11+ in autumn 2026: an 8-week preparation timeline starting July

Most 11+ grammar school entrance tests for September 2026 entry sit in early-to-mid September 2026, with several regions clustering around the second week: the Kent Test falls on the weekend of 12 to 13 September 2026 for children outside Kent primary schools, and Birmingham's exam has consistently run in early September in recent years. If your child hasn't started focused preparation yet, an 8-week timeline starting now, in July, is realistic and evidence-based, not a last-minute scramble.

Check your region's exact date first

11+ test dates and formats vary significantly by area. Kent, Buckinghamshire and Birmingham all use GL Assessment, but on different dates and with different local processes; some areas use CEM-style tests instead. Registration deadlines typically fall in June or July, well before the test itself, so if you haven't registered yet, check your local authority's grammar school admissions page immediately, before starting on the timeline below.

The 8-week timeline

Weeks 1 to 2: diagnose, don't drill

Before doing any practice papers at volume, spend the first fortnight identifying where your child actually loses marks. Sit one full timed practice paper in each tested area (verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, maths, and English if your region's test includes it) under proper timed conditions, and mark it properly rather than just checking the final score. The goal here is a map of specific weak topics, not a headline percentage.

This step is the one families skip most often, going straight to buying a stack of practice books and working through them cover to cover. It wastes time drilling topics your child has already mastered while under-practising the two or three specific areas actually costing marks.

Weeks 3 to 5: targeted topic work

Using the diagnostic from weeks 1 to 2, spend three weeks on focused topic practice for the specific weak areas, not general revision. If verbal reasoning is strong but non-verbal reasoning (spatial pattern recognition) is weak, the majority of practice time in this phase should go to non-verbal reasoning specifically. This is the phase where a tutor with genuine 11+ experience earns their fee: identifying which of the dozen or so question types within each section is the actual bottleneck, and drilling that systematically rather than doing generic mixed practice.

Aim for three to four sessions of focused practice a week during this phase, each 30 to 45 minutes, rather than one long weekend session. Short, frequent practice builds the pattern recognition speed the test demands better than occasional long sessions.

Weeks 6 to 7: full timed papers under exam conditions

Shift from topic drilling to complete timed papers, ideally sat in a quiet room away from home distractions, using the exact timing your child's actual test will use. The purpose here is twofold: building genuine exam stamina (many 11+ tests run 45 to 60 minutes per section, which is a long stretch of sustained concentration for a ten or eleven-year-old), and practising time management within each section specifically.

Review every paper together afterwards, focusing on why each mistake happened (careless error under time pressure versus a genuine gap in understanding) since the fix for each is different.

Week 8: taper down, not up

In the final week before the test, reduce volume rather than cramming harder. One lighter timed paper early in the week, then short confidence-building review sessions rather than new material. A tired, over-drilled child performs worse on test day than a rested one with slightly less total practice. This is counterintuitive for anxious parents but well supported by how performance under exam pressure actually works.

Common mistakes families make in the run-up

• Buying every practice book available and working through all of them. More volume is not the same as better preparation. A child who completes twelve generic practice books without ever addressing a genuine weak area makes slower progress than one who does focused work on the two or three question types actually costing marks, identified through proper diagnosis first.
• Starting too late and compressing everything into the final two weeks. The pattern-recognition speed the 11+ demands, particularly in non-verbal reasoning, builds gradually with spaced, repeated practice. Cramming a whole preparation programme into a fortnight produces exhausted, under-practised performance on the day, not genuine improvement.
• Letting practice sessions become tense at home. Parent-led practice at the kitchen table can work well, but it also carries real risk: a frustrated parent correcting mistakes in real time can make a child associate the whole process with conflict. If sessions at home are becoming stressful for either of you, that is often the point a tutor genuinely earns their fee, by keeping the relationship between the parent and child free of the day-to-day pressure of the preparation itself.
• Ignoring English or maths in favour of reasoning practice.Some regions' tests include a maths and English component alongside verbal and non-verbal reasoning, and families sometimes assume reasoning is the harder, more "special" skill and under-practise the more familiar subjects as a result. Check your specific region's test format and weight practice accordingly, rather than assuming.

Online or in-person for 11+ prep?

Both work well for the diagnostic and topic-work phases. For the full timed practice papers in weeks 6 to 7, some families prefer in-person specifically because the actual test will be sat in a physical exam hall, and replicating that environment (a proctor figure present, no screen, paper and pencil) can help with nerves on the day. This is a genuine consideration for 11+ specifically, more than for most other subjects.

What 11+ tutoring costs

11+ preparation is one of the higher-paying tutoring niches, and rates reflect that: expect roughly £35 to £90 per hour depending on the tutor's track record and your region, with the home counties and north London toward the top of that range. Our live UK tutor rates page shows current rates pulled directly from published tutor profiles, filterable by subject.

Find an 11+ tutor

Browse 11+ tutors on TutorLab directly by location, compare experience and results, and contact tutors without an agency taking a cut of the rate.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 11+ exam in 2026?

Most regions sit their 11+ test in early-to-mid September 2026. The Kent Test falls on 12 to 13 September 2026 for out-of-county applicants, with results due 15 October 2026. Exact dates vary by local authority, so always confirm with your specific region's admissions page rather than relying on a general date.

Is 8 weeks really enough preparation time?

For a child with solid general ability and no major gaps, 8 focused weeks with the structure above is genuinely workable, particularly because it front-loads diagnosis rather than blind drilling. Longer preparation (starting in Year 5, for example) helps more for children who need to build foundational skills from further back, but 8 weeks of targeted work is a realistic autumn timeline for many families.

Should we focus on verbal or non-verbal reasoning first?

Whichever the diagnostic in weeks 1 to 2 shows is weaker. Don't assume, test first. Many families guess wrong about which section is genuinely the weak point until they see a properly marked practice paper.

What if my child gets very anxious about the test?

Full timed practice papers under realistic conditions, done earlier rather than only in the final week, are the best remedy, since familiarity with the format and timing reduces anxiety more than reassurance alone. The taper-down approach in the final week also matters here specifically for anxious children.

Do I need a specialist 11+ tutor, or will any maths or English tutor do?

A specialist matters more for 11+ than for most subjects, because verbal and non-verbal reasoning are not part of the standard school curriculum and require specific familiarity with question types that a general maths or English tutor may not have taught before. Ask directly about a tutor's 11+-specific experience and track record before booking.