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Brainhub guide

When to start 11+ preparation: a Year 4 to Year 6 timeline

There is no single start date. Most of the real deadlines fall in Year 5 and early Year 6, so here is a calm, year-by-year plan.

Written by the Brainhub Editorial Team Cites published research Updated 2 Nov 2026 6 min read

Key takeaways

1. The short answer

There is no official start date for 11+ preparation, because there is no single 11+. Each school or area sets its own test and its own dates. What is fixed is the calendar around it: registration in Year 5, tests in September or early October of Year 6, the council application by 31 October and offers on 1 March.[1]

Working backwards from those dates, we suggest light preparation from the start of Year 5 and focused practice in Year 5’s summer, with Year 4 spent on strong foundations. Some families start earlier or later, and the right answer depends on your child and your schools.

2. Year 4: build the foundations

This is not the year for 11+ papers. The best preparation is reading widely, learning to write clearly and knowing the times tables well. Year 4 children also take the national multiplication tables check in June, which is a good prompt to make the tables fluent.[2]

If you want to do something extra, keep it short and playful: reading together, times tables games and talking about what they have read.

3. Year 5: find your schools, register, then practise

Autumn: list the schools you might apply to and check each one’s area rule, because many grammar schools prioritise children by distance or catchment. Then find out which test each school uses.[3]

Spring and summer: register. Most test registrations close in Year 5, so put each date in your calendar with a reminder a week before. For September 2028 entry, Dame Alice Owen’s registration runs from 28 April to 10 June 2027, and St Olave’s from 7 to 28 June 2027.[4]

Summer term and holidays: this is when focused practice starts. Use free official familiarisation material, find the gaps with one sample paper, then practise little and often.[6]

When
Focus
Year 4
Reading, writing and times tables. No 11+ papers.
Year 5 autumn
Choose schools, check area rules, find out the test.
Year 5 spring and summer
Register before each closing date. Start light practice.
Year 5 summer holidays
Focused five-week plan, then rest.
Year 6 September
First tests, often in September or early October.
Year 6, by 31 October
Council application, listing every school.
1 March
National Offer Day.

4. Year 6: test, apply, wait

First tests are usually in September. For 2028 entry, Dame Alice Owen’s tests are on 1 and 25 September 2027 and St Olave’s Stage 1 is on 17 September 2027.[4]

Sutton’s test, by comparison, was on 15 September in 2026.[7]

Whatever the results say, apply to your home council by 31 October, listing every school you want. Offers arrive by email on 1 March.[1]

5. Does a later start work?

Yes, for many children. If you are starting late, spend the time on the test your schools actually use, rather than on everything. Find the gaps first, then practise one weak topic at a time. Our guides to the 11+ exam, registration dates and the summer practice plan help you do this.

Free official practice material is available from test providers such as GL Assessment, so a late start does not need a large budget.[6]

6. How you can help

Keep the mood light, praise effort and protect rest days. Check the dates for your schools once a term, because they move from year to year.

A plan made for your child: Our qualified teachers teach the 11+ one-to-one, online or in person. Every family starts with a free 45-minute assessment, and our 11+ tutors page explains how we work.

Try it now

Test yourself on this page

Answer in your head first, then check.

  1. 1. When do most 11+ registrations close?

  2. 2. Should Year 4 children do 11+ papers?

  3. 3. When is the council application deadline?

Your next steps

  1. List the schools you might apply to.

  2. Find out which test each uses and note the registration dates.

  3. Plan a five-week summer practice block before Year 6.

Subject guides to go with this

Want one-to-one help? See how our online lessons work.

Sources

  1. GOV.UK. Apply for a secondary school place. gov.uk/apply-for-secondary-school-place
  2. GOV.UK (Standards and Testing Agency). Multiplication tables check: administration guidance. gov.uk/government/publications/multiplication-tables-check-administration-guidance/multiplication-tables-check-administration-guidance
  3. London Borough of Redbridge. 11 plus: registration, test date and catchment area. redbridge.gov.uk/11plus
  4. Dame Alice Owen’s School. Key dates: secondary transfer entry September 2028. damealiceowens.herts.sch.uk/admissions/key-dates
  5. St Olave’s Grammar School. Year 7 key dates (2027 and 2028 entry). saintolaves.net/4205/key-dates-1
  6. GL Assessment 11+. Free materials (familiarisation downloads). 11plus.gl-assessment.co.uk/pages/free-materials
  7. Sutton Grammar School. Selective Eligibility Test (SET): registration and test dates (2027 entry). suttongrammar.sutton.sch.uk/admissions/selective-eligibility-test-examination

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