When should you start to prepare?

A common worry when deciding on doing the 11+ is when do you start?

It can seem tricky to judge. Start too early, and your child can plateau. Start too late, and everything can feel rushed.

Preparation can also depend on whether your child attends a prep school or a state school. State schools typically focus on SATs, which are a very different type of exam, and do not usually prepare students for the 11+. Therefore, starting earlier here can be beneficial.

It’s not just about when you start but about how preparation is built over time. In my experience, the most successful approach is a gradual one.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through a clear and realistic timeline for 11+ preparation in the UK, based on what has worked for the children I have tutored.

(If you’re just getting started, it can also help to understand the different types of 11+ exams, as preparation can vary slightly depending on the format. You can find more on this here: Exams Explained GL, CEM, ISEB & Quest (UK Guide)

Build Gradually, Not Intensively

One of the biggest mistakes I see is treating the 11+ like a short-term push.

It isn’t. It’s a gradual process of building core skills over time, including:

• maths fluency
• reading comprehension
• vocabulary
• problem solving
• reasoning skills

These don’t develop overnight. They improve steadily with consistent practice.

Year 4: Building Foundations and Finding Gaps

For most children, Year 4 is a good time to begin preparation. At this stage, they start to develop the maturity to manage the additional workload, and the curriculum begins to cover 11+ content.

At this stage, the focus should be on building confidence and finding gaps, not applying exam pressure.

What to focus on

• becoming more secure in maths
• developing regular reading habits
• building vocabulary
• introducing basic problem-solving
• doing practice papers from books to find gaps

What this might look like

• using light practice books such as CGP or Schofield & Sims weekly
• introducing simple vocabulary work (synonyms and antonyms)
• encouraging daily reading
• weekly use of an online learning platform

Some parents also use simple tools or structured platforms at this stage to keep things consistent, including AI-based tools that can support vocabulary and comprehension practice when used carefully. I’ve written about the increasing use of AI in the 11+ here: Can AI help with 11+ Preparation?

Keep sessions short and manageable. Ten to fifteen minutes regularly is far more effective than long, occasional sessions.

What to avoid

At this stage, it’s important not to overdo it.

Avoid:

• heavy testing
• strict timing
• putting too much pressure on performance

The goal in Year 4 is simple: build confidence, familiarity and find gaps.

How to Find Gaps

You and your child may already be aware of some areas of weakness. I often hear students and parents say that word problems in maths are challenging, or that inference in comprehension is tricky. It’s great to have identified these areas, as you can begin to focus on them. However, it’s important to build a more detailed understanding of exactly where your child is struggling.

To identify gaps in maths, I recommend using an appropriate workbook, such as those by CGP, and working through it systematically. Whenever your child gets a question wrong, make a note of it. Over time, patterns will begin to emerge, giving you a clearer picture of their weaker areas.

For English multiple-choice questions, make sure your child reads the passage carefully first. Then, as with maths, look for patterns in the questions they get wrong. Is it vocabulary, punctuation, grammar, or inference? Keep a record and focus on those specific areas.

For English written papers, it can feel more challenging to assess progress. To help with this, I’ve created my Study Planet accelerator tool that does the hard work for you! It marks responses, provides feedback, and suggests next steps at the click of a button. Click for a free demo.

Verbal and non-verbal reasoning are like muscles! Meaning, the more you practise, the stronger you become. I recommend platforms such as Atom Learning or similar, as they provide clear explanations.

Year 5: The Core Preparation Stage

This is where preparation becomes more structured.

Children move from simply building skills to applying them more consistently and at a much harder level.

What to focus on

• applying knowledge across different question types
• improving accuracy
• starting to identify weaker areas

What this might look like

• regular practice questions
• more structured use of online tools such as Atom Learning
• beginning to focus more seriously on comprehension and writing
• timed written paper in maths and English (For example, one of each a month for the first term and then increase to two a month for the second term and so on.)

Choosing the right materials becomes more important at this stage, especially as practice becomes more regular and targeted. I’ve broken this down in more detail here: Best 11+ Resources in the UK: What Actually Helps

The important shift

This is the stage where feedback becomes much more important. Practice on its own is not enough. Children need to understand:

• what they’re doing well
• where they’re losing marks
• what to improve next

Without that, it’s easy to keep practising without making real progress. For maths, record the questions your child consistently gets wrong and set aside time to focus on these areas. Avoid simply giving more questions without explanation.

For English comprehension and creative writing, the Study Planet accelerator can help here to take the pressure off extensive English marking and to give clear expert feedback.

End of Year 5 to Year 6: Exam Preparation

As the exams get closer, the focus shifts again. At this stage, preparation becomes more about performance under exam conditions.

A quick note: grammar school exams are often held in early September, so your child will need to be ready by the end of the summer holidays. Private school exams typically begin around November, giving you a few additional months to continue preparing.

What to focus on

• exam technique
• time management
• consistency under pressure

What this might look like

• continuing mock tests (such as Pretest Plus)
• practising timed papers
• reviewing mistakes carefully after each paper

It’s also worth making sure you’re familiar with the specific exam format your child will be sitting, as timing and question styles can vary.

The summer before exams!

First of all, make sure to take some time off. I often find that after a week’s break, my students are fresher and perform better. Despite this, summer is crucial and can make a huge difference in preparation. Make a schedule and stick to it!

This is a good time to:

• revisit areas that are still causing problems
• work on timing and speed
• start working on creative writing (if your child is expected to do this)

If you’re a St Paul’s Girls’ candidate, make sure you have familiarised yourself with the Third Paper: Creative Comprehension.

And if you’re a North London Collegiate candidate, make sure you are practising your persuasive writing.

Is It Ever Too Early to Start?

This is another question that comes up a lot. Starting early can be helpful but only if it’s done in the right way.

Good early preparation looks like:

• regular reading
• building vocabulary naturally
• developing confidence with numbers
• light practice papers to find gaps

What isn’t helpful is starting too intensively too soon. That includes:

• heavy tutoring very early on
• constant testing
• pressure-driven study

The goal is to build strong foundations, not to rush ahead.

Choosing the Right Resources

Once you have a sense of when to start, the next step is choosing the right resources.

This can make a big difference to how effective and manageable preparation feels.

I’ve broken this down in more detail here: Best 11+ Resources in the UK: What Actually Helps

Final Thought

There isn’t a single perfect time to start 11+ preparation. Some choose Year 3 others Year 4. Others come to it much later.

But there is a sensible way to approach it.

Start gradually.
Build skills over time.
Increase structure when it’s needed.

The children who do best aren’t necessarily the ones who start the earliest. They’re the ones who prepare consistently, with the right support at the right time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age should my child start 11+ preparation?

Most children benefit from starting preparation in Year 4, with more structured work beginning in Year 5.

Is Year 5 too late to start?

No. Many children start in Year 5 and still perform well, especially with consistent and focused preparation.

How many hours per week should my child study?

This varies, but consistency matters more than volume. Short, regular sessions are far more effective than long, irregular ones.