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An 11+ summer practice plan: five calm weeks

About five weeks separate the end of term from the first September tests. Know your test, find the gaps, practise little and often, then rest.

Written by the Brainhub Editorial Team Cites published research Updated 31 Oct 2026 5 min read

Key takeaways

1. Why this week

Dame Alice Owen’s first test for September 2028 entry is on 1 September 2027, and St Olave’s Stage 1 is on 17 September. From the end of July, that leaves about five weeks. A calm, simple plan beats cramming.[1]

2. Know your test first

There is no single 11+, so practise for the test your child will actually sit. Sutton’s Selective Eligibility Test is two multiple-choice papers, English and maths, with no verbal or non-verbal reasoning.[4]

Redbridge’s test, provided by GL Assessment, has English with verbal reasoning, then maths with non-verbal reasoning. Latymer is changing provider: from September 2027, Quest Assessments will run its test, with maths, English comprehension and English writing.[2]

3. A five-week plan

This is the shape we suggest. Adjust it to your child and your holiday plans.

Little and often, then rest.
When
Focus
Week 1
Find the gaps. One sample paper, untimed at first. Mark it together and list the topics that went wrong.
Weeks 2 and 3
Little and often. Short daily sessions, one weak topic at a time, with breaks and days off.
Week 4
Timed practice. Full sample papers at real timings, using answer sheets where the test does.
Week 5
Ease off. Light review, good sleep, a normal routine and the test-day kit ready.

4. Free practice to use

Real past papers are rare, but official familiarisation material is free. GL Assessment offers free downloads covering verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, English and maths. Sutton Grammar School links SET sample questions, St Olave’s publishes sample questions on its test page, and Buckinghamshire Council offers a familiarisation booklet and practice test.[3]

Our guide to 11+ practice papers lists official free material area by area.

5. How you can help

Keep sessions short and the mood light. Praise effort and careful checking, not just scores. Protect real holiday time: rest is part of the plan. If something keeps going wrong, note it and come back to it later rather than drilling it all afternoon.

A plan made for your child: Our qualified teachers teach the 11+ one-to-one, online or in person, and every family starts with a free 45-minute assessment.

Try it now

Test yourself on this page

Answer in your head first, then check.

  1. 1. When is the first 11+ test for September 2028 entry?

  2. 2. Does Sutton’s SET include reasoning questions?

  3. 3. What should the final week before the test focus on?

Your next steps

  • Check which test your schools use.
  • Do one sample paper this week and list the gaps.
  • Plan short daily sessions, with days off.

Sources

  1. Dame Alice Owen’s School. Key dates: secondary transfer entry September 2028. damealiceowens.herts.sch.uk/admissions/key-dates
  2. The Latymer School. 2028 admissions (Year 7): the 11+ assessment from September 2027. latymer.co.uk/2028admissionsyear7
  3. GL Assessment 11+. Free materials (familiarisation downloads). 11plus.gl-assessment.co.uk/pages/free-materials
  4. Sutton Grammar School. Selective Eligibility Test (SET): FAQs. suttongrammar.sutton.sch.uk/admissions/faqs
  5. St Olave’s Grammar School. Year 7 key dates (2027 and 2028 entry). saintolaves.net/4205/key-dates-1
  6. Buckinghamshire Council. Grammar schools and Secondary Transfer Testing (11+): timeline for 2028 entry. buckinghamshire.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools-index/school-admissions/grammar-schools-and-transfer-testing-11/timeline-for-following-year

This guide is general study advice. Every student is different. A teacher can help you work out what fits.