Hello everyone!
Cards on the table - this is half blog post; half plug of my books (all of which are available from Amazon). But Christmas is coming, and I have to keep the lights on, so I beg your indulgence for one week!
If you are anything like me, standing in the education aisle of a bookshop (or scrolling endlessly through Amazon) can be a bit of a nightmare. There are thousands of books promising to get your child into Grammar School, ace their SATs, or turn them into the next Einstein by next Tuesday.
It’s overwhelming. And, let’s be honest, a lot of them are… well, a bit dry.
But here is the thing: not all practice papers are created equal. Some are just random questions thrown together; others are precision tools designed to actually diagnose what your child knows.
As many of you know, I took a bit of a sabbatical from the classroom a few years back to complete an MA in Education Assessment at UCL. It turns out, there is a literal science to writing good questions (it’s called psychometrics, which sounds cool, but involves a lot of spreadsheets).
So, drawing on my time as a teacher, a parent, and a certified assessment nerd, here is a guide to what makes a quality resource, and why I designed my own books the way I did.
1. It’s Not Just About Getting It Right (Reliability)
We all want our children to get 100%, but a good practice paper should test how they think, not just what they remember.
When I design resources, I use the principles I learned during my MA. I focus on validity. In plain English? I make sure the question actually tests the skill it’s supposed to.
The Problem: Many books ask simple retrieval questions (e.g., "What colour was the hat?"). This tests memory, not understanding.
The Solution: We need to test inference and critical thinking. My comprehension books explicitly guide children to "read between the lines."
Why it helps you: If your child gets a question wrong in my books, it’s not a disaster—it’s a diagnostic. It tells you exactly which skill needs polishing, rather than just telling you they forgot a fact.
2. Boring Texts = Boring Answers (Engagement)
Let’s be real: if a text is boring, your child’s brain turns off. It’s cognitive science. If they aren't engaged, they aren't learning.
I decided to take a risk with my English Comprehension anthologies. I didn’t want another story about a Victorian orphan looking for gruel.
Instead, I asked: What if Macbeth was a competitive Twitch streamer? What if Dracula sent emails?
Modern Retellings: We have Shakespearean tragedies recast for the YouTube generation.
Weird Formats: Stories told entirely through text messages or one-sided phone calls.
The Result: The novelty wakes their brain up. Because they want to know what happens next, they work harder to decode the meaning. It tricks them into doing high-level analysis!
3. Demystifying the Jargon (Curriculum Alignment)
The National Curriculum can feel like a foreign language. Fronted Adverbials? Nominalisation? Relative Clauses?
It often feels like the goalposts are constantly moving for parents.
I wrote The Writing Curriculum: A Guide for Parents to stop this madness. I mapped out the skills from Year 1 right through to Year 6 in a way that actually makes sense.
Stage 1 (The Basics): Can we read it? Is there a full stop?
Stage 2 (The Flow): Are we using conjunctions? Is it interesting?
Stage 3 (The Polish): This is where we get to the fancy stuff—Passive Voice and Nominalisation.
By breaking it down, you can see exactly where your child is and what the next step is, without needing a degree in linguistics.
4. Maths That Actually Makes You Think
For the Maths Reasoning series (aimed at 9-11 year olds), I wanted to move away from pages of simple sums.
Arithmetic is a tool, not the goal.
Reasoning is the key.
These books are designed to challenge children to apply what they know to solve problems. This is exactly what they face in the 11+ and SATs. It’s about building that logical "muscle memory" so they don't panic when they see a wordy question in the real exam.
5. Value for Money (Because... Ouch)
We are all feeling the pinch at the moment. I wanted to create a resource ecosystem that lasts. Because the books are graded by difficulty, they grow with your child.
Dual-Paced Learning: I’ve designed them to be used in two ways.
Long-term: Take 30 minutes. Chat about it. Draw pictures. Learn the skills.
Exam Prep: Do it in 10 minutes. Build stamina. Get used to the clock.
This means you aren't buying a book that is useful for one week and then goes in the recycling bin. It’s a toolkit that supports them through Upper Key Stage 2.
The Bottom Line
You don't need to drown in bad worksheets. You need resources that are reliable, engaging, and actually tied to the curriculum.
Whether you are prepping for the 11+, tackling SATs, or just want to keep their brains ticking over without a fight, looking for quality over quantity is the key.
If you want to check them out, all my Ignite Education resources (Maths, English, Spelling, and Writing) are available now. They are written by a teacher, validated by science, and tested on real, actual children!
Until next time, take care of yourself; check in on your friends; and remember: you can do this. You're awesome!
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