Preparing for the 11+ English exam involves more than completing practice papers. Reading regularly, discussing ideas and learning from mistakes can all form part of a balanced preparation routine.

Start by checking the requirements for your chosen school. Use its current guidance and sample materials to decide which topics and question formats your child needs to practise.

1. Create a realistic preparation plan

Begin with a simple plan that fits around school, family life and other interests. Identify the areas your child feels confident with and those where they need more support.

• Choose manageable times for practice.
• Give each session a clear focus.
• Balance familiar work with new challenges.
• Allow time to discuss answers and revisit mistakes.
• Adjust the plan if your child becomes tired or frustrated.

2. Strengthen the foundations

Look at your child's schoolwork alongside suitable practice questions. This can help you spot recurring difficulties with spelling, grammar, punctuation or understanding a text.

Work through unfamiliar concepts before expecting your child to answer questions quickly. If a topic remains difficult, ask their teacher which skills would be most useful to revisit.

3. Make reading enjoyable

Choose books and other texts that interest your child, alongside material that introduces new vocabulary and ideas. Mix fiction with suitable non-fiction, articles or poetry.

Reading together gives you opportunities to discuss characters, events and unfamiliar expressions. Avoid turning every reading session into a test: leave room for enjoyment and curiosity.

4. Develop a clear approach to comprehension

Comprehension questions ask children to understand and interpret a passage. The text might be a story extract, a factual article or another type of writing.

Begin without time pressure so your child can concentrate on understanding the passage and explaining their answers.

1. Read the instructions. Check how answers should be recorded and whether any specific directions apply.
2. Understand the passage. Read for its overall meaning, noticing the main events, ideas and people.
3. Read each question carefully. Identify exactly what it asks before choosing or writing an answer.
4. Return to the text. Look for relevant details and clues rather than relying only on memory.
5. Check the answer. Make sure it addresses the question and is supported by the passage.
6. Review together. Discuss why an answer works and what made other options less suitable.

Where marks are shown, use them alongside the instructions to judge how much detail an answer needs. Do not assume every question or assessment uses the same marking system.

5. Build understanding before adding time pressure

Give your child time to learn unfamiliar skills before moving to full practice papers. Repeated testing without discussing difficulties can make preparation frustrating.

Once the question types are familiar, introduce short timed exercises and gradually work towards suitable practice papers. Use the timings and format published for the actual assessment.

Treat scores as information about what to practise next. Also notice improvements in accuracy, explanations and confidence.

6. Turn mistakes into the next learning goal

After a practice session, choose a small number of errors to discuss. Work out whether the difficulty came from unfamiliar vocabulary, a misunderstood instruction, a gap in knowledge or a rushed answer.

Revisit the relevant skill, try another example and return to it later. A simple record can help you keep track:

This page offers general preparation ideas. Always check the current subjects, question formats and instructions published by your chosen school or assessment provider. Preparation cannot guarantee an examination result or a school place.