Why Doing More Comprehension Papers Isn't Enough for SEAG Success

"My child has completed lots of comprehension papers... so why are they still struggling?"

It's one of the questions I'm asked most often by parents.

As the SEAG assessment approaches, it's natural to think that the best preparation is simply to complete more and more comprehension exercises. Practice papers certainly have their place, but here's something that may surprise you...

Children don't become better at comprehension by practising comprehension alone.

They become better at comprehension by becoming better readers.

And becoming a better reader means building vocabulary, knowledge and an understanding of the world.

What does the SEAG assessment actually test?

Almost half of the English section of the SEAG assessment is based on a comprehension passage.

Children are expected to answer a range of question types, including:

• Retrieving information directly from the text.

• Working out the meaning of unfamiliar words using context.

• Explaining why an author has chosen particular words or phrases.

• Making inferences about characters, events and feelings.

• Justifying answers with evidence from the text.

• Evaluating ideas and explaining their opinions.

Some questions are straightforward.

Others require much deeper thinking.

An inference question, for example, asks children to combine what the author has written with what they already know to reach a sensible conclusion.

Evaluation questions require children to explain their thinking and justify their answers using evidence from the text.

These are not skills that develop through guessing or repeatedly completing worksheets.

They develop through reading.

The hidden ingredient: background knowledge

Imagine your child is given a passage about coral reefs.

If they have previously read about oceans, climate, habitats or marine life, they'll recognise vocabulary, understand the ideas more quickly and make better inferences.

Now imagine another child reading the same passage who has never encountered these topics before.

Even if both children can read the words accurately, one will almost certainly understand the passage more deeply.

That's because comprehension is built on knowledge.

The more children know about the world, the easier it becomes to understand new texts.

Every book, article, conversation and documentary adds another piece to the puzzle.

Knowledge helps children connect ideas, understand vocabulary, interpret information and answer increasingly challenging questions.

Vocabulary matters more than many people realise

One unfamiliar word can completely change a child's understanding of a sentence.

Multiply that across an entire passage and it's easy to see why some children lose confidence.

Reading widely exposes children to rich vocabulary in meaningful contexts.

Instead of memorising word lists, they begin to understand words naturally through repeated encounters.

Over time, this has a huge impact on comprehension.

Why reading widely is one of the best things you can do before November

No one knows what topic will appear in this year's SEAG assessment.

It could be:

• Space.

• Ancient Egypt.

• Extreme weather.

• Medical discoveries.

• Wildlife.

• Sporting achievements.

• Famous inventors.

• Environmental issues.

Or something completely different.

The goal isn't to predict the topic.

The goal is to ensure children have encountered a wide range of vocabulary, ideas and knowledge before they sit the assessment.

Every new topic they explore strengthens their understanding and gives them more connections to draw upon when faced with unfamiliar texts.

Fiction matters too

Many parents focus almost entirely on information texts during SEAG preparation.

But fiction is just as important.

Stories help children:

• infer characters' thoughts and feelings

• predict what might happen next

• understand motives and relationships

• recognise themes and messages

• appreciate how authors create atmosphere and suspense.

These are exactly the kinds of higher-order thinking skills assessed in comprehension.

That's why children need both fiction and non-fiction in their reading diet.

Each develops different aspects of comprehension, and together they create stronger readers.

Consistency beats cramming

One of the biggest mistakes I see is waiting until September or October before beginning regular comprehension practice.

By then, parents often feel under pressure to complete as many papers as possible.

But reading development doesn't happen overnight.

It happens through small, consistent habits.

Twenty to thirty minutes of purposeful reading each week over several months is far more powerful than trying to rush through dozens of papers in the final few weeks.

Children build confidence gradually.

Vocabulary grows gradually.

Knowledge grows gradually.

Comprehension improves gradually.

Introducing the ParentEd SEAG Reading Club

That's exactly why I've created the ParentEd SEAG Reading Club.

Each week until the November SEAG assessment, families will receive two carefully selected reading comprehensions:

📖 One fiction text
Designed to develop inference, prediction, vocabulary and understanding of characters and author's craft.

🌍 One non-fiction text
Chosen to build knowledge across a wide range of fascinating topics while developing retrieval, vocabulary, summarising and inference skills.

Each pack also includes:

• SEAG-style comprehension questions

• Vocabulary support

• Answer explanations

• Parent guidance on the skills being developed

The aim isn't simply to complete another worksheet.

It's to expose children to dozens of different topics, hundreds of new words and the range of thinking skills they'll need on assessment day.

By November, your child won't just have completed more comprehension exercises.

They'll have become a stronger, more knowledgeable and more confident reader.

And that's what gives children the best chance of success.

Week 1 of the ParentEd SEAG Reading Club is available now.

This week's pack includes:

📖 A carefully chosen fiction text
🌍 A fascinating non-fiction article
✏️ SEAG-style comprehension questions
💡 Vocabulary development
✅ Answers and explanations for parents

Whether your child is already feeling confident or is just beginning their SEAG journey, my hope is that these weekly reading packs will take the guesswork out of preparation and help families build strong reading habits—one week at a time.

Because the best preparation for comprehension isn't simply answering more questions.

It's becoming the kind of reader who can understand any text they're given.