The 11+ exam is one of the most significant educational milestones for primary school children in the UK. For parents, it can feel overwhelming — especially if you haven't looked at Verbal Reasoning or Non-Verbal Reasoning since you were at school yourself. This guide covers everything you need to know to support your child effectively, without turning home life into a pressure cooker.
What is the 11+ exam?
The 11+ is a selective entrance exam taken by children aged 10 to 11, typically in Year 6, to gain entry to grammar schools and some independent schools. It's called the "11+" because children historically sat it at age 11. The exam varies significantly by region and school — what's tested in Kent is different from what's tested in Birmingham or Buckinghamshire.
Most 11+ exams test some combination of:
- Verbal Reasoning (VR) — word patterns, codes, analogies, sequences
- Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR) — shape patterns, matrices, spatial reasoning
- Maths — arithmetic, fractions, percentages, word problems
- English — comprehension, grammar, vocabulary
Always check the specific requirements for your target school, as some only test two or three of these subjects.
When should you start preparing?
The most common advice from tutors and education specialists is to start 12 to 18 months before the exam. For most children sitting a September Year 6 exam, this means beginning preparation in Year 5 — ideally by the Easter or summer term.
Starting too early can cause burnout. Starting too late leaves insufficient time to build the pattern recognition that Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning require. 12 months is the sweet spot for most children.
The key insight most parents miss: Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning aren't subjects you "know" — they're skills you build through repeated exposure to question types. Your child needs to have seen hundreds of each question type before the exam. That's why consistent daily practice matters far more than occasional long revision sessions.
How to structure 11+ preparation at home
Daily practice (20–30 minutes)
Short, consistent sessions are more effective than marathon weekend sessions. Aim for 20 to 30 minutes of focused practice every weekday. This builds the automaticity — the ability to recognise question patterns quickly — that 11+ exams reward.
Week-by-week topic rotation
Don't just do random practice papers. Work systematically through each question type. For Verbal Reasoning, there are 14 distinct question types. For Non-Verbal Reasoning, there are 9. Make sure your child has seen all of them before sitting a timed paper.
Timed practice in the final 3 months
Time pressure is one of the biggest challenges in the 11+. In the final three months before the exam, introduce timed conditions. Start generous (give 25% extra time), then gradually reduce to exam conditions.
The four subjects: what to focus on
Verbal Reasoning
The most unfamiliar subject for most children. Key question types include word codes, letter sequences, hidden words, analogies, and compound words. The best approach is systematic: spend two weeks on each question type before moving to mixed practice.
Non-Verbal Reasoning
Tests spatial and pattern recognition using shapes and diagrams — no words involved. Most children find one or two NVR types particularly difficult (commonly matrices and nets). Identify your child's weak areas early and focus extra practice there.
Maths
11+ Maths goes beyond the KS2 curriculum in some areas. Common topics that catch children out include: fractions of amounts, percentages, ratio and proportion, algebraic thinking, and geometry. Work through past papers to identify gaps, then use targeted practice to close them.
English
Comprehension technique is the most important skill. Teach your child to refer back to the text rather than relying on memory, and to underline key information before answering. Vocabulary breadth matters — wide reading is the best preparation.
The parent's role: You don't need to be an expert in any of these subjects. Your job is to photograph the question your child is stuck on, get a clear explanation, and sit alongside them while they practise. You don't need to teach — you need to facilitate.
Common mistakes parents make
- Starting with full practice papers too soon. Build skills first, then test under timed conditions.
- Focusing only on weak areas. Don't neglect strengths — maintaining high scores in strong subjects is just as important.
- Over-preparing. Burnt-out children underperform. Rest and balance matter.
- Not explaining wrong answers. Simply marking something wrong and moving on teaches nothing. Every incorrect answer is a teaching opportunity.
- Ignoring the exam format. Different exams use different formats (multiple choice vs standard answers). Make sure your child practises the specific format of their target school's exam.
How Ask Learno helps with 11+ preparation
Ask Learno was built specifically to support the kind of daily, question-by-question practice that 11+ preparation requires. When your child gets stuck on a Verbal Reasoning question — something most parents can't explain confidently — you photograph it, and Learno explains the question type, the method, and the answer in plain English.
It then generates a fresh practice worksheet with similar questions on the same skill, which gets sent automatically to your child's PIN-protected Child Zone. They complete it, it's auto-marked, and you see the result.
For 11+ preparation specifically, Ask Learno's Learning Paths cover all 14 Verbal Reasoning question types and all 9 Non-Verbal Reasoning question types — the complete syllabus, structured week by week.
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See the 11+ preparation guide →Frequently asked questions
When should I start 11+ preparation?
12 to 18 months before the exam is the general recommendation. For a September Year 6 exam, this means beginning in Year 5, ideally by the summer term at the latest.
What if my child finds Verbal Reasoning very difficult?
This is the most common concern. VR is unfamiliar to most children because it isn't taught in school. The solution is exposure — the more question types your child sees and has explained, the more the patterns become recognisable. Most children improve significantly within 4 to 6 weeks of consistent practice.
How many hours a week should my child practise?
20 to 30 minutes of focused daily practice (roughly 2 to 3 hours per week) is more effective than occasional longer sessions. Consistency is the key factor.
Should I hire a tutor?
A good tutor can help significantly, particularly for identifying and closing specific gaps. But tutors are expensive (typically £40 to £60 per hour in the UK), and one session per week is rarely enough on its own. Whatever you decide about tutoring, daily independent practice at home is essential.