"When should we start?" is the question every parent preparing for selective entry asks. The answer depends on which schools you are targeting, your child's current level, and how much structured preparation they can sustain without burning out.
The broad rule of thumb
For most London independent schools with January Year 6 exams, serious preparation begins in Year 4 or early Year 5 — roughly 18 months to two years before the exam. For grammar schools with September Year 6 exams, a start date of September or October of Year 5 is common.
Starting earlier is not automatically better. Children who begin heavy drilling in Year 3 often plateau or lose motivation well before the exam. The goal is to arrive at the exam date in the best possible shape — not to peak 18 months before it.
Year 3–4: building foundations (ages 7–9)
This is not the time for exam-specific preparation, but it is the right time to build the foundations that will matter later:
- Reading widely and enthusiastically — vocabulary is the single biggest predictor of verbal reasoning performance
- Solid mental arithmetic and times tables, automated to the point of being effortless
- Writing at length — getting comfortable producing extended written pieces
- Puzzles and games that develop logical reasoning
A child with these foundations will learn exam technique much faster when preparation begins in earnest.
Year 5: structured preparation (ages 9–10)
This is when most families engage a tutor and begin structured 11+ preparation. By Year 5, children are mature enough to understand what they are preparing for and to benefit from targeted feedback.
A typical Year 5 programme covers all four exam areas (English, Maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning), identifies weak spots, and introduces past paper practice by the second half of the year.
Year 6: exam preparation and technique (ages 10–11)
By September of Year 6, the focus should shift from building knowledge to refining exam technique. This means timed papers under realistic exam conditions, working on speed and accuracy together, and building the mental resilience to perform under pressure.
For schools with January exams, the autumn term of Year 6 is the most intensive period. Many tutors increase session frequency to two or three times per week during this term.
Signs your child may need an earlier start
Some children benefit from starting earlier because of specific gaps rather than general readiness. If your child struggles with reading fluency, has significant maths gaps, or finds extended concentration difficult, addressing those foundations early — before exam preparation begins — will make the later preparation far more effective.
A note on super-selective schools
The most selective London schools — Westminster, St Paul's, City of London — sit their exams in November of Year 6, slightly earlier than most. Families targeting these schools often begin preparation in Year 4 and work with specialist tutors who have specific experience with these schools' papers.