A Grammar School Pupil's Guide to Passing the 11+

A Guide From Someone Who Has Been Through It

Some of the most useful 11+ advice comes not from textbooks, but from children who have recently sat the exam and won a place at a grammar school. This guide draws on exactly that kind of first-hand experience: how the registration process works, how to prepare from Year 5, what exam day actually feels like, and how the timed test format catches many children by surprise.

If you are just starting out, it pairs well with our broader Practical 11+ Guide and our Complete Guide to 11+ Exam Preparation in 2026, which cover the wider landscape in more depth.

Step One: Registration and Key Dates

Before any revision begins, the practical admin has to be sorted — and it is easy to underestimate how important this is. To sit the 11+, parents usually need to register with the borough or school their child wishes to attend.

The typical timeline looks like this:

Important: Deadlines differ from borough to borough. Miss the registration window and your child may not be able to sit the test at all, so treat these dates as non-negotiable. Check your local authority’s admissions page as early as possible.

For a fuller picture of how grammar schools fit into the wider system, our guide on UK Secondary Schools Explained is a helpful companion.

Step Two: Preparing From Year 5

A common and sensible approach is to begin preparation at the start of Year 5. Many children attend tuition where they first learn the basic question types they will face, then gradually move on to full mock tests as the exam approaches.

At home, revision is where parents can make a real difference. The four core areas of the 11+ are:

• English — comprehension, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary
• Maths — arithmetic, problem solving, and reasoning across many topics
• Verbal Reasoning — word and letter puzzles, similar in feel to IQ tests
• Non-Verbal Reasoning — shape-based questions such as finding the odd one out and spotting patterns

Tip: How long you revise for is genuinely up to you and your child. Focus your time on the subjects and question types your child finds hardest, rather than spreading effort evenly across topics they have already mastered.

Verbal Reasoning tends to feel like a collection of clever puzzles, while Non-Verbal Reasoning is almost entirely about shapes, rotations, and spotting the one figure that does not fit. If odd one out questions are a sticking point, our walkthroughs on answering odd one out questions and the SNAPS method break the technique down clearly.

Step Three: Understanding the Test-Day Format

One of the biggest surprises for first-time candidates is how different the real exam feels from ordinary school tests. Two aspects catch children out most often.

The two-day structure

Many centres run a mock test day first, designed to feel just like the real thing, followed by the actual test day. This dry run is invaluable — it removes the fear of the unknown and lets your child practise the routine of sitting formal papers.

The timed, no-going-back format

On the day itself, children usually sit two tests, take a break, then sit two more. The part that trips up so many pupils is the timing:

• Each page (or section) may be given a strict limit — perhaps five or seven minutes.
• When time is called for that page, you cannot go back to it.
• If you finish early, you cannot move ahead either — you must wait until you are told to turn the page.

Did you know? This page-by-page timing means pace is everything. A child who lingers too long on one tricky question can lose the chance to answer easier ones on the same page. Practising under timed conditions at home is the single best way to prepare for this.

Building this pacing instinct is why full practice papers matter so much — they train children to work at exam speed rather than at their own leisurely pace.

Step Four: The Break — Don’t Overlook It

During the mid-exam break, a drink and an energising snack make a real difference. Choose something that provides steady energy to carry your child through the second half of the exam, rather than sugary treats that lead to a slump. It sounds minor, but staying focused and energised for all four tests is a genuine advantage.

A Simple Weekly Preparation Routine

Consistency beats cramming. Here is a balanced week that covers all four subjects without overwhelming your child:

Keeping It in Perspective

Finally, a word of reassurance to pass on to your child: not passing the 11+ is not the end of the world. Some children secure a place through an appeal after narrowly missing the pass mark, and doing well in mainstream schooling matters every bit as much for the future. The 11+ opens one particular door — it is not a verdict on your child’s worth or potential. Encouraging hard work while keeping the pressure gentle is the healthiest way to approach the whole process.

Practise Every 11+ Subject in One Place

The surest way to walk into the exam hall confident is regular, targeted practice across all four areas — and that is exactly what our suite of seven specialist apps is built for, with 8,100+ questions across 7 apps covering every part of the 11+.

• English — The 11+ English Practice Papers app offers 600 questions across 12 practice papers, covering comprehension, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary in context. Build word power alongside it with the 11+ Vocabulary Builder, which has 1,600 questions across 20 topics.
• Maths — Start with 11+ Maths Learn & Test, offering 1,280 questions across 32 topics with detailed study notes, then build exam stamina with 11+ Maths Practice Papers, which provides 1,200 questions across 24 full papers. Our guide on improving your child’s maths score pairs neatly with these.
• Verbal Reasoning — Learn the techniques with 11+ Verbal Reasoning Methods & Techniques, covering 1,050 questions and study notes across 22 topics, then test them under exam conditions with 11+ Verbal Reasoning Practice Papers, which has 1,920 questions across 24 papers.
• Non-Verbal Reasoning — Master the shape-based questions with 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning, offering 540 visual pattern questions across 18 topics, including odd one out, cube nets, block counting, and 3D rotation.

Because each app mirrors the real exam’s format, your child can practise the timed, page-by-page discipline described above long before test day arrives — turning the unfamiliar into the routine.