The 11+ in Year 5: a month-by-month plan

Which plan applies to you?

Before you use the calendar below, check when your child's test actually is. Your area's page on find your 11+ area or our guide to what age children sit the 11+ will tell you.

The months are a guide, not a timetable. Some children will need more time on one stage and less on another. Every date on this page is an example from a published cycle: always check the current year on your own area's dates page.

Plan A: the test is in September of Year 6

September and October: look, listen and take a baseline

• Go to open events. Many selective schools hold them in the autumn. Year 5 is a good time to visit, before the test year gets busy.
• Confirm the test your child will sit for their entry year, including subjects and answer style. Our formats comparison explains the differences.
• Try one official familiarisation paper together, untimed. Treat it as a conversation, not a score. Note what felt easy, what felt strange and what simply has not been taught yet.

November and December: list the gaps

From that first look, write down three or four things to work on. Typical examples are a maths topic not yet covered in class, unfamiliar reasoning question types, or reading questions too quickly. Work on one gap at a time, in short sessions, using school-style explanations before any test-style questions. Keep the holidays mostly free.

January and February: build skills and watch for early registration

This is often the steadiest stretch of the year. Keep going with the gap list and reading. Also check registration dates now, because some areas open early. In Bexley, for example, registration for 2027 entry ran from 1 March 2026Source for Bexley 2027 entry: Registration opensBexley 2027 entry: Registration opensCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against London Borough of Bexley.The source says: the online registration site opens on 1 March 2026 and closes at midnight on 31 March 2026View the official source to 31 March 2026, 11:59pmSource for Bexley 2027 entry: Registration closesBexley 2027 entry: Registration closesCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against London Borough of Bexley.The source says: the online registration site opens on 1 March 2026 and closes at midnight on 31 March 2026View the official source.

March and April: start format practice and think about access arrangements

• Introduce the format properly: separate answer sheets, multiple-choice technique or written setting-out, depending on your test.
• Do short sections, not full papers, and go through mistakes together.
• If your child has special educational needs, a disability or a medical condition, read about access arrangements now. Deadlines for evidence can be early; for the Sutton SET, access arrangement requests have an earlier deadline than registrationSource for Sutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET): earlier deadline for access arrangementsSutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET): earlier deadline for access arrangementsCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Sutton SET Consortium (hosted on Nonsuch High School for Girls website).The source says: earlier deadline of 12 June 2026 for submission of requests for access arrangements forView the official source.

May and June: registration season

Many September-testing areas open registration in late spring or early summer of Year 5. Published examples:

Register as soon as the window opens, keep the confirmation email, and put the test date in your diary. If you are applying to schools in more than one area, you may need to register separately for each test. Some areas also release familiarisation material around now; in Buckinghamshire, it is made available to parents in the summer term of Year 5Source for Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT): Familiarisation materialsBuckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT): Familiarisation materialsCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against The Bucks Grammar Schools (TBGS).The source says: Familiarisation materials for the Buckinghamshire test are made available to parents in the summer term of Year 5.View the official source.

July: add timing, gently

Once the skills and format are familiar, timing can be added. Start with a single timed section and talk afterwards about pace: which questions to move on from, and how to use any spare minutes to check. Timing is the last thing to add, not the first.

August: rest, with a light routine

Most children benefit from a proper break in the summer holiday. A light routine of reading and an occasional short practice keeps things ticking over. This is also a good time to plan the practical side: where the test is, how you will get there and what your child needs to bring. In Kent, for example, children at schools outside the county sit the test at a centre on Saturday 12 or Sunday 13 September 2026 (test centres, for children at schools outside Kent or home-educated)Source for Kent 2027 entry: Out of countyKent 2027 entry: Out of countyCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Kent County Council (hosted by school).The source says: Saturday 12 September 2026 / Children who attend primary schools outside Kent or are Educated at Home sit the test in a Test Centre.View the official source.

September of Year 6: test month

Keep the final weeks calm and normal. Some areas hold a practice session shortly before the real test. In Buckinghamshire for 2027 entry, the practice test was on 8 September 2026Source for Buckinghamshire 2027 entry: Practice testBuckinghamshire 2027 entry: Practice testCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against The Bucks Grammar Schools (TBGS).The source says: 8 September 2026- practice test*View the official source and the main test on 10 September 2026Source for Buckinghamshire 2027 entry: Test dateBuckinghamshire 2027 entry: Test dateCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against The Bucks Grammar Schools (TBGS).The source says: 10 September 2026 - Secondary Transfer Test*View the official source. The expected date for the Sutton SET for 2028 entry is 14 September 2027Source for Sutton SET 2028 entry: Test dateSutton SET 2028 entry: Test dateCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Wallington County Grammar School.The source says: The expected date for the Selective Eligibility Test (SET) for entry in September 2028 is 14 September 2027.View the official source. Our test day checklist covers the morning itself. After the test, you will also need to apply for secondary school places through your council by 31 OctoberSource for School place applications close (common application form, CAF)School place applications close (common application form, CAF)CloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against GOV.UK.The source says: You must apply for a secondary school place by 31 October.View the official source.

Plan B: the test is in the summer of Year 5

If your area tests at the end of Year 5, the steps are the same but the calendar is compressed, and registration falls much earlier.

Two other published examples:

• Reading School, 2027 entry: registration closed on Sunday 17 May 2026, midnightSource for Reading School 2027 entry: Registration closesReading School 2027 entry: Registration closesCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Reading School.The source says: Registration for the entrance exam for 2027 entry closed at midnight on 17th May 2026.View the official source and the main test was on Thursday 16 July 2026Source for Reading School 2027 entry: Test dateReading School 2027 entry: Test dateCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Reading School.The source says: In July of Year 5 for candidates living within the catchment area at the time of registration and [...] those registered for a boarding place. The proposed date is 16 July.View the official source. Some applicants sat on other dates: SEN and special-arrangements candidates (in catchment and boarding): Wednesday 15 July 2026; sporting aptitude assessment: Sunday 12 July 2026; day applicants outside the catchment area (online): Friday 25 September 2026Source for Reading School 2027 entry: OtherReading School 2027 entry: OtherCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Reading School.The source says: Sporting Aptitude Assessment - Sunday 12th July [...] In catchment and boarding [...] students requiring special arrangements will be tested on 15 July 2026. [...] The proposed date is 25 September 2026. This test will be held online.View the official source.
• Trafford, from 2029 entry: the test moves to the latter part of the summer term of Year 5Source for Trafford 2029 entry: Test timingTrafford 2029 entry: Test timingCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Altrincham Grammar School for Girls (Trafford).The source says: For entry to Year 7 in 2029 onwards, the test provider will continue to be FSCE and the admissions test will be held in the latter part of the Summer Term of Year 5.View the official source.

Because these children have had less time in school when they sit the test, some of the content may only just have been taught. It is worth checking with your child's teacher which topics are planned for the spring and summer terms, so you know what is still to come in class.

Which Year 5 practice papers make sense?

Choose material that matches your child's actual test. Start with what the providers publish:

• GL Assessment areas: free familiarisation papers to print; practice papers cost moneySource for GL Assessment: free practice materialGL Assessment: free practice materialCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School.The source says: While familiarisation papers are freely available for download, practice papers are only accessible for purchase.View the official source.
• CSSE: free English and maths familiarisation papers on the CSSE website (practice material is also sold there)Source for CSSE (Essex and Southend): free practice papersCSSE (Essex and Southend): free practice papersCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against CSSE (Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex).The source says: FREE ENGLISH AND MATHS FAMILIARISATION PAPERS CAN BE ... DOWNLOADED FROM THE CSSE WEBSITE: www.csse.org.ukView the official source.
• FSCE areas: FSCE says there are no past papers; the content changes every yearSource for FSCE: past papersFSCE: past papersCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise).The source says: FSCE does not issue past papers and our test content changes every year;View the official source, so use its familiarisation guides and focus on curriculum learning.

If you do buy papers, a small number used well is more helpful than a large pile. Look for papers with separate answer sheets if your test uses them, and check that the subjects match. Our guide to how much 11+ practice is enough looks at this in more depth.

What about 11+ books for Year 5?

Books that explain a topic step by step are usually more useful early in Year 5 than books of tests. Later in the year, a book of short timed sections can help with pace. Keep reading books in the mix throughout: wide reading supports comprehension in every format. Our 11+ on a budget guide lists low-cost options.

When should you pause the plan?

A month-by-month plan is a support, not a contract. If your child is tired, anxious or losing interest in things they usually enjoy, drop a week or two. Missing part of the plan is fine. Our keeping perspective guide has signs to watch for.

Related pages

• The 11+ in Year 4: a calm, realistic plan
• Can you pass the 11+ without a tutor?
• Are 11+ mocks worth it?
• 11+ dates by area
• 11+ access arrangements

Sources

Facts on this page come from archived official sources checked on 13 October 2026: the London Borough of Bexley, Buckinghamshire Council, The Bucks Grammar Schools, Kent County Council, the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE), the Sutton SET Consortium, Wallington County Grammar School, Pate's Grammar School (Gloucestershire), Reading School, Altrincham Grammar School for Girls (Trafford), Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School (GL Assessment guidance), FSCE and GOV.UK (School Admissions Code).

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