11+ Mathematics: question types, tips and free practice

What 11+ Mathematics covers

11+ maths is built on the Key Stage 2 national curriculum: number and place value, the four operations, fractions, decimals and percentages, measures, geometry and statistics. Because most children sit the test early in Year 6, some questions reach topics they may not have finished in class yet, such as ratio, simple algebra and harder fractions.

What makes 11+ maths different from school tests is the way questions are asked. Many are multi-step word problems that mix two or three topics, and there is a lot to get through in the time, so quick, accurate mental arithmetic matters. Depending on the test your area uses, answers may be multiple choice or written in, and calculators are not normally allowed.

Common 11+ maths question types

Mental arithmetic
Quick calculations with whole numbers, decimals and times tables, often as one step of a longer question.
Place value and rounding
Reading, ordering and rounding large numbers and decimals, and multiplying or dividing by 10, 100 and 1000.
Fractions, decimals and percentages
Finding a fraction or percentage of an amount, and converting between the three.
Missing numbers and simple algebra
Working backwards to find a missing number, or using a simple formula or number machine.
Ratio and proportion
Sharing in a given ratio, scaling recipes and working out best-value offers.
Measures, money and time
Converting units, working with timetables and calculating change.
Shape, angles and area
Properties of 2D and 3D shapes, angles on a line or in a triangle, perimeter, area and volume.
Data handling
Reading tables, bar charts, pie charts and line graphs, and finding the mean, median, mode and range.
Multi-step word problems
Real-life problems where your child must decide which operations to use, and in what order.

Number and operations

Place value up to millions
Adding and subtracting large numbers
Long multiplication and division
Order of operations (BODMAS/BIDMAS)
Negative numbers and number lines
Rounding and estimation

Fractions, decimals and percentages

Equivalent and simplified fractions
Adding and subtracting fractions
Mixed numbers and improper fractions
Fractions of amounts
Ordering and rounding decimals
Percentage increase and decrease

Geometry and measures

Triangles, quadrilaterals and polygons
Circles: radius, diameter and circumference
Prisms, pyramids and cube nets
Angles and angle facts
Area, perimeter and volume
Converting units of measure

Problem solving

A routine your child can use for every word problem:

Read the problem carefully twice
Underline what you need to find
Pick out the key numbers and units
Choose the operation: "altogether" often means add, "difference" means subtract, "share equally" means divide
Show working clearly
Check the answer makes sense

How to practise Mathematics at home

Little and often
A short burst of times tables or mental maths most days does more than one long session at the weekend.
Know the times tables inside out
Make sure your child can answer every fact up to 12 × 12 quickly, and use them backwards for division.
Talk through word problems
Ask your child to explain what a question is asking before they calculate. Spotting the steps is half the work.
Use real life
Cooking, shopping, timetables and journeys are full of fractions, money, time and measures to practise.
Keep a mistakes list
Write down the topics behind wrong answers and come back to them a week later.
Move on to timed papers
Once the topics are secure, practise full papers against the clock so the pace of the real test feels familiar.

On the day of the exam

Don't get stuck
If a question is taking too long, make a sensible guess or mark it and come back at the end.
Check the units
Make sure the answer is in the units the question asks for, such as pence or pounds, centimetres or metres.
Estimate first
A rough estimate makes it easy to spot an answer that can't be right.
Read every word
Watch for words like "not", "each" and "remaining", which change what the question wants.

More 11+ Mathematics practice

Mathematics paper packs

Academy11 Mathematics Paper Pack 1
Academy11 Mathematics Paper Pack 1 contains a carefully curated set of full-length practice papers designed to build confidence and exam readiness for the 11+ Mathematics assessment.
Academy11 Mathematics Paper Pack 2 (EASY)
A gentle introduction to 11+ Maths, designed to ease young learners into exam-style questions without the pressure. Pack 2 builds on key skills with clearly structured papers, ideal for children just starting their 11+ journey.

Sample reports

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Every paper, mock and story comes with a report. Have a look at real ones, made for a fictional child.

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Guides for parents

11+ Mathematics: questions parents ask

What maths is in the 11+ exam?

11+ maths covers the Key Stage 2 curriculum: number and place value, the four operations, fractions, decimals and percentages, ratio, measures, geometry and data handling, often asked as multi-step word problems. Some questions go a little beyond what children have covered in class by the start of Year 6.

Are calculators allowed in the 11+ maths test?

No. Calculators are not normally allowed in 11+ maths papers, which is why quick and accurate mental arithmetic and written methods matter so much.

Is 11+ maths multiple choice?

It depends on the test your area or school uses. Some papers are multiple choice with a separate answer sheet, while others ask children to write their answers in. Check which test your target schools use and practise in that format.

How can my child get faster at 11+ maths?

Speed comes from secure number facts. Regular short practice of times tables, number bonds and mental methods frees up time for the harder multi-step questions, and timed practice papers help children learn the pace of the real test.

What is a good 11+ maths score?

Results are usually given as standardised scores, which take your child's age into account, and the score needed varies by school and by year. You can turn a practice paper's raw score into an estimated standardised score with our free calculator.

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11+ Mathematics

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