10 Things Every Parent Should Know About the 11+

The 11+ can feel overwhelming for parents as well as children. There is a lot of information to absorb, decisions to make, and pressure to navigate. Here are ten things that every parent preparing a child for the 11+ should know — drawn from what the most successful families do consistently.

1. Start Earlier Than You Think You Need To

The number one regret of parents after the 11+ is not starting preparation soon enough. Skills like non-verbal reasoning, vocabulary, and mathematical fluency take time to develop — they cannot be crammed in the final weeks. If you are reading this in Year 4 or early Year 5, you are in a good position. If you are reading it in Year 6, start immediately and be strategic about where you focus effort.

2. Consistency Beats Intensity

Twenty minutes of focused practice every day will produce better results than a three-hour session every Saturday. The brain learns through repeated, spaced exposure — not through occasional marathons. Build a sustainable daily routine and stick to it, even on difficult days.

3. Non-Verbal Reasoning Needs as Much Attention as the Others

Many families focus heavily on Verbal Reasoning and Maths because they connect more obviously to school subjects. Non-Verbal Reasoning is often neglected — and then becomes the paper that costs marks. It deserves equal attention and, for many children, more practice time precisely because it is less familiar.

4. Mistakes Are the Most Valuable Part of Practice

A child who completes a practice session and moves on without reviewing their mistakes has learned much less than one who spends equal time understanding every error. When your child gets a question wrong, ask: what was the rule? What was the correct approach? This reflection is where real learning happens.

5. The Pass Mark is Not Fixed

Many parents believe there is a fixed score needed to pass the 11+. In reality, standardised scores mean that the effective pass mark varies each year depending on how the cohort performs. A score that secures a place one year might not be sufficient the next — or vice versa. Focus on your child doing their best, not on hitting a specific number.

6. Exam Technique is a Skill in Itself

Knowing the content is not enough. Children also need to know how to approach the exam: how to manage time, when to move on from a difficult question, how to check answers if time allows, and how to use the multiple-choice format strategically. These skills need to be practised under timed conditions before exam day.

7. Your Anxiety Affects Your Child

Children are remarkably sensitive to their parents' emotional state. If you are anxious about the 11+, your child will feel it — and it will affect their performance. The most helpful thing you can do is remain calm, positive, and focused on the process rather than the outcome. The exam is one day; your child's confidence and wellbeing matter every day.

8. Reading Widely is the Best Long-Term Investment

Children who read widely and frequently from an early age consistently outperform those who do not in verbal reasoning and comprehension — and the gap is difficult to close with targeted practice alone. If your child does not yet love reading, invest time in finding books that excite them. The vocabulary, knowledge, and comprehension skills that reading builds are foundational to 11+ success.

9. Not All Practice Materials are Equal

The market for 11+ preparation materials is large and variable in quality. Some practice papers are poorly calibrated, contain errors, or do not accurately reflect the actual exam format. Seek out materials that are specifically designed for the GL Assessment format if your child is sitting the Trafford 11+, and prioritise quality of explanation over quantity of questions.

10. Grammar School is Not the Only Path to Success

Every year, many children who sit the 11+ do not secure a grammar school place — and go on to thrive at excellent non-selective schools and achieve outstanding results. The 11+ is one opportunity, not the only opportunity. Prepare your child well, do your best, and trust that whatever the outcome, there is a good path forward.