11+ Preparation Guide
- Start Early: Begin general preparation by Year 4/5. Build core skills steadily rather than cramming. AtomLearning and others recommend short, regular sessions from as early as Year 4 (summer term) or Year 5. This reduces stress and builds confidence.
- Study Schedule: Plan a structured timetable. For example: focus on one subject each day (Maths on Mon/Wed/Fri, English on Tue/Thu, Reasoning on weekends). Allow time for revision, new topics and timed practice. Include plenty of breaks and off-screen time to keep your child fresh.
- Curriculum Mastery: Ensure your child has a strong grasp of Key Stage 2 basics (calculation, grammar, spelling). Before exam practice, review each topic thoroughly (arithmetic operations, fractions, percentages; reading comprehension strategies; grammar rules).
- Regular Practice Papers: Once core knowledge is secure (by late Year 5), introduce full 11+ practice papers under timed conditions. Aim for 2–3 short practice sessions per week. Use a stopwatch to mimic exam conditions and to build time management. After each test, review all errors together. Go over every mistake to identify weaknesses. (Our video solutions can help explain tricky questions.)
- Varied Resources: Combine different materials: official familiarisation papers (e.g. GL’s free downloads), examtutor practice papers with tutor videos, and recommended books (see below). Variety keeps revision engaging.
- Timed Drills & Error Review: For Reasoning (VR/NVR), do frequent short drills to build speed. Always review errors immediately: understanding why a mistake happened is key to improvement. Practice spelling and vocabulary for VR using lists of synonyms/antonyms. For maths, revisit incorrect topics and use worked examples to clear doubts.
- Exam-Day Tips: Practice a full mock on a weekend as final prep. On test day, ensure a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast. Arrive early, bring all needed items (pencils, eraser, watch). Remind your child to tackle easier questions first and not to panic on harder ones. Managing time (e.g. skipping and returning to tough questions) can boost accuracy.
