The level for maths is high in the Kent Test and some of the topics are not generally seen until KS3. That does not mean that the level required is unachievable but it's important to know what is expected and how to plan the journey to get there.

When I get a new student, the first thing I test them on is their mental arithmetic. This means finding out how confident they are with the basic operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. This is because Kent Test level questions are often 2 or 3 step questions.  In the test, they generally have one minute to answer these questions. Here is an example for you:

Helen is at a fun fair. She gets a £5 note changed into coins. She receives ten 20 pence pieces, four 50 pence pieces and three 10 pence pieces. The rest is made up of 5 pence pieces.

How many 5 pence pieces does she receive?

 We would generally expect that a strong student at the end of year 4 is good in these areas. However, that isn't always the case.  In this situation, I always give the students a mental arithmetic homework programme in term 1 and 2 so that they become faster and more confident in this area. Of course, building competence in this area means that not only will they do better in the Kent Test but that they will do better in maths at school.

If you want to know more about the Kent Test then why not book a Kent Test information session for Parent one to one with me. In this session, we will cover:

• What is included in the test
• What materials to use
• Which areas to start working on now
• Questions you may have about your own child

Contact me to find out more about how I can support your child through materials, study plans and lessons.