How to Prepare for 11 Plus Maths
11+ maths is not particularly difficult maths. There are no quadratic equations, no algebra beyond simple substitution, no trigonometry. The whole syllabus sits within the Key Stage 2 national curriculum.
And yet, year after year, maths is the subject where children lose the most marks. Why? Because 11+ maths tests not difficulty but accuracy and fluency, under pressure, against a clock, on multi-step problems where every step matters. That is a different skill, and it is the one parents most often overlook.
Here is how I would approach 11+ maths preparation, year by year.
What 11+ maths actually tests
Across exam boards and schools, 11+ maths covers the same broad territory:
- Number: place value, four operations, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio, negative numbers
- Measurement: length, weight, volume, time, money, including converting units
- Geometry: properties of shapes (2D and 3D), angles, symmetry, area, perimeter, volume
- Statistics: reading and interpreting tables, graphs, charts, pictograms, line graphs
- Word problems: multi step questions where children have to work out which operations to apply
All of these are within KS2. The challenge is not knowing the maths; it is applying it accurately, quickly, and to unfamiliar question wordings.
The four foundations to build before exam practice
Before any 11+ specific work, your child needs to be solid on four things. If they are not, fix this first.
1. Times tables, fluent up to 12 by 12
Slow times tables means slow mental maths means lost marks under pressure. Most children should be fluent by end of Year 4. If yours are not, this is the priority above everything else. Five to ten minutes daily, varied (forwards, backwards, mixed, division facts), until fully embedded.
2. Number bonds and basic arithmetic facts
Adding and subtracting within 100. Doubling and halving. Tens facts. The sort of small calculations a child should not have to think about. If your Year 5 child still uses fingers for 7 plus 8, mental fluency drills come before exam papers.
3. Place value confidence
Many children look fine on basic operations but stumble on questions involving place value: comparing numbers with different decimal places, multiplying or dividing by 10, 100, 1000, rounding. Build this carefully through Year 4 and into Year 5.
4. Fraction fluency
Fractions are where 11+ maths often surfaces gaps. Equivalent fractions, simplifying, comparing, adding and subtracting (with same and different denominators), finding fractions of amounts. By the end of Year 5, all of this should be confident.
Year 4 maths: gentle stretch within the curriculum
In Year 4, structured 11+ maths work should be light.
Weekly aim:
- Times tables practice, daily, 5 to 10 minutes
- One short maths session per week beyond school work, 20 to 30 minutes
- Mixed mental maths drills: short questions across number, fractions, basic geometry
- Word problems introduced lightly: one or two per week, with discussion of how to approach them
No formal 11+ papers in Year 4. The point is curriculum stretch, not exam preparation.
Year 5 maths: where the real work begins
Year 5 is when systematic 11+ maths preparation begins. By the end of Year 5, your child should be confident across the full KS2 curriculum, fluent in mental maths, and increasingly comfortable with timed sections.
Weekly rhythm in Year 5 autumn:
- One structured maths lesson per week, 60 to 90 minutes, covering one or two specific topics
- Homework: 30 to 45 minutes, focused on the topic of the lesson
- 5 minutes of mental maths daily, mixed across number facts and quick arithmetic
- One word problem set per week, with discussion of strategies
By Year 5 spring, introduce timed sections of 15 to 20 questions in 15 minutes. By Year 5 summer, full timed papers. Mocks begin in spring.
The under recognised skill: mental maths under pressure
Many children can do the maths when they have time. Under exam pressure, with a clock ticking, calculations slip. The fix is regular short bursts of mental maths, deliberately practised under mild time pressure.
Five minutes a day, three times a week, of timed mental maths drills (a 30 question set in 5 minutes is about right) builds the speed that wins exam day marks.
Word problems: where most children lose marks
11+ maths papers are heavy on word problems. A child can be technically strong but stumble on questions like:
“Tina has £45. She spends a third of her money on a book and a quarter of what is left on a magazine. How much money does she have remaining?”
The maths is straightforward. The challenge is reading carefully, identifying the steps, and not making a careless error along the way.
Teach a four step method:
- Read the question twice. Underline what is given and what is asked.
- Plan the steps. “First I work out the book, then what is left, then the magazine, then the remainder.”
- Calculate carefully, showing working.
- Check the answer makes sense in the context of the question.
Many children skip step one and step four. Both cost marks. Train these habits explicitly.
Common gaps I see, and how to fix them
Gap 1: Slow times tables
Fix: 5 to 10 minutes daily, varied, until fully fluent. Apps work, flashcards work, written drills work. The form matters less than the consistency.
Gap 2: Strong on procedure, weak on word problems
Fix: weekly word problem sets, with discussion of strategy as much as the answer. Train the habit of reading carefully, planning, and checking.
Gap 3: Careless errors under time
Fix: short timed mental maths drills, daily. The skill is calmness under pressure, not speed alone.
Gap 4: Confidence with fractions and percentages
Fix: dedicate two to three weeks of focused work specifically on fractions, decimals and percentages, including the relationships between them. This is one of the biggest topic gaps in 11+ maths.
Resources I recommend
For self study at home, look for:
- Workbooks that mix topic work and mixed practice. Bond, CGP and Schofield & Sims all produce sound 11+ maths material.
- Past papers from your target schools where available. Many schools publish specimen papers.
- A simple mental maths drill resource, ideally with timed sets of 30 questions in 5 minutes.
- A good multiplication tables app if your child needs daily fluency practice.
Our weekly maths workshops cover the full 11+ syllabus topic by topic, with weekly homework, mental maths drills, and increasingly timed work as the year progresses. Half term and summer intensives consolidate weak areas.
Frequently asked questions
Is 11+ maths harder than the school curriculum?
Not in topic. The whole syllabus sits within KS2. The difficulty is in the question wording, the time pressure, and the multi step problem solving. A child who is comfortable with the school curriculum is roughly 60 to 70 percent of the way to 11+ readiness.
How important are times tables?
Critical. A child who is slow on times tables will be slow on every other piece of arithmetic, which means slow under exam pressure, which means lost marks. Get them fluent by end of Year 4 if at all possible.
Should we use Bond or CGP?
Both are sound for self study. Bond is slightly more focused on 11+ specifically; CGP covers KS2 thoroughly. If your child needs broader curriculum stretch, start with CGP. If they need 11+ specific question types, Bond.
What if my child has a maths anxiety?
Slow down. Anxiety is rarely a problem with maths content; it is a problem with the relationship to the subject. Short, calm, successful sessions build that relationship. Avoid timed work until confidence is back. Some children benefit from a few weeks of below their level to rebuild.
How is 11+ maths different across exam boards?
Less than parents think. The KS2 content is the same. GL papers tend to be more multiple choice, with a slight leaning to procedural questions. Independent school papers (ISEB pre test, school written papers) tend to lean further into multi step problems and applied reasoning. The underlying maths is identical.
