Practical guidance from the Leading Tuition team
Book a Free ConsultationYear 4 is one of the most valuable — and most underused — windows for 11+ preparation. At age 8–9, children are still two years away from sitting the exam, which means there is time to build genuine skills rather than cram facts. This guide explains what parents can realistically do in Year 4 to give their child a strong foundation, without putting undue pressure on a child who is still in Key Stage 2.
The 11+ is typically sat in September or October of Year 6, which means children in Year 4 have roughly two years to prepare. This is not a reason to panic — it is a reason to be strategic. The children who perform best in selective school entrance exams are rarely those who revised hardest in the final weeks. They are the ones who spent Years 4 and 5 reading widely, practising mental arithmetic regularly, and developing the kind of logical reasoning that cannot be taught overnight.
In England, selective grammar schools use a range of providers for their 11+ papers. The most common are GL Assessment and CEM (Centre for Education and Monitoring), based at Durham University. GL Assessment papers tend to test Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, English, and Maths in more predictable formats. CEM papers are less structured and place greater emphasis on vocabulary, comprehension, and numerical reasoning under time pressure. Knowing which provider your target school uses will shape how you prepare — and that research is worth doing in Year 4.
Before deciding what to work on, it helps to understand what the exam is measuring. The 11+ is not a test of the Year 6 curriculum alone. It assesses a child's ability to reason, spot patterns, use language precisely, and work quickly under pressure. Many of the skills it demands — particularly in Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning — are not explicitly taught in primary school.
The four main subject areas across most 11+ exams are:
In Year 4, the goal is not to work through 11+ practice papers. It is to build the underlying skills that make those papers accessible later.
The single most impactful habit a Year 4 child can develop is daily reading. This is not a vague suggestion — it is backed by consistent evidence. Children who read widely and regularly develop stronger vocabulary, better comprehension, and a more intuitive grasp of grammar. For 11+ purposes, aim for a mix of fiction and non-fiction, and encourage your child to read slightly above their comfort level. Authors like Michael Morpurgo, Eva Ibbotson, or Roald Dahl are popular choices, but non-fiction books on history, science, or nature are equally valuable for building the kind of broad vocabulary that CEM papers in particular reward.
For maths, the priority in Year 4 is number fluency. Children should know their times tables up to 12×12 with confidence — this is a statutory requirement by the end of Year 4 under the national curriculum, and the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) is taken in June of Year 4. Beyond tables, mental arithmetic, place value, and basic fractions are the building blocks for the more complex problem-solving the 11+ demands.
Non-Verbal Reasoning is often the area parents overlook until too late. A short weekly session with a puzzle book or NVR workbook — even 15 minutes — helps children become comfortable with the visual logic these questions require. Bond Assessment Papers and CGP both produce age-appropriate workbooks for 8–9 year olds that introduce NVR concepts without the pressure of timed conditions.
One of the most common mistakes parents make is starting formal 11+ practice papers too early. Sitting timed, exam-style papers in Year 4 is rarely productive and can create anxiety that undermines confidence later. The papers are designed for children who have covered the Year 6 curriculum — a Year 4 child will encounter content they have not yet been taught, which is demoralising rather than useful.
Another misconception is that preparation needs to be intensive to be effective. In Year 4, consistency matters far more than volume. Twenty minutes of reading each evening and a short maths activity three times a week will produce better results than a two-hour session at the weekend. The brain consolidates skills through repeated, spaced practice — not through cramming.
It is also worth noting that not every child is suited to a selective grammar school, and that is entirely fine. Grammar schools in England — there are around 163 state grammar schools, concentrated in areas like Kent, Buckinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and parts of the West Midlands — are one pathway among many. Strong independent schools, high-performing comprehensives, and specialist schools all offer excellent education. Year 4 is a good time to research your local options honestly, rather than assuming grammar school is the only goal worth pursuing.
If you are considering grammar schools or selective independent schools, Year 4 is the right time to start gathering information — not to make firm decisions, but to understand what you are working towards. Attend open days where possible, check school websites for admissions criteria, and find out which 11+ provider they use. Some schools, particularly in the independent sector, set their own papers entirely, which requires a different preparation approach.
For selective independent schools, entrance exams are often sat in January of Year 6 — earlier than state grammar school exams — and may include additional components such as interviews or group activities. Schools like King Edward's in Birmingham, Withington Girls' School in Manchester, or the various grammar schools in Kent each have distinct formats. Knowing this in Year 4 gives you time to prepare appropriately rather than scrambling in Year 5.
Leading Tuition works with families at this early stage to create a structured, low-pressure preparation plan that fits around a child's existing school commitments and interests.
Year 4 children are still developing cognitively, emotionally, and socially. The goal of preparation at this stage should be to nurture curiosity and build confidence — not to produce a child who can recite 11+ techniques on demand. Children who enjoy learning, who read for pleasure, and who feel capable in maths are far better placed for the 11+ than children who have been drilled but have lost their enthusiasm.
Talk to your child about secondary school options in an age-appropriate way. Visiting a grammar school open day can make the goal feel real and motivating rather than abstract. But keep the emphasis on learning and growth, not on passing or failing a single exam.
A tutor who specialises in 11+ preparation can be genuinely useful at this stage — not for intensive coaching, but for identifying any gaps in core skills and helping a child develop good study habits early. Leading Tuition offers assessments that give parents a clear picture of where their child is and what to focus on over the coming year.
Year 4 is not too early to think about the 11+ — but it is too early to treat it as an emergency. The families who approach this stage with calm, consistent effort tend to find that Year 6 feels manageable rather than overwhelming.
Is Year 4 too early to start 11+ preparation?
No — Year 4 is actually an ideal time to begin laying foundations, provided the focus is on building core skills like reading, vocabulary, and number fluency rather than working through timed practice papers. Formal exam practice is better introduced in Year 5 once children have more of the curriculum behind them.
Which 11+ exam board should I prepare for in Year 4?
This depends on which schools you are targeting. State grammar schools in England typically use either GL Assessment or CEM papers. GL papers follow more predictable formats, while CEM papers place greater emphasis on vocabulary and speed. Check the admissions pages of your target schools to confirm which provider they use before choosing preparation materials.
How much time should a Year 4 child spend on 11+ preparation each week?
In Year 4, around 20–30 minutes of focused activity per day is sufficient — and much of this can be built into existing habits like reading before bed or practising times tables on the way to school. Consistency over months is far more effective than intensive sessions at this stage.
Do all grammar schools use the same 11+ format?
No. While most state grammar schools in England use GL Assessment or CEM papers, the exact subjects tested, timing, and weighting vary by school and by local authority. Some areas, such as Kent and Buckinghamshire, have their own regional testing arrangements. Always check directly with your target school for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
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