Boosting independence and confidence for 4+ Assessment success!

"A confident child stands out in 4+ assessments—not just because they know the answers, but because they tackle challenges with independence and self-belief!" Maria Mazarese (Creative Minds Tutors Director)

Many parents focus only on academic abilities but top schools are also looking for children who can think for themselves. Independence and confidence are key! Do not neglect this aspect of 4+ Assessment preparation.

Try these 3 simple ways to build these essential skills at home:

1. Give Choices – Let your child pick between two activities (“Do you want to do puzzles or drawing?”). This fosters decision-making & independence.

My son will always pick both when given the choice. I find this cute but it wouldn’t go down well in a 4+ Assessment! If your child is asked to choose between an activity to go to, they will have to choose. So it is up to you to support your child to be able to do this. And to be able to do it well. Every day ask your child to choose and pick an option out of the ones you give them. This could be as simple as - ‘Which book would you like to read this evening?’ If that question is currently too vast for them, offer them two or three options.

2. Encourage Problem-Solving – Instead of jumping in to help, ask “What do you think we should do next?” This builds resilience & critical thinking.

Many parents that I work with initially jump in and try to answer for their children. This is not helpful. I’m not interested in what the parents have to say!

I’m interested in what my students have to say.

3. Build Responsibility – Small tasks like tidying up after playtime boost independence & confidence in following instructions—a crucial skill for assessments.

When I ask my nearly 3 year old to tidy up, he will always choose to say no and in fact he will even ask me to do it for him! He also asks me ‘Why?’ All I have to do is come down to eye level with him and explain to him WHY I would like him to tidy up and when I do this he will (nearly ) always tidy up.

Confident, independent children are the ones who will succeed in the 4+ Assessments.

Yes we are preparing for the 4+ Assessments but it goes far beyond this. We are preparing our students to be lifelong lovers of learning. Teaching these skills at such a young age is truly extraordinary in my opinion. A three year old who is already confident and fiercely independent? That’s exactly how I’m raising my son!