Tiffin Boys Stage 2 format, English and practice papers
Tiffin Stage 2 is handwritten English and maths, including longer English answers. Start with the school's illustrative questions.
How the stages differ
| Stage | Answers | Practise |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | Multiple choice and numbers on an answer sheet. | Careful transfer to the right row or column. |
| Stage 2 | Handwritten English and maths. | Full-sentence explanations and clear final answers. |
Papers run about 40 to 60 minutes, built on Year 5 content in unfamiliar formats.
An English response to try
Worked example Explain a change of mood
“At the gate, Leo rehearsed his first sentence. Inside, he saw his sketch pinned beside the finished paintings. He stopped rehearsing and stepped towards the table.” How does Leo’s behaviour change, and which details support your interpretation?
Answer: He goes from rehearsing, which suggests nerves, to stepping forward once he sees his sketch on display. Seeing his work there makes him feel he belongs.
The trap: “Leo wins the competition” invents an outcome. A quotation on its own leaves the reader to do the explaining.
Ask for one precise detail and one sentence explaining it.
Check the final answer
Worked example A ratio with a change
Red and blue counters are in the ratio 3:5. After adding 12 red counters the numbers are equal. How many counters were there originally?
Answer: The difference is two parts, so one part is 6. There were 18 red and 30 blue: 48 originally.
The trap: 60 counts the added counters. Reread “originally” before answering.
Rough work is not marked. Only the final answer counts.
Where to practise
- Open the school's English and maths illustrations.
- Practise the numerical answer sheet separately.
- In Year 4, discuss a passage and a number problem. In Year 5, add a clock.
A complete Stage Two practice task
Full-sentence answers and clear final answers in maths. Do it in one sitting, then compare with the models.
Tiffin Stage Two task
Stage Two practice: reading, a longer answer and written maths
Read the passage and answer questions 1 to 3 in full sentences. Question 3 is a longer piece of writing. Then answer the maths questions, writing each final answer clearly.
The lost property box
[1]The lost property box outside the school office had been overflowing since September. Nadia walked past it twice a day and had long ago stopped seeing it.
[2]On Wednesday, a single blue glove lay on top of the heap. It was hand-knitted, with a white star stitched onto the back and the thumb darned in slightly darker wool. Somebody, Nadia thought, had mended that thumb very carefully.
[3]At lunch she took the glove to the office. The secretary shrugged. "Nobody ever claims gloves," she said. "One glove is no use to anyone." Nadia asked for a sheet of paper anyway. She drew the star as neatly as she could, wrote FOUND: ONE BLUE GLOVE underneath, and pinned it to the noticeboard by the gate, where parents waited at the end of the day.
[4]The next afternoon, the notice had gone. In its place was a small card in careful handwriting: Thank you. It was my grandmother's last pair. Nadia read it twice, then looked at the lost property box, where a green scarf was trailing onto the floor.
Why does Nadia think the glove might matter to its owner? Refer to paragraph 2.
How does Nadia's attitude to the lost property box change between paragraph 1 and the end? Use evidence from both.
Longer answer: write the next scene, in which Nadia decides what to do about the green scarf. Keep the same characters and setting. Show her thoughts through what she does and says.
Plan for a few minutes first.
0 words
A tank is three fifths full. Adding 18 litres makes it nine tenths full. What is its capacity?
A bag contains red and white beads in the ratio 5:3. There are 18 more red beads than white beads. How many beads are in the bag?
Nia spends one third of her money, then £8. She has one quarter of her original money left. How much money did she have originally?
A rectangular tile grid has 9 rows and 12 columns. Every tile touching the outer edge is blue; all other tiles are white. How many tiles are blue?
Plan the days to Stage Two
Pick the days you have. The free plan schedules this task, marking against the models and a retake.
Questions parents ask
Are there Tiffin Boys Stage 2 past papers?
No. Tiffin publishes illustrative questions only.
How long are the Tiffin Stage 2 papers?
About 40 to 60 minutes per paper at both stages.
Who marks Tiffin Stage 2?
Stage One by computer, Stage Two by Quest's English and maths specialists.
Is working marked in the Tiffin maths papers?
No. Only the final answer is marked.
Try the free Tiffin School lesson
Work on one written skill at a time, with feedback.
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