When should we start NVR preparation?

There are a limited number of question types in NVR and it doesn’t take children long to grasp the essence of it. In most cases with a bright child starting some preparation during year 5 and then doing some timed tests will mean your child performs to their ability.

Some parents start NVR preparation in year four or even three but there’s no evidence to suggest this is beneficial but equally there’s nothing to show it might be harmful either, other than children getting bored which is pretty common when they are started on questions types and timed tests too early. Bored children never do well when it comes to the actual test.

Remember that because of the nature of NVR children will not keep improving markedly with practice, they will reach their level within a reasonably short period of time. In fact if you took two children who had received differing amounts of NVR preparation (one having received six months of familiarisation and the other two years of familiarisation) then the biggest differences in their results would be caused by their own basic levels of intelligence, their character’s (positivity, confidence or worry etc.), and their physical state (did they have enough sleep the night before, have they eaten properly etc.).

NVR preparation is useful and will help children do better on the day but doing too much is not worthwhile.

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