Preparing for the 11+ exam can be a tough journey for both parents and students. Most families contemplating their 11+ exams wonder – Do we start in Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, and beyond?
Expert tutoring providers often suggest starting early enough to acquire the skills, but not so soon in the 11+ exam journey that the student loses their motivation. Year 4 is generally regarded as a light, confidence-building Year 4; Year 5 is the optimum time to step up the pace of learning and turn to exam-style preparation.
At ElevenPlusPreps, we have developed a structure of staged learning in line with these approaches that have been shown to work. Based on real student data and extensive experience with the format of GL exams, this blog will define when to start, a simple framework that balances pace and pressure, and what a time-framed tuition plan might look like. Here, you will find expertise and practical advice to create a timeline that avoids anxiety and overloading to help your child prepare for the 11+ successfully with confidence and clarity.
Recommended Timeframes
Year 2: Early Introduction
While it may appear early in Year 2, this part is not about exam preparation. Rather, it is about laying the foundations. At the ages of 6-7, children are learning to master basic reading, writing, and numeracy. It is the ideal time to help them develop enjoyment, confidence, and curiosity – skills that will be useful later on.
Encouraging reading for fun, and playing with numbers (e.g., board games or maths in the car) helps children develop vocabulary, comprehension, and problem-solving, as well as equipping them for the verbal and non-verbal reasoning that testing in the 11+ will examine.
Encouraging simple daily activities, such as reading aloud, playing mental maths games, or writing a short journal, are great boosts for essential skills: clear expression, identification of patterns, and flexibility of thoughts. If you choose tuition now, keep it informal and for fun. Educational activities should be short sessions that keep your child’s interest and confidence growth (e.g., stories, word games, number puzzles) rather than targeting set academic benchmarks.
Year 3: Spotting Interests and Early Strengths
By Year 3, most children begin settling into school routines and have started to take more responsibility for their learning. You may observe they gravitate towards puzzles, storytelling, or number games – indications of growing strengths in reasoning or language. Identifying these choices gives parents valuable insights about areas where a little help could build confidence and competence to develop without any formal pressure.
Also, at this stage, formal tuition may not be necessary. However, informal learning with activities such as word puzzles, number fun, and storytelling games provides a supportive and playful approach. They present more opportunities for natural, low-stakes opportunities to strengthen core skills such as vocabulary, reading, and fluency with numbers. Developing this type of engagement enables curiosity, reinforces independent thoughtfulness, and allows preparation for the more formal way of approaching 11+ preparing over the next few years.
Year 4: Introduction to 11+ Content
By Year 4, the children are generally confident with basic school routines and ready to take on a little more structured support. Hence, this is an ideal time to introduce a light confidence-based tutoring – short weekly sessions, that include guided reading, some expressive writing tasks, and some low-key verbal or non-verbal reasoning activities to ease the children in.
The focus of these 1-2 hour sessions is not to cram for exams, but to give the children a gradual introduction to the thinking styles that are commonly seen in the 11+.
Those early sessions will also allow the tutors to understand each child’s learning style, strengths, weaknesses, and support needs. At that stage, with one session a week, regular reading, and low-stakes maths at home, will provide them with a steady approach toward more formal prep.
Year 5: The Core Year for Tuition
Year 5 is often viewed as the peak time to start structured 11+ preparation. By Year 5, children are developmentally ready for the cognitive demands and pace of the exam, and can build both skills and confidence as highly as possible, with plenty of time to spare before pressure sets in.
Families also tend to start regular tuition, often with a specialist tutor around this time, scheduling weekly lessons to practice advanced maths, build vocabulary, do reasoning-type exercises, and learn exam techniques such as timed papers and different approaches to exam questions.
What makes Year 5 unique as a preparation year is the steady, easy progress. Weekly lessons, with short homework-type practices at home, mean tutors can identify weaknesses, refine strategies, and slowly and confidently practice and build skills. This approach allows children to embrace the various styles of questions, managing their time and their mindset without stress before Year 6, when they must prepare properly for the exam day.
Year 6: Final Practice
The Year 6 phase, particularly during the first autumn term, is all about consolidation and refinement. At this time, tuition becomes noticeably more focused on targeted revision, exam strategy, and timed practice – we are polishing what they have already learned, as we are not introducing anything new.
Mock exams, with as much realism as possible, are vital in this stage. They allow students to practice time management, accuracy, and will help you identify any remaining gaps in knowledge to focus on.
Furthermore, it is vital to balance preparation with normal life. As mock tests, strategy practicing, and planning continue, the children also need regular downtime, hobbies, and a normal rhythm of school, or certainly not too high levels of stress where fatigue and burnout can occur. Good tutors will guide children through calm, purposeful sessions to reinforce progress, confidence, and readiness without pressurised stress.
ElevenPlusPreps – Supporting Your Child’s Success
ElevenPlusPreps provides tailored and one-to-one support for each child’s 11+ journey. We deliver high-quality, personalised 11 Plus prep through small in-person classes. We offer a complete GL curriculum package—38 sessions, mock tests, extensive study material, and progress tracking for children who deserve expert attention and a supportive learning environment.