Clear, calm, jargon-free guidance for parents - how the exam works, what to practise, and how to keep your child confident all the way to exam day.
Everything you need in one place: what the 11+ tests, how GL and CEM differ, when to start, and a calm week-by-week plan that fits real family life.
Read the guideA selective Year 6 exam for grammar and many private schools. What it is, who sits it, and when.
Maths, English, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, and what each one asks for.
The two main boards, how they differ, and what to practise for each.
Standard written, multiple-choice or online. How each one works on the day.
Timings by board, and whether your child faces a whole exam day.
Why Year 4 is the sweet spot, with a calm year-by-year plan.
Why little and often beats long sessions, without burnout.
The quiet superpower behind English and verbal reasoning.
Build fluency first, then reasoning, then timed practice.
A subject not taught in school, made simple step by step.
Patterns, shapes and the most learnable paper in the 11+.
Build stamina, find weak spots and cut exam-day nerves.
No national figure. How each school sets its own threshold.
Raw marks, standardised scores and no negative marking.
Why age matters and what the numbers really mean.
National and regional pass rates, and what they mean.
Why passing does not guarantee a seat, and how to plan.
Results timing, delivery and the 31 October deadline.
Age, location, SEN access and resits explained.
The yearly window and how to avoid missing it.
State grammars versus independent schools.
Consortiums, separate entries and how it works.
When location matters for a place, and when it does not.
When tuition helps, and when self-study wins.
Typical UK rates and cheaper alternatives.
Yes, with a plan. The benefits and the pitfalls.
Timing, and what a good tutor looks like.
The trade-offs, and a lower-cost third option.
Equipment, clothing and a simple checklist.
Timings, the day itself, and where parents fit in.
Pacing, moving on, and attempting everything.
Illness, appeals and steadying the nerves.
Breakfast, calm routines and no last-minute cramming.
The CAF, offer day and how waiting lists work.
Your options, and how to talk about it with care.
The honest odds and the valid grounds.
A later route into grammar school, explained.
Where 11+ and independent prep overlap.
What to weigh beyond the league tables.
The secondary application and the 31 October deadline.
When all secondary offers land, usually 1 March.
The questions that reveal the real school.
Why fit matters more than the label.
The warning signs, and how to ease off.
Calm, practical ways to settle the nerves.
How to spot it, and how to dial it back.
Small targets, progress and gentle momentum.
Sleep, exercise and balance that help focus.
Two different exams, clearly compared.
Why strong SATs do not guarantee it.
Why age standardisation keeps it fair.
What actually drives 11+ progress.
Why more isn't better, and what to do.
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