When to Start 11+ Preparation: The Data-Backed Timeline Every Parent Needs
Evidence-based guide to 11+ preparation timing. Month-by-month plans for Year 3, Year 4, and Year 5 starters with specific daily practice recommendations.
Most parents get the timing wrong. They either start too late — panicking in July of Year 5 when they realise the exam is eight weeks away — or they start too early, drilling a seven-year-old with Verbal Reasoning papers until the child hates learning altogether. Both extremes produce the same result: a stressed child who underperforms on exam day.
The good news is that there is a clear, evidence-backed answer to the question "when should we start?" And it is more nuanced than a single date on the calendar. The right approach involves three distinct phases, each with a different intensity, focus, and daily time commitment. Get the phasing right and your child arrives at the exam confident, well-prepared, and — crucially — not burned out.
The Short Answer
Most children should begin structured 11+ preparation in September of Year 4, approximately 12-18 months before the exam. But the foundations should start earlier — not as "11+ prep" but as good educational habits that happen to build the exact skills the exam tests.
This is not just opinion. The Education Endowment Foundation's research consistently shows that sustained, moderate-intensity practice over 12-18 months outperforms short, high-intensity cramming. A 2023 analysis by GL Assessment found that children who prepared for 12 months or more scored, on average, 14% higher than those who prepared for fewer than 6 months. Tutoring organisations report that their highest-performing students typically begin structured work in Year 4, not Year 5.
The 18-month window works because it allows your child to build skills gradually without the pressure of a looming deadline. It also leaves enough time to identify and address weak areas — something that is virtually impossible when you start three months before the exam.
The Three Phases of 11+ Preparation
Think of preparation as three overlapping phases, each with a distinct purpose, intensity level, and daily time commitment.
Phase 1: Foundation Building (Year 3 to Early Year 4) — 15-20 Minutes Per Day
This phase is not "11+ prep" in any recognisable sense. There are no practice papers, no timed tests, and no mention of exams. What there is: daily habits that systematically build the core skills your child will need later.
Daily reading (10-15 minutes minimum)
This is the single most impactful thing you can do. Children who read for pleasure for at least 15 minutes a day score significantly higher on both GL and CEM exams. The effect is particularly pronounced for Verbal Reasoning and English comprehension, but it extends to Maths too — strong readers are better at interpreting word problems.
Aim for a mix of quality children's fiction (Roald Dahl, Michael Morpurgo, Jacqueline Wilson), age-appropriate non-fiction, and children's newspapers (First News, The Week Junior). Do not just leave your child to read silently — ask questions about what they have read to build the inference and deduction skills that comprehension passages test.
Mental maths (5 minutes per day)
Times tables fluency is non-negotiable. By the end of Year 4, your child should know all multiplication facts up to 12x12 instantly. Use car journeys, bath time, or the walk to school. Apps like Times Tables Rock Stars make this genuinely enjoyable. Beyond tables, practise quick mental arithmetic: adding and subtracting two-digit numbers, doubling and halving, simple division.
Vocabulary building (ongoing)
Start a vocabulary notebook. When your child encounters an unfamiliar word, look it up together, discuss the meaning, and use it in a sentence. Aim for 3-5 new words per week. Over 18 months, that is 200-400 words — a meaningful expansion that pays dividends in both VR and English.
What this phase is NOT: It is not sitting your child down with Bond books and a timer. It is not mentioning the 11+. It is simply building good habits that make the next phase enormously easier.
Phase 2: Structured Preparation (Year 4 September to Year 5 Easter) — 20-30 Minutes Per Day
This is where formal 11+ preparation begins. The practice becomes deliberate and targeted.
Introduce Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning
These are the two subjects your child will not encounter in school. For GL Assessment, there are approximately 21 distinct VR question types — introduce 2-3 per week using a structured workbook (Bond or CGP). NVR is highly trainable: children who practise regularly can improve scores by 15-25% within 8-12 weeks.
Begin formal practice papers
Start untimed so your child can focus on accuracy. Once they are consistently scoring 70% or above, introduce gentle timing — perhaps allowing 20% more time than the exam permits. Gradually tighten over the coming months.
Run a diagnostic assessment
Within the first month, identify your child's strengths and weaknesses. Children tend to be stronger in Maths and weaker in VR (because Maths is taught at school and VR is not), but do not assume — the diagnostic removes the guesswork.
Daily schedule during Phase 2
| Day | Focus (20-30 minutes) |
|---|---|
| Monday | Verbal Reasoning — 2-3 question types, 15-20 questions |
| Tuesday | Maths — focused topic practice (fractions, percentages, etc.) |
| Wednesday | Non-Verbal Reasoning — 15-20 questions |
| Thursday | English comprehension — one passage with questions |
| Friday | Weakest subject — additional targeted practice |
| Saturday | One half-paper or mixed practice (timed if ready) |
| Sunday | Free reading only — no formal practice |
Sunday is deliberately left free. Rest days prevent burnout, and free reading keeps the association between books and pleasure intact.
Phase 3: Exam Readiness (Year 5 Easter to Exam Day) — 30-45 Minutes Per Day
The final five months are about sharpening what your child already knows, building exam stamina, and developing the technique that turns knowledge into marks.
Weekly timed papers under exam conditions — no interruptions, strict timing, no help from parents, at a desk. Monthly mock exams sitting all papers in a single session to build stamina. Many children drop 5-10% on later papers in a full mock because they are mentally exhausted. The only cure is practice. Attend at least two formal mocks in real exam venues.
Technique refinement becomes the focus:
- Time allocation: For GL Verbal Reasoning, that is roughly 37 seconds per question
- Question triage: Skip difficult questions and return to them — an easy mark is worth the same as a hard one
- Elimination: Removing two obviously wrong answers gives a 50% chance instead of 25%
- Checking routine: Check the most uncertain answers first, not from question one
Managing anxiety: Some is normal and helpful. But if your child is refusing practice, becoming tearful, or experiencing stomach aches, reduce intensity immediately. A calm, slightly underprepared child will outperform a comprehensively drilled but terrified one.
Month-by-Month Timeline: January Year 4 to September Year 5
January Year 4 (20 months before)
- Confirm which exam board your target school uses (GL, CEM, FSCE, or ISEB)
- Establish daily reading habit (15 minutes minimum)
- Begin mental maths practice and vocabulary notebook
- Assess current level in Maths and English
February-July Year 4 (14-19 months before)
- Continue foundation habits — reading, mental maths, vocabulary
- Secure times tables 1-12 by July
- Use summer holidays to read 6-8 books
- No formal 11+ practice yet
September Year 4 (12 months before) — Phase 2 begins
- Purchase board-specific 11+ practice materials
- Introduce VR and NVR systematically
- Establish the daily 20-30 minute routine
- Run an initial diagnostic assessment
October-December Year 4 (9-11 months before)
- Work through VR and NVR question types
- Begin English comprehension and Maths topic practice
- Complete first full untimed practice paper in each subject
- Reduce intensity over Christmas — maintain reading only
January-March Year 5 (6-8 months before)
- Introduce timed conditions, gradually tightening
- First formal mock exam (all papers, one sitting)
- Increase to 30-45 minutes daily
- Monthly mock exams begin
April-June Year 5 (3-5 months before) — Phase 3
- Timed papers weekly, mock exams fortnightly
- Attend at least one external mock in a real venue
- Focus entirely on weak areas — strong subjects need maintenance only
July-August Year 5 (1-2 months before)
- Complete 2-3 full mock exams under strict conditions
- Review every mistake — understand why, not just what
- Taper intensity in the final two weeks
- Focus on confidence-building alongside weak areas
September Year 5 (Exam month)
- Final week: light revision only, no new content
- Early nights, nutritious meals, calm routines
- On exam day: arrive early, stay calm, praise effort regardless of outcome
The Late Starter Plan: Beginning in Year 5
If you are reading this in Year 5 without any formal preparation, do not panic. Thousands of children pass the 11+ every year with fewer than 12 months of preparation. You will need to be more focused and more disciplined — but it can work.
| Factor | 18-Month Starter | Year 5 Starter |
|---|---|---|
| Daily practice time | 20-30 minutes (Phase 2) | 45-60 minutes |
| Time for foundation building | 6+ months | 2-4 weeks |
| Mock exams before the real thing | 6-8 | 3-4 |
| Margin for error | Comfortable | Tight |
Weeks 1-2: Run a full diagnostic immediately. Confirm the exam board. Purchase board-specific materials. Establish the 45-60 minute daily routine.
Weeks 3-8: Spend 60% of time on VR and NVR. Work through question types rapidly — 3-4 per week. Ensure Maths fundamentals are solid. Daily reading plus vocabulary building. First timed paper by week 6.
Weeks 9-16: Weekly timed papers. Focus 70% of effort on the two weakest subjects. First mock by week 10, fortnightly from week 12.
Weeks 17-24: Weekly mock exams. At least one external mock. Focus exclusively on high-impact improvements. Taper in the final two weeks.
Be honest about realistic expectations. A child starting in January Year 5 with strong underlying ability can absolutely achieve a competitive score. But a child starting in June Year 5 with significant gaps faces a much steeper challenge. The competitiveness of your target school matters enormously — some require the 75th percentile, others the 95th.
Daily Practice Recommendations by Phase
Phase 1 (15-20 minutes)
| Activity | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reading (aloud or silent) | 10-15 mins | Mix of fiction and non-fiction |
| Mental maths | 5 mins | Times tables, quick-fire arithmetic |
| Vocabulary | Ongoing | Discuss new words encountered in reading |
Phase 2 (20-30 minutes) — See weekly schedule above
Total: approximately 170 minutes per week (under 3 hours)
Phase 3 (30-45 minutes)
| Day | Activity | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Verbal Reasoning — timed practice paper | 35 mins |
| Tue | Maths — timed paper + review mistakes | 40 mins |
| Wed | Non-Verbal Reasoning — timed paper | 35 mins |
| Thu | English comprehension — timed passage + vocabulary | 35 mins |
| Fri | Weakest subject — intensive focused practice | 40 mins |
| Sat | Full mock exam (one subject or two papers) | 50-60 mins |
| Sun | Light review of the week's mistakes + free reading | 20 mins |
Total: approximately 240-265 minutes per week (around 4 hours)
Warning Signs You Have Started Too Early
Your child resists or refuses practice sessions. A seven-year-old who cries at the sight of a VR workbook is not being lazy — most children develop the cognitive skills needed for VR and NVR between ages 8 and 9. Pushing before that point is counterproductive.
Learning is becoming something your child dreads. If your child used to enjoy reading but now associates books with "practice," you have overcorrected.
Scores are plateauing despite consistent effort. They may have hit a developmental ceiling that will naturally lift with time. More practice will not help — maturation will.
You are spending more time on preparation than on school homework. In Year 3, homework typically takes 20-30 minutes. If 11+ prep is taking longer than that, you are doing too much too soon.
Warning Signs You Have Started Too Late
Your child cannot finish practice papers in time. If they are running out of time with 15-20% of questions unanswered, they need significantly more timed practice — and they need it now.
Scores are consistently below 60%. Most grammar schools require 75-85% for a competitive application. Below 60% with fewer than six months to go means a substantial gap to close.
Your child has never seen VR or NVR. There are roughly 21 VR question types alone. A child encountering them for the first time in June of Year 5 is at a serious disadvantage.
You have not identified the exam board. Every week spent using wrong materials is a week wasted. Find out today.
No regular practice routine exists. The research is unambiguous: 20 minutes a day, six days a week beats two hours on a Saturday in every measurable way.
Recommended Resources for Each Phase
Phase 1 (Foundation Building)
| Resource | Why It Helps |
|---|---|
| Times Tables Rock Stars | Makes daily maths practice genuinely fun |
| The Week Junior / First News | Builds reading breadth, vocabulary, and general knowledge |
| Local library card | Free access to hundreds of books |
| Vocabulary notebook | Recording and revisiting new words builds retention |
Phase 2 (Structured Preparation)
| Resource | Best For |
|---|---|
| Bond 11+ workbooks | Steady skill-building — GL and CEM versions available |
| CGP 11+ range | Understanding question techniques before drilling |
| Atom Learning (~£40/month) | Personalised practice that adjusts to your child's level |
| GL Assessment official papers | Essential if your school uses GL — this is the real format |
| Letts 11+ range | Good value alternative to Bond and CGP |
Phase 3 (Exam Readiness)
| Resource | Best For |
|---|---|
| Board-specific mock exams | Building stamina and exam technique |
| External mock exam services | Simulating the actual exam experience |
| Mistake diary | Identifying and eliminating persistent weak spots |
| Our AI question generator | Targeted practice on specific question types and difficulty levels |
Ready to Start Practising?
The most important thing is not when you start — it is that you start with a plan. Whether your child is in Year 3 building foundations or in Year 5 needing to catch up, a structured, consistent approach will always outperform random bursts of frantic practice.
Our AI-powered question generator creates unlimited 11+ practice questions tailored to your child's exam board, current level, and specific weak areas. It adapts in real time, getting harder as your child improves and providing detailed explanations for every answer. Combined with the month-by-month timeline above, it gives you everything you need to prepare effectively without the cost of a private tutor.
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