late’ because every child is different. Starting 6 months before the Assessment may be ‘late’ for one child and perfect for another,

But to keep things simple, if you are getting started now (July 2024) for 2025 entry, you are 100% late. Let’s not sugarcoat this one. Unless you have been preparing your child yourself over these last 6-12 months, if you are just getting started now, it is far too late. However, it’s still better than starting in September, so just get started. Don’t overthink it, just go. You may need more intensive lessons than someone who started 6 months ago, it doesn’t matter, just please get started. Don’t do what some of my clients do - Get started in September (1-3 months before the 4+ Assessments at their target schools). You will not be as successful as you think you might be if you do this. I get it, we all want to ‘save money’ but believe me, in the long run you are not saving money!

2. Choosing the wrong teacher.

Many parents that I speak to want a teacher who will come physically into their home. This is of no importance whatsoever. You need a teacher who knows the schools and who knows them well. The teacher you work with has to know what these schools that you are sending your child to are looking for. Being an EYFS teacher is not enough. This is irrelevent in the grand scheme of things. I was an EYFS teacher for 3 years before I really specialised in 4+ Assessment preparation. Before I went to each of these schools myself, before I had my own data regarding how my own students did in their Assessments, before I truly knew what each of these schools were looking for. If the teacher you’re working with tells you that they just need to cover the EYFS curriculum - they are wrong!

3. Stopping when you don’t see ‘progress’ being made.

Some of my own clients stop tuition too soon. They give up too soon. They don’t see the progress that they expect their child should have made and they just stop. Progress is not linear. Progress is not comparable. Some children just take longer than others. Some children make leaps and bounds of progress in a short amount of time, others work at their own pace. I see this frequently too. Parents stopping tuition and then coming back three months later. Big mistake. Don’t do this.

Hope you found this helpful and I hope you have incredible success in your child’s 4+ Assessment.

One space only remaining to work with me. Once I’m full, my doors will close for 2025 entry.