It is a question many parents type into a search box — and we, as a practice site, are in a slightly awkward position to answer it. So we will answer honestly: most grammar schools and local authorities say their test is designed to need no special preparation beyond familiarisation, and several actively discourage intensive tutoring. We are not going to contradict that in order to sell more practice. Here is what they say, what counts as legitimate familiarisation according to the schools themselves, and exactly where our free tools come in — and no further.
The official position — as honestly as we can put it
The tests are designed to be as tutor-proof as possible. Some familiarisation with the style of the questions is helpful, but the schools do not endorse or recommend intensive coaching.
There is no single national body that sets the 11+ — each local authority or school runs its own test — so there is no single national quotation to give you. But the message across areas is consistent: the test is meant to measure underlying ability; the schools want a child who will thrive there, not a child who has been drilled into a place; and they publish a familiarisation booklet precisely so that no family needs to pay for one. Where a school or council makes a specific statement, it is on its admissions page — read that before anything else.
We are a free practice site in the 11+ space, and we have an obvious interest in parents arriving here and practising. Exactly for that reason it matters to us to present the schools' position in full, without softening it and without a 'but' that tries to get round it.
What counts as legitimate — according to the schools themselves
Notice the distinction the schools draw: 'some familiarisation with the style of the questions' on one side, 'intensive coaching' on the other. In other words, there is a clear difference between two completely different things:
| What the schools discourage | What the schools themselves describe as sensible |
|---|---|
| Long paid tuition courses from Year 3 or 4 | A short familiarisation with the situation of the test (what it looks like, how long, what format) |
| Massive practice and memorising question types | Working through the official familiarisation booklet and practice paper |
| Pressure, anxiety and spending money | Reducing uncertainty for a child before a new experience |
That difference is exactly the difference between 'preparation' in the sense of prolonged training, and 'familiarisation' in the sense of reducing surprise. A child who has never seen a multiple-choice question in test format, and suddenly walks into a school hall on a Saturday morning in September with strangers — may be overwhelmed by the situation itself, not by the content. Minimal familiarisation deals with exactly that, and not with the cognitive ability the test is supposed to measure.
Year 5 or Year 6 — when does it happen, and when to start
Another point worth knowing: the 11+ is sat at the very start of Year 6 — usually in September, before the 31 October deadline for secondary school applications — so the content it draws on is essentially the Year 5 curriculum. Registration happens in the spring or summer term of Year 5 (the exact window is set by your local authority or the school). That means the realistic window for familiarisation is the summer term of Year 5 and the summer holidays — not Years 3 and 4.
Scores are standardised for age, so a child born in August is not disadvantaged against a child born in September — the adjustment is built in. There is therefore no reason to start early to 'make up' for a young birthday. If your child is in Year 4 and a tutoring company is telling you it is already late, that is a sales message, not an admissions requirement.
Where that leaves us — our position
Given all that, what exactly do we offer? Only what the schools themselves describe as sensible: familiarisation with the format and free tools for the situation of the test — not a preparation course, not a promise of a higher score, and no pressure.
- Familiarisation with the format — a short timed practice run that imitates the structure of the sections, with no score prediction and no pass/fail.
- Official material first — we always point first to the local authority's or the school's familiarisation booklet, and only then to further practice.
- Completely free — no payment, in line with the schools' concern about families spending money unnecessarily.
- No promises — there is not, and cannot be, a promise of a better chance of a place. The test measures general ability, not knowledge acquired by practice.
If you decide, after reading all this, that a short familiarisation with the format will help your child feel more confident in the test situation — our tools are here for you. If you decide that nothing beyond the official booklet is needed — that is a completely valid decision too, and matches exactly what the schools say.
Frequently asked questions
The schools say not to tutor — so why are there paid preparation companies?
Because there is demand from anxious parents, and because in some heavily oversubscribed areas competition for places is fierce. The schools and councils discourage intensive tutoring and publish free familiarisation material precisely so that no family needs to pay. We chose not to operate as a paid preparation site, but to offer free familiarisation with the format only, in line with what the schools themselves describe as sensible.
If preparation isn't needed, why does a practice site for the 11+ exist at all?
Because the schools themselves distinguish between 'coaching' (discouraged) and 'familiarisation with the style of the questions' (sensible). Our tools fit into exactly that narrow window — and no further.
Is it better to start in Year 5 or earlier?
The test is sat in September of Year 6 and draws on the Year 5 curriculum, with scores standardised for age. The realistic window for familiarisation is the summer term of Year 5 and the summer holidays. Starting in Year 3 or 4 is a choice some families make, but it is not something any school or council asks for.
Does practice improve the chances of a place?
There is no official evidence for it. The test measures general reasoning ability, not knowledge acquired through practice. Short practice can help with knowing the format and reducing anxiety, but it does not 'raise the score' in a way anyone can guarantee.
Which is better — skip preparation entirely, or do a little familiarisation?
Both choices are legitimate. The schools themselves suggest at least working through the official familiarisation booklet so the child knows the situation. Beyond that — according to the schools — there is no need, and no proven benefit from more extensive practice.
Where every official document lives, before any further practice
To the official familiarisation material — the first step ←