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Academy11+

Year 3 · Ages 7 to 8

11+ preparation in Year 3: what to do and when

Year 3 is too early for 11+ practice, and that is good news. What helps most now is a love of reading, quick number facts and plenty of talk, word games and puzzles.

Here is a relaxed plan, term by term and month by month, with free ideas that help at school whatever you decide about the 11+ later.

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Where you are in the 11+ journey

  1. This year

    Year 3

    Ages 7 to 8

    Enjoy reading, number facts, word games and puzzles. No 11+ practice needed.

  2. Year 4

    Ages 8 to 9

    Foundations: reading, times tables and vocabulary.

  3. Year 5

    Ages 9 to 10

    Learn the question types and build speed. Test registration usually opens in spring or early summer.

  4. The test

    September, Year 6

    Most 11+ tests are sat at the start of Year 6.

  5. Applications

    31 October, Year 6

    Secondary school applications close. You apply through your local council.

  6. Offers

    1 March, Year 6

    National Offer Day (the next working day if 1 March falls at a weekend).

These are the usual dates in England. Each test sets its own registration, test and results dates, so check your area’s 11+ page or the guide to your test. Northern Ireland has its own timetable: see the 11+ in Northern Ireland.

Your Year 3 plan, term by term

  1. Autumn term

    September to December

    Settle in and read

    • Year 3 is the start of Key Stage 2, so give your child time to settle into the new routine.
    • Make reading part of every day: bedtime stories, comics, non-fiction about whatever they love, and reading aloud to you.
    • Chat about new words you meet in books and on days out, and enjoy using them.

  2. Spring term

    January to April

    Number facts through play

    • The national curriculum expects the 3, 4 and 8 times tables in Year 3. Practise them little and often, in the car or at the table.
    • Play number games: number bonds, doubling and halving, and adding up the shopping.
    • Build with Lego, do jigsaws and try tangrams. Spatial play is a natural lead-in to non-verbal reasoning, years before it matters.

  3. Summer term

    April to July

    Curiosity and a look ahead

    • Encourage writing for fun: a diary, letters to relatives, short stories with a strong opening.
    • If you are curious, find out whether there are grammar schools near you and which test they use. There is no need to do anything yet.
    • Keep the summer holiday for reading, games and days out.

Year 3, month by month

  1. September

    Settle in

    Give your child time to settle into Year 3, and set up a daily reading time that suits your family.

  2. October

    Visit the library

    Join the library if you haven’t, and let your child choose freely, including non-fiction and comics.

  3. November

    Number facts

    Start the 3, 4 and 8 times tables little and often, as songs, games or a quick quiz in the car.

  4. December

    Games season

    Word and board games over the holidays build vocabulary, spelling and logic without anyone noticing.

  5. January

    Write for fun

    A diary, thank-you letters or a short story: writing for a real reader is the best practice.

  6. February

    Build and puzzle

    Jigsaws, Lego and tangrams build the spatial thinking that later helps with non-verbal reasoning.

  7. March

    Mental maths

    Play doubling, halving and number bond games. Keep it quick and fun.

  8. April

    Days out

    Museums, parks and trips are full of new words. Talk about what you see.

  9. May

    Find out, gently

    If you’re curious, look up whether there are grammar schools near you and which test they use. Nothing to do yet.

  10. June

    Wider reading

    Mix in poems, non-fiction and the odd book that is a little above their comfortable level.

  11. July

    Celebrate

    Celebrate the year. Ask the teacher what your child enjoys and what to keep working on.

  12. August

    Summer reading

    Many libraries run a summer reading challenge. Keep the holiday about stories, games and days out.

Term dates vary by area and school. Use this as a rhythm, not a timetable, and move things to suit your family.

How much practice?

There is no right number of hours, and in Year 3 the answer is: very little formal practice. As a guide:

Reading
most days, for pleasure. Nothing else this year matters as much.
Games
a few short number or word games a week, about 10 minutes, when your child enjoys them.
11+ papers
none. Practice papers and timed tests come much later.

If anything starts to feel like a chore, stop. A child who loves reading and puzzles in Year 3 is well set for whatever comes next.

Mock exams, the course and what comes next

  • The 11+ course

    Our week-by-week 11+ course starts in September of Year 4, so there is nothing to join yet. Come back to it next year if you decide to prepare.

    About the 11+ course

  • Mock exams

    Not yet. Mock exams suit children in the summer of Year 5 and the run-up to the test in Year 6.

    See mock exams

  • Planning ahead

    When you are ready, the Year 4 guide sets out what to focus on, term by term and month by month.

    The Year 4 guide

What Academy11+ gives you in Year 3

  • Mental Maths and English Sprint

    Free to try

    Quick-fire rounds for times tables, number facts and words. Every child gets a daily warm-up free, and you can try the 60-second Mental Maths game without signing in.

    Try the Mental Maths game

  • Study guides

    Free

    Maths and English topics explained step by step, free to read for everyone. The practice questions inside need a free account.

    Browse study guides

  • Printable worksheets

    Free

    Free worksheets for Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Mental Maths and English at Easy, Medium and Hard levels, with answers explained.

    Browse worksheets

  • Your area’s 11+

    Free

    Which test your area uses, the grammar schools, and the key dates for registration, the test and results.

    Find your area

Common questions about the 11+ in Year 3

Is Year 3 too early to start 11+ preparation?
Yes, for formal preparation. Practice papers and timed tests are not needed in Year 3. Reading every day, learning number facts and enjoying word games and puzzles help far more, and they help at school whatever you decide about the 11+.
What should my child be learning in Year 3?
The national curriculum expects children to learn the 3, 4 and 8 times tables in Year 3, alongside reading more fluently, spelling and writing in paragraphs. Your child’s teacher can tell you what to practise at home.
Should my Year 3 child do 11+ practice papers?
No. Children in Year 3 are a long way from the test, which most children sit at the start of Year 6. Papers now can put children off; reading and games build the same skills more happily.
When do most families start preparing for the 11+?
Many families lay gentle foundations in Year 4 and do the main preparation in Year 5, before a test at the start of Year 6. Registration for most tests usually opens in the spring or early summer of Year 5.
How can I tell whether the 11+ will suit my child?
It is too early to tell in Year 3, and that is fine. Notice whether your child enjoys reading, puzzles and a challenge, and talk to their teacher in Year 4 or Year 5 when you start to think about secondary schools.
Do we need a tutor in Year 3?
No. A tutor is a family choice and is not needed in Year 3. Reading together, games and free resources such as our study guides and quick mental maths rounds are plenty at this age.

Make Year 3 count, calmly

Start with the free assessment, then follow a short daily plan built around your child. Upgrade only if and when it helps.

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