When Should My Child Start 11+ Preparation?
A calm, year-by-year guide for parents
One of the first questions many parents ask about the 11+ is surprisingly simple:
When should we start?
For some families, the question arrives in Year 5, when entrance exams suddenly feel very close. For others, it begins much earlier, perhaps after hearing that classmates have already started tutoring or practice papers.
It is easy to feel that there must be one ideal starting point — and that beginning later means falling behind.
In reality, there is no single timetable that suits every child.
The right time to begin depends on your child’s current confidence, the schools you are considering, the type of entrance assessment involved and, importantly, what you mean by 11+ preparation.
Because starting early should not mean starting intensely.
Starting early does not mean starting with exam papers
A child beginning to build strong foundations in Year 3 is doing something very different from a child preparing for timed entrance tests in Year 5.
Both can be described as “11+ preparation”, but the purpose should be different.
Early preparation is about giving children time to become stronger readers, more confident mathematicians and more independent problem-solvers.
Closer to the examination, preparation gradually becomes more specific: understanding question formats, working accurately under time pressure, reviewing mistakes and becoming familiar with the requirements of particular schools.
Put simply:
The further away the exam is, the more preparation should look like learning.
The closer the exam becomes, the more preparation can begin to look like exam practice.
That distinction matters.
Starting earlier should give a child more time to develop, not more time to feel tested.
Year 3: Build the foundations
For most Year 3 learners, there is little need to make the 11+ feel like an examination yet.
This is a valuable stage for strengthening the skills that later preparation will depend upon.
English
Encourage children to:
read regularly across different types of texts;
talk about what they have read;
notice unfamiliar words and explore their meanings;
explain ideas in their own words;
become increasingly confident with spelling, grammar and sentence structure.
The aim is not simply to answer comprehension questions. It is to develop genuine understanding of language.
Maths
Focus on:
confidence with number;
place value;
the four operations;
multiplication and division relationships;
mental calculation;
recognising patterns;
explaining how an answer was reached.
At this stage, being able to think flexibly about a problem is often more useful than completing large quantities of questions.
Reasoning
Puzzles, patterns, word games and everyday problem-solving can introduce reasoning naturally without making learning feel like constant test preparation.
The priority in Year 3
Curiosity, confidence and strong foundations.
A child does not need to feel that an entrance examination is already looming over every piece of work.
Year 4: Introduce structure
Year 4 can be a useful point to introduce a more regular 11+ preparation routine.
There is still enough time to develop understanding gradually, while children are increasingly ready to work independently and encounter more challenging questions.
This is where preparation might begin to include:
regular Maths and English practice;
application of familiar knowledge in less familiar situations;
vocabulary and comprehension development;
mathematical reasoning and multi-step thinking;
relevant verbal or non-verbal reasoning, where required by target schools;
gradual familiarity with multiple-choice formats;
learning how to review mistakes rather than simply count scores.
The emphasis should still be on learning before speed.
A child who needs several minutes to understand a difficult problem is not necessarily struggling. They may be doing exactly what this stage is for: learning how to think their way through something unfamiliar.
The priority in Year 4
Consistency without unnecessary intensity.
This is also a useful stage for parents to begin researching potential schools. The 11+ is not one national examination, and the subjects and formats children encounter can differ between schools and regions.
Knowing the likely route makes it much easier to decide what preparation is actually relevant.
Year 5: Become more targeted
By Year 5, preparation will usually become more closely connected to the entrance assessments a child is likely to sit.
This may include:
identifying stronger and weaker areas;
working across the relevant examination subjects;
increasing the complexity of practice;
introducing more timed work gradually;
becoming familiar with likely question styles;
developing accuracy as well as speed;
learning when to move on from a difficult question;
completing longer sections or practice papers;
reviewing errors carefully.
This is also the stage when knowing the target schools becomes particularly important.
Different grammar schools, regions and independent schools may use different assessment formats. Some routes focus on English and Maths, while others may also involve verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, writing, interviews or school-specific assessments.
Preparation should therefore become more specific, not simply more intensive.
The priority in Year 5
Targeted preparation with increasing independence.
Year 6: Prepare for performance
For many families, the beginning of Year 6 is when the entrance examination itself is close.
At this point, the focus shifts again.
Rather than trying to learn an enormous amount of new material at the last moment, useful preparation may include:
timed practice;
realistic mock conditions;
careful checking strategies;
maintaining accuracy under pressure;
recognising common mistakes;
managing difficult questions;
building concentration and stamina;
keeping routines steady before the examination.
Confidence becomes particularly important here.
A learner who understands the material but becomes overwhelmed by the test environment may not be able to show what they can actually do.
Preparation in the final stage should help the examination feel more familiar, not more frightening.
So, when is the best time to start?
There is no single answer.
A useful way to think about the journey is:
Year 3 — Build
Develop strong English and Maths foundations, curiosity and problem-solving confidence.
Year 4 — Structure
Introduce consistent, age-appropriate 11+ practice and gradually broaden the level of challenge.
Year 5 — Target
Align preparation more closely with target schools, examination formats and individual learning needs.
Year 6 — Perform
Practise under realistic conditions while protecting confidence, accuracy and calm.
This does not mean every child needs to follow exactly the same path.
Some learners may already have very strong foundations and need little formal preparation until later. Others may benefit from more time to strengthen particular areas.
The goal is not to start as early as possible.
It is to start appropriately.
Is my child ready for structured 11+ preparation?
Year group alone cannot tell you everything.
It may be helpful to consider whether your child can:
work independently on a short focused task;
read and understand age-appropriate texts with reasonable confidence;
explain their thinking rather than only give an answer;
work with core number skills without becoming overwhelmed;
respond constructively when they make a mistake;
approach a challenging question without immediately giving up.
Not every answer needs to be “yes”.
These questions simply help identify where preparation should begin.
A child who is still developing core skills may benefit from foundation work before moving towards timed papers or intensive exam practice.
What if we feel we have started late?
Do not assume that another family’s timetable should have been yours.
A child starting later with a clear understanding of their needs can make better use of their preparation time than a child who has spent years completing unfocused exercises.
Begin by establishing:
Which schools are you considering?
What do their entrance assessments require?
What can your child already do confidently?
Where would focused support make the greatest difference?
From there, you can build a realistic preparation plan.
Trying to compensate for a later start simply by increasing the amount of work is rarely the most thoughtful response.
Priority matters more than panic.
How much 11+ practice should a child do?
There is no universal number of hours that every learner should complete.
A younger child building foundations may benefit from short, regular practice woven into an ordinary week.
A child much closer to an examination may need longer or more targeted sessions.
The more useful questions are:
Is the work appropriate for my child’s current level?
Do they understand what they are learning?
Are they reviewing mistakes?
Is the level of challenge increasing gradually?
Can the routine be maintained consistently?
Is there still space for school, hobbies, family life and rest?
A preparation plan only works if the learner can sustain it.
At Asterclass, this reflects one of our core values: Excellence with Warmth.
High expectations and genuine care do not need to compete with one another.
Children can be challenged without making every learning experience feel high-pressure.
Begin with the right starting point
Before choosing practice papers, tuition or an online programme, it helps to understand both your child and the route ahead.
Start by researching the schools you may be considering and their admissions requirements.
From there, decide whether your child currently needs:
stronger foundations;
a more consistent weekly routine;
targeted teaching support;
examination-specific practice;
or simply more time to grow before formal preparation begins.
For younger learners beginning to build a regular routine, Asterclass 11+ Online Foundations provides structured weekly Maths practice, English bonus practice, Blueberry-led Maths topic videos and access to 11+ Heroes.
For families who need more direct teaching support, small-group and tailored 1-to-1 preparation are also available.
Or, if you are unsure where your child should begin:
Entrance requirements vary considerably between schools and regions. Families should always check the latest admissions information published by their target schools before planning examination-specific preparation.
