When to Start 11 Plus Preparation: A UK Parent Timeline

"When should my child start 11 Plus preparation?" is one of the most common questions UK parents ask. The answer isn't simply Year 5 or Year 6. The timing depends on your child's baseline ability, the schools you're targeting, and whether your child is sitting GL Assessment, CEM, or independent school entrance exams.

This timeline shows what parents should do from Year 3 onwards to give their child the best chance of success without burning them out.

Understanding 11 Plus Preparation Timeline

Most children sit the 11 Plus in Year 6 (aged 10–11), but preparation often starts much earlier. The ideal timeline depends on these factors:

• Your target schools: Hyper-selective schools (Judd School, Tonbridge, King Edward's Birmingham) require 12–18 months of preparation. Selective state grammar schools need 6–12 months
• Your child's starting point: A child already working at Level 5–6 in Year 3 needs less preparation time than a child at Level 3
• The exam board: GL Assessment and CEM format different tests, requiring different preparation approaches
• Your family circumstances: How much time do you have? Can your child take tutoring alongside school?

Year 3 (Age 7–8): The Foundation Year

Don't start formal 11 Plus tutoring in Year 3. Instead, build strong fundamentals.

What to do:

• Nurture reading and writing: Read with your child daily, at least 15 minutes. Exposure to varied texts—fairy tales, non-fiction, poetry—develops vocabulary and comprehension, which are tested at 11 Plus
• Build maths confidence: Practise times tables and basic mental maths through games (not worksheets). A child who feels confident in maths is more likely to engage with harder problems later
• Develop reasoning skills: Play logic games, puzzles, and chess. These develop the analytical thinking tested in reasoning papers
• Monitor progress: Ask the school for assessment data. Are they on track for Level 4–5 by the end of Year 3? If below Level 3, consider early intervention

11 Plus preparation timeline: Is your child "11 Plus ready" at Year 3?

If your child is working at Level 5 or above at the end of Year 3, they're tracking well for grammar school. If they're at Level 3, you may want to discuss catch-up support with the school.

Year 4 (Age 8–9): Building Momentum

Year 4 is where formal preparation can begin, but it should still be light-touch. The focus is depth, not breadth.

What to do:

• Identify potential weak areas: In maths, is your child secure with division and fractions? In English, can they identify nouns and verbs? If not, address these now
• Start light tutoring (optional): If your child is struggling, one session per week with a tutor can help. Avoid tutoring "for speed"—focus on understanding
• Explore which schools you're targeting: Visit open evenings for nearby grammar schools. Which have entrance exams (11 Plus)? Which use GL Assessment vs CEM?
• Begin occasional reasoning practice: Once a week, work through non-verbal or spatial reasoning puzzles. Don't drill; play with them
• Continue enrichment: Science clubs, book clubs, maths clubs—extra-curricular activities build confidence and knowledge

11 Plus preparation timeline: How much tutoring?

If your child is on track for Level 5, 30 minutes per week is enough. If they're below Level 4, 1 hour per week may be necessary.

Year 5 (Age 9–10): Active Preparation Phase

Year 5 is when most parents ramp up preparation. This is the crucial year.

What to do:

• Increase tutoring (if needed): Children targeting selective schools typically have 1–2 sessions per week. Children aiming for less competitive schools may not need tutoring at all
• Start practise papers: From autumn of Year 5, begin working through past papers (GL Assessment or CEM format, depending on your target schools). Start with 1 paper per fortnight, not full papers—just reading comprehension or one maths section
• Master the basics: By October of Year 5, your child should be secure in:

• Maths: long division, fractions, percentages, area and perimeter, basic algebra
• English: grammar, punctuation, sentence construction, reading comprehension strategies
• Reasoning: pattern spotting, logic puzzles, spatial reasoning

• Understand your target exam board: GL Assessment and CEM are different. GL emphasises speed and familiarity with question types. CEM emphasises reasoning and less-familiar question types. Tailor your preparation accordingly
• Build exam technique: Teach your child to:

• Read questions twice before answering
• Check answers (especially in maths)
• Flag difficult questions and return to them
• Manage time (approximately 1.5–2 minutes per mark)

Year 5 preparation intensity by school type:

• Independent schools (e.g., Tonbridge, Judd): 1.5–2 hours tutoring per week, 2 practise papers per week, daily independent revision
• Selective grammar (e.g., Kent grammars, Surrey grammars): 1 hour tutoring per week, 1 practise paper per week, regular (2–3 days per week) independent practice
• Non-selective grammar or semi-selective: 30 minutes tutoring per week or self-study, 1 practise paper every 2 weeks

Year 6 (Age 10–11): Final Push and Exam Preparation

By Year 6, your child should be in full preparation mode, but it's also crucial not to over-prepare. The goal is confidence and technique, not burnout.

September to December (Autumn Term):

• Most 11 Plus exams are sat in September or October (for September entry to Year 7)
• If your exams are autumn, use summer of Year 5 for final preparation
• Continue weekly tutoring if you've been doing it; increase to 1.5–2 hours per week in the final month if aiming for very selective schools
• Do 1–2 full papers per week, preferably timed, under exam conditions
• Review mistakes carefully: did your child misread the question, make a careless error, or not understand the concept?
• Revisit weak areas (e.g., if your child struggles with percentages, spend a week on that)
• Manage anxiety: keep revision balanced with play, sport, and time with friends

In the final 2–3 weeks before the exam:

• Do one full paper per week, not daily drilling
• Revisit your child's recurring mistakes, but don't introduce new content
• Practise exam technique: sitting still for 1–2 hours, timing, managing nerves
• Discuss a plan B: which secondary schools would be a good fit if selective grammar isn't successful?
• Reduce tutoring and revision intensity in the final week—keep it light

In the exam week:

• Ensure your child has slept well, eaten properly, and is calm
• Avoid revision the morning of the exam
• After the exam, don't do a "debrief" asking what went wrong—your child needs to move on mentally

GL Assessment vs CEM Format: How This Affects Timeline

Different exam boards require different preparation timelines.

GL Assessment (most common in South East and Midlands):

• Tests: Maths, English, reasoning (verbal and non-verbal), often spatial
• Format: Multiple-choice (some or all)
• Philosophy: Tests what children know and their familiarity with question types
• Preparation timeline: Start light work in Year 4, ramp up in Year 5, do 2–3 full papers per week by autumn Year 6
• Key tip: Familiarity with question types is crucial. Spend time with past papers

CEM (Cambridgeshire, parts of London, North West):

• Tests: Maths, English, usually no separate reasoning (it's embedded)
• Format: Mix of multiple-choice and short answer
• Philosophy: Tests reasoning and problem-solving in unfamiliar contexts
• Preparation timeline: Start year earlier (Year 3–4). More emphasis on reasoning than question familiarity
• Key tip: Practise reasoning puzzles, logic games, and problem-solving. CEM questions are less predictable

Check your local education authority website to see which exam board is used. This determines your timeline.

Red Flags: When to Seek Extra Help

Some children need additional support. Watch for these signs:

• Reading delay: If your child struggles to read fluently by Year 4, they'll struggle with time-limited reading comprehension at 11 Plus. Seek literacy support early
• Maths anxiety: If your child avoids maths or has a fixed mindset ("I'm just bad at maths"), working with a tutor on confidence, not speed, is important
• Lack of progress despite tutoring: If your child has been tutored for 6 months and made minimal progress, discuss with the tutor whether the school is realistic or whether a different approach is needed
• SEND or dyslexia: If your child has been identified as having SEND, speak to the school about arrangements. Some grammar schools are inclusive; others less so. Verify your child will be supported before investing heavily in preparation

What NOT to Do: Common Timeline Mistakes

Starting too early (Year 1–2)

Formal tutoring at age 5–6 is not necessary and risks burning out your child. Focus on play, reading, and rich experiences instead.

Over-tutoring in Year 5

If your child is already on track for selective schools, 1 hour per week is usually enough. More than 2 hours per week often doesn't improve outcomes and increases stress.

Doing papers every day

This is counterproductive. Quality (reviewing mistakes) beats quantity (doing endless papers). Once or twice per week is enough.

Ignoring weak areas until Year 6

If your child struggled with fractions in Year 4, it won't magically improve by Year 6 without intervention. Address gaps early.

Not discussing alternatives

Selective grammar schools are excellent, but they're not the only route to a great education. Discuss with your child what secondary school would suit them, beyond just academic selectivity.

The Ideal 11 Plus Preparation Timeline: Summary

Year 3: Foundation building (reading, maths, reasoning). No formal tutoring unless child is below Level 3

Year 4: Light tutoring (optional), occasional reasoning practice, identify target schools

Year 5 (Autumn–Spring): 1–2 tutoring sessions per week, 1–2 practise papers per week, build technique

Year 5 (Summer): Final push if exams are in September; ramp up papers to 2–3 per week

Year 6 (Autumn, exam term): 1–2 full papers per week, review mistakes, manage anxiety

Final 2–3 weeks: Light revision only; focus on confidence and technique

Remember: It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint

The 11 Plus is important, but it's not a measure of your child's ability or potential. The best timeline is one that challenges your child without breaking their confidence or love of learning. Start early enough to address gaps, prepare thoroughly, but not so intensively that your child dreads revision.

Every child is different. Use this timeline as a guide, but adjust based on your child's needs, the schools you're targeting, and your family circumstances.