Academy11+

Year 6 · Ages 10 to 11

11+ preparation in Year 6: what to do and when

In Year 6 the work shifts to timed papers, mock exams and exam technique, then rest. Most 11+ tests are sat in September, and school applications close on 31 October.

Here is how to use the summer before the test, the test month itself and the months that follow.

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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. Year 5

    Ages 9 to 10

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

  3. This year

    The test

    September, Year 6

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

  4. This year

    Applications

    31 October, Year 6

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

  5. This year

    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 6 plan, term by term

  1. The summer before the test

    July and August

    Steady, timed practice

    • Do one or two timed papers a week, with time afterwards to go through mistakes together.
    • Work on exam technique: reading the question carefully, moving on and coming back, checking the clock and filling in answer sheets neatly.
    • Sit a mock exam under real conditions, ideally in the format your child’s test uses.
    • Keep plenty of rest, time outdoors and a proper holiday. Fresh beats frazzled.

  2. The test month

    Usually September

    Calm and confident

    • Ease right down in the final week: short warm-ups only, no cramming.
    • Check the test letter for the date, venue, start time and what to bring.
    • Plan for a good night’s sleep, breakfast and arriving early.
    • Afterwards, mark the effort with a treat and resist a question-by-question post-mortem.

  3. After the test

    October to March

    Apply, then wait

    • Results dates vary by test. In many areas results arrive in October, before applications close. Your test guide has the date.
    • Apply through your local council by 31 October, listing schools in your true order of preference, including a school you would be happy with if a grammar place is not offered.
    • Keep learning going for the Key Stage 2 SATs in May and for secondary school.
    • Offers come on National Offer Day, 1 March (or the next working day). Waiting lists and appeals are there if you need them.

How much practice?

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

Summer holiday
one or two full timed papers a week, plus short daily warm-ups and reading.
Mocks
one or two before the test is plenty for many children, with time to learn from each.
Final week
ease right down. Light warm-ups, early nights and plenty of encouragement.

If your child’s test is later in the autumn, stretch this plan to fit. Rest is part of preparation, not a break from it.

What Academy11+ gives you in Year 6

  • 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

  • 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

  • 11+ score calculator

    Free

    Turn a practice paper score into an estimated, age-adjusted standardised score. An estimate to guide practice, not a prediction.

    Open the calculator

  • Story writing feedback

    Your child types a story or photographs handwritten pages and gets detailed feedback within minutes. A timed exam-conditions mode helps with planning and writing to time.

    About story writing

  • 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

  • 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 6

When is the 11+ test in Year 6?
Most 11+ tests in England are sat in September of Year 6, though some schools and areas test at other times. Each test sets its own date, so check your area’s 11+ page or the test guide.
How many practice papers should my child do in the summer before the test?
For many children, one or two full timed papers a week is enough, as long as there is time to go through the mistakes. More papers without review tends to add tiredness rather than marks.
What should we do in the last week before the test?
Ease right down: short warm-ups, early nights and nothing new. Check the test letter for the venue, time and what to bring, and plan a calm morning.
When do 11+ results come out?
It varies by test. In many areas results are sent in October, before secondary applications close on 31 October. Your test guide lists the results date where it has been published.
When do we apply for secondary school, and when will we hear?
In England you apply through your local council by 31 October in Year 6, listing grammar and non-grammar schools in your true order of preference. Offers are sent on National Offer Day, 1 March, or the next working day if 1 March falls at a weekend.
What if my child doesn’t reach the qualifying score?
Your application still includes the other schools you listed. Depending on the school and area, there may be waiting lists, reviews or appeals, and each school’s admissions policy explains how these work. Above all, remind your child that one test does not define them.

Make Year 6 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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