GL Assessment Maths — Topics, Tips and Practice

The Mathematics paper in the GL Assessment is demanding — not because it introduces topics beyond the primary school curriculum, but because it tests those topics at a higher level of difficulty and under significant time pressure. This guide explains what your child needs to know and how to help them prepare effectively.

What Does the GL Assessment Maths Paper Test?

The GL Assessment Maths paper covers the Key Stage 2 curriculum — the same topics taught in primary school. However, the questions are set at a higher difficulty than standard Year 6 work, and the time allowance is tight. The paper rewards children who have both a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and the speed to apply them quickly.

Topics Covered

Your child should be confident across all of the following areas:

Number and Arithmetic

• Place value, rounding, and estimation
• Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of large numbers
• Factors, multiples, primes, and square numbers
• Order of operations

Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages

• Simplifying fractions and finding equivalent fractions
• Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions
• Converting between fractions, decimals, and percentages
• Percentage of an amount, percentage increase and decrease

Ratio and Proportion

• Simplifying ratios and dividing quantities in a given ratio
• Scaling problems and direct proportion

Algebra

• Using and understanding algebraic notation
• Solving simple equations and inequalities
• Number sequences and finding the nth term

Geometry and Measurement

• Area and perimeter of rectangles, triangles, and compound shapes
• Volume of cuboids
• Angles — on a line, in a triangle, in a quadrilateral
• Properties of 2D and 3D shapes
• Coordinates in all four quadrants
• Reflection, rotation, and translation

Data and Statistics

• Reading and interpreting charts, graphs, and tables
• Mean, median, mode, and range
• Probability

Time and Money

• Time calculations including 12 and 24-hour clock
• Money problems involving multiple operations

What Makes GL Assessment Maths Difficult?

Children who are good at maths in school sometimes find the 11+ paper surprisingly challenging. There are three main reasons:

1. Multi-step problems

Many questions require several calculations in sequence. A child must plan their approach, execute each step accurately, and arrive at the correct answer — all within less than a minute.

2. Unfamiliar presentation

Questions may present familiar concepts in unfamiliar ways. A child who understands fractions perfectly may struggle with a fraction question that uses unusual language or an unexpected context.

3. Time pressure

The combination of difficulty and time pressure is significant. Children who can solve every question given unlimited time will still underperform if they cannot work at pace.

How to Prepare Effectively

Identify and address weak areas first

Use practice papers to identify which topics your child finds most difficult. Focus deliberate practice on these areas rather than repeating topics they already know well.

Learn efficient methods

Some calculation methods taught in primary school are slower than necessary for exam conditions. Ensure your child knows efficient mental arithmetic strategies — for example, multiplying by 25 by multiplying by 100 and dividing by 4.

Practise reading tables and graphs

Data interpretation questions are common and often straightforward — but only if children are comfortable reading graphs and tables quickly. These are easy marks that should not be lost.

Show working even under pressure

Even in multiple choice format, writing out working helps avoid careless errors and makes it easier to check answers if time allows.