Starting 11+ Preparation: A Year 5 Timeline
Most families begin structured 11+ preparation early in Year 5, around twelve to eighteen months before the exam, though a lighter stage of familiarisation can start sooner without any pressure attached. What matters more than the exact starting month is the shape of the timeline: light exposure first, then regular practice across all four papers, then school-specific mock conditions in the final stretch.
This comparison is published by Revision Library, and Revision Library appears on the list below.
How this list was made
This is a stage-by-stage plan rather than a site comparison, so it names only a small number of resources, each at the point in the timeline where it is genuinely useful, rather than listing every 11+ site in one table. Sites named here were checked on 30 August 2026 against Revision Library's own site directory.
At a glance
| Site | Best for | Price | Account |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revision Library | Best for free printable practice with mark schemes | Everything is free | No account |
| The 11 Plus Guide | Best for first-time 11+ planning guidance | Free | No account |
| Bond 11+ | Best for structured 11+ practice books | Free, with a paid tier | Free to browse; account for some tools |
| Eleven Plus Exams | Best for regional exam-format information | Free, with a paid tier | No account |
The full comparison
Revision Library
Best for free printable practice with mark schemesAutumn term, Year 5. Start with familiarisation rather than timed practice. The 11+ topic guides introduce a question type and work through the method before a child tries it alone, which matters most for verbal and non-verbal reasoning, since most children have never met that style of question at school.
Spring term, Year 5. Build a light, regular routine across all four papers rather than drilling one. Maths and English practice can sit alongside verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, with every pack free to print and marked at home from its own full answer sheet.
Summer term, Year 5. Confirm which format the target schools actually set. The grammar school library matches free mock papers to the real exam format a named school uses, GL, CEM or a bespoke test, which matters more at this stage than more generic practice.
Autumn term, Year 6, into the exam. Move to timed conditions with a school-matched mock paper, and use the 11+ Pack Builder to stitch a final round of mixed practice across whichever papers still need work. A term-by-term 11+ checklist is worth keeping alongside this plan for exact dates.
Browse free 11+ practice papers →The 11 Plus Guide
Best for first-time 11+ planning guidanceThe 11 Plus Guide is a free, independent 11+ information site for parents, with free practice papers across all four strands, regional exam-format guidance, school information and a parents' forum.
The 11 Plus Guide is aimed at families new to the process and is a useful first stop for understanding timelines and terminology before choosing practice material.
Bond 11+
Best for structured 11+ practice booksBond 11+ is a long-established 11+ preparation publisher, best known for its graded practice books across maths, English, verbal and non-verbal reasoning. A free practice area exists on its site alongside a paid online platform for personalised preparation, including ISEB-style questions.
Bond 11+'s graded book series is built around a term-by-term structure, which suits a family that would rather follow a fixed order than assemble their own.
Eleven Plus Exams
Best for regional exam-format informationEleven Plus Exams is an 11+ information site covering regional exam formats, with free practice papers alongside a larger paid area.
Eleven Plus Exams is a useful reference for which exam format applies in a given region, alongside some free and paid practice material.
In the numbers
Free printable 11+ practice packs available across the whole preparation timeline
- Maths
- 218
- English
- 106
- Verbal reasoning
- 104
- Non-verbal reasoning
- 13
How to choose
Starting too early with timed, exam-pressure practice risks a child associating the whole process with anxiety before the format even makes sense to them; familiarisation first avoids that.
Starting too late, in the final term of Year 6, leaves no room to build the exam-technique side, particularly for verbal and non-verbal reasoning, which few children see anywhere else.
Not every school sets all four papers, so check the target schools' format early rather than preparing evenly across all four when only two are actually needed.
A short, regular routine most weeks of the year beats an intense few weeks right before the exam, both for retention and for keeping the rest of Year 5 and Year 6 manageable.
Frequently asked questions
When should we start 11+ preparation?+
How many hours a week is enough?+
What if we are starting in Year 6 instead?+
Do we need to prepare for all four papers?+
Browse free 11+ practice papers.
Every worksheet is free to download, with a full mark scheme and no card or account.