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Parent Coach
The calm, grown-up part of the product. Habit insights instead of a leaderboard. Conversation prompts instead of test-results. A "say this, not that" library so you never have to wing the hard moments.
This week, with your child
Hello,
Your child read 4 passages this week — well above the 3-session goal. Their strongest skill remains inference, which is also the heaviest-weighted skill on most 11+ boards. Their weakest is figurative language (the simile / metaphor / personification cluster).
Try this on Saturday morning, just once: after they read the Weekend Long Read, ask them to point to ONE sentence they thought was beautifully written — and explain why. This trains figurative language in conversation, not on paper.
What to celebrate: they stuck with the Weekend Long Read for 18 minutes last week — the longest read of the term. Tell them you noticed.
— The Prep4All Comprehension Team
Reading habit insights
We track reading habits, not raw scores. Habits are the leading indicator; scores are the trailing one.
Sessions this week
4
Goal is 3–5 short sessions. Quality of attention matters more than quantity.
Average passage length read
320 words
On track for Year 6 stamina. Try one Weekend Long Read this Saturday.
Hardest skill so far
Figurative language
Suggested next step: open the Word Choice & Figurative Language Skill Clinic, or play Reading Bingo (Term 1) — both target the same skill, one studious, one playful.
Weekly genre mix
Fiction-heavy
Try a non-fiction passage this week. GL Assessment paper is fiction-heavy too — but ISEB and London Consortium mix all three.
Say this, not that
Tested phrases that defuse the hard moments. Built on the Self-Determination Theory literature (Deci & Ryan).
Your child gets a comprehension question wrong
"Show me which sentence made you choose that answer."
"Why on earth did you pick that? Read it properly."
Why: Asking for evidence shifts the conversation from blame to method. Even if the answer was wrong, the child is now practising the exact habit examiners reward.
Your child does not want to do any practice today
"OK. Let's read the Passage of the Day together — just read, no questions today."
"You'll never get into grammar school at this rate."
Why: Tying preparation to fear damages long-term motivation (the SDT and Lepper literature is clear). Offering a lower-stakes version of the same activity keeps the habit alive on hard days.
Your child has just finished a passage
"Tell me one thing you noticed in that passage. Just one."
"OK — now let's test you on it."
Why: Open noticing builds inference instinct. It also gives quiet children a way to talk about reading without feeling examined.
Your child does not understand a word
"What do you think it might mean from the words around it? Then we can check."
"You don't know what that means? Look it up."
Why: Vocabulary in context is a top-weighted skill on most 11+ boards. Practising the guess-then-check habit is the actual exam skill.
Your child has been working for 40 minutes and is tired
"Good work. Let's stop here and pick up tomorrow."
"Just a few more questions."
Why: Comprehension skill is built through deliberate, frequent short practice — not endurance. Pushing beyond fatigue is associated with errors and resentment, both of which are hard to undo.
Your child gets full marks
"Brilliant. Show me which one was the trickiest, and why?"
"See, I told you you could do it if you tried."
Why: The follow-up question develops metacognition. It also avoids the implication that the child wasn't trying before — a phrase that quietly undermines effort.
Your child asks if you think they'll pass the 11+
"You're working hard. I'm proud of how you're doing. Whatever happens, you're going to be OK."
"If you keep practising, yes — but you need to do more."
Why: The 11+ exam is among the most stressful experiences in many 10-year-old lives. Reassurance about identity (not outcome) is the single most protective thing a parent can offer.