Some entrance assessments can be sat only once. Dubai College, for example, says candidates may sit its Year 7 entrance assessment only once (source: the school’s Year 7 frequently asked questions, read 16 October 2026). That fact can make the weeks before feel heavy for a family. This guide is our view of how to keep them light.
Aim for familiarity, not volume
The most useful thing practice can do is remove surprises. A child who has already met the screen, the timer and the kinds of question can spend their attention on thinking rather than on working out what is being asked. That needs regular contact with the format, not hours of it.
Our view is that short sessions of 20 to 40 minutes, a few times a week, do more than long weekend marathons. Children of ten and eleven tire quickly at a screen, and a tired child practises mistakes.
Space out the full mocks
A full mock is a long sitting. Treat it as an event: a rested child, a quiet room, a drink of water, and nothing straight afterwards that matters. Two or three a week is plenty in the busiest weeks, and one in the final week is enough. Our study plan follows exactly this pace, counted back from the test date.
Let the weak topics lead, gently
After each paper, look at the two or three topics that went least well and give them a short, focused drill. Leave the rest. A child does not need to be secure in everything; they need to feel that the hard parts are getting a little easier.
Watch your own words
Children hear how we talk about a test. “Let’s see what this one is like” lands better than “this one really matters”. Praise effort and method rather than marks, and treat a poor paper as information about what to practise next, which is all it is.
The last week
- One full mock early in the week, then light drills only.
- No new topics. Familiar practice builds confidence; new material builds doubt.
- Normal bedtimes, normal meals, time outdoors.
- The day before: nothing at all, or one short, easy drill if your child wants it.
What we would not do
We would not promise a result, and we would not cram. The school decides admission on more than one score, and Dubai College says it does not endorse tutoring for its entrance assessment. Practice is there so your child walks in calm and does their own best work.