Don't worry - just turn up on the day.

Mr Wilkins Micawber is a famous character in Dickens’ David Copperfield. He had many ideas about schemes that would lead to wealth. His ideas constantly failed – but Micawber never gave up – he was always hoping that something would turn up.

There will be questions your child will face in the 11+ examinations that you can not have planned for. Naturally we hope that something will turn up in the examination that none of us can have forecast. Some very bright children will be sitting the 11+ examinations. They need to be stretched and stimulated. Some of the very able children will be delighted and excited to be able to leave an examination without being able to answer all the questions.

Micawber’s famous maxim will give many opportunities for discussions on maths, credit, pocket money, moving house and rising inflation:

Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery."

It does seem a good idea to be able to explain to your child that wealth is more likely to come with hard work. If you work with your child over a period of time it is likely that a lot of the work you have done together will turn up in the examination. All of us can dream.