Academy11+

Year 5 · Ages 9 to 10

11+ preparation in Year 5: what to do and when

Year 5 is the main preparation year. Your child learns the question types, builds speed with short timed practice, and you register for the test, usually in the spring or early summer.

Here is what to focus on each term, how much practice is sensible, and the admin steps not to miss.

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Where you are in the 11+ journey

  1. Year 4

    Ages 8 to 9

    Foundations: reading, times tables and vocabulary.

  2. This year

    Year 5

    Ages 9 to 10

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

  3. The test

    September, Year 6

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

  4. Applications

    31 October, Year 6

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

  5. 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 5 plan, term by term

  1. Autumn term

    September to December

    Learn the question types

    • Find out which test your child will sit and which subjects it covers. Tests differ, so check your area’s page and the test guide.
    • Introduce verbal and non-verbal reasoning question types one at a time, untimed at first, talking through how to approach each.
    • Take a starting assessment to set a baseline and choose which topics to work on first.
    • Keep reading every day, widening into non-fiction, classics and news written for children.

  2. Spring term

    January to April

    Add gentle timing

    • Add one short timed session a week, such as a single section, to build pace without pressure.
    • 11+ papers can include maths that schools teach later in Year 5 or in Year 6, such as fractions, percentages, ratio and multi-step problems. Fill gaps steadily.
    • Learn a handful of new words each week and use them in sentences.
    • Look up when registration opens for your test. It usually opens in the spring or early summer, and deadlines vary.

  3. Summer term

    April to July

    Register and try a first mock

    • Register for the test before the deadline. This is separate from applying for a school place, which comes in Year 6.
    • Sit a first full mock exam to experience the timing and the room. Treat it as practice, not a verdict.
    • Go to open events for the schools you are considering, where they are offered.
    • Plan the summer holiday: a steady, light routine with plenty of days off.

How much practice?

There is no right number of hours, and every child is different. As a starting point that many families find manageable:

Most days
15 to 20 minutes of focused practice, plus reading.
Once a week
one longer timed session, building from a single section towards a full paper by the summer.
After every paper
go through the mistakes together. The review is where much of the learning happens.

Keep weekends and holidays mostly free. A child who still enjoys learning in September will do better than one who is worn out.

What Academy11+ gives you in Year 5

  • Starting assessment

    Free

    A free check of about 20 minutes across Maths, English, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Questions adapt as your child answers, and it suggests the topics to work on first. It can be taken again after 8 weeks.

    How it works

  • Today’s 15 minutes

    Turn the assessment into a weekly study plan, and your child sees the most useful short tasks for that day. Ideal for little-and-often practice.

    See the study plan

  • Practice papers

    Free to try

    Timed papers in Maths, English, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, sat online or on paper, marked with answers explained. Every child gets a free sample paper in each subject; Premium opens every pack.

    See paper packs

  • Free 11+ questions

    Free

    Verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and mental maths questions with answers and explanations, no account needed.

    Try free questions

  • 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

  • Mock exams

    Full mock exams under timed exam conditions, so the real day feels familiar. Mock exams are booked separately.

    See mock exams

  • Reports and estimated score

    Question-by-question results, subject and topic reports, and an on-track meter for your target school with an estimated standardised score.

    See a sample report

  • 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 5

When should we register for the 11+?
Registration for most tests usually opens in the spring or early summer of Year 5, and each test sets its own deadline. Registering for the test is separate from applying for a school place, which you do through your council by 31 October in Year 6. Check your area’s 11+ page for the dates.
How many practice papers should a Year 5 child do?
Start with short, untimed practice by question type, then add one timed section a week. By the summer term, a full paper every week or two is plenty for many children, as long as you go through the mistakes afterwards.
When should my child sit a first mock exam?
The summer term of Year 5 is a common time, once the question types are familiar. A mock is mainly practice at timing and exam conditions, so treat the score as a guide to what to work on next.
Which subjects are in the 11+?
It depends on the test. Most include some mix of English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, and a few include creative writing. Your area’s 11+ page and the test guide show what your child will sit.
My child finds verbal or non-verbal reasoning hard. Is that normal?
Yes. These question types are new to most children because they are not taught in school. They can be learnt: take one type at a time, practise without a timer first, and add timing once the method is secure.
Is Year 5 too late to start preparing?
No. Many families start in Year 5. With steady practice through the year and a calm summer, there is time to learn the question types and build speed before a September test.

Make Year 5 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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