Helping Your

Child Prepare
for the 11+
A Parent’s Guide for the West Midlands
Grammar School Partnership

2025 Edition
Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

About the author

Hello, I’m Lynn Barnes-Cooper — founder of

Mrs BC’s Tutor Room. I’m passionate about
helping children unlock their potential and
take their next academic steps with
confidence.

As a qualified UK teacher with over 20 years’

experience in supporting pupils through SATs
and the 11+ (in both state and private sector) I
combine professional expertise with a
welcoming, supportive approach in everything
I do and create for parents and students alike.

I wish you the very best for you and your child’s
11+ journey.

Lynn Barnes-Cooper
Mrs BC’s Tutor Room

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Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Contents
About the author 02

01 Welcome
About this mini-guide; the best way to use it

GL Vs CEM
05

06
07

Independent school entry; types of practice; why you

need all three 08

02 Year 4: Building a strong foundation

Activities to consider (reading and comprehension) 10

10
Reading books

A note of caution on classics 11

Activities to consider (SPaG) 11

Activities to consider (Maths, VR, NVR, SR) 12

03 Year 5: Sharpening skills and

building exam readiness
Activities to consider (reading and comprehension) 14
Reading books 14
Activities to consider (SPaG) 15

Activities to consider (Maths, VR, NVR, SR) 16

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 Ingoude Company Employee Handbook

04
Myths & Mistakes
When to start; content coverage; past papers 18

Test scores; reading books; study input 19

Tuition; pace & material; intelligence & study 20

05 11+ Countdown
Managing the final weeks

On the day - fuel for focus

22

23

06 Topic Checklists
How to use the topic checklists

English
25

26

Mathematics 27

Verbal Reasoning (VR) 29

Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR) 30

Spatial Reasoning (SR) 31

Final Word 32

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Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Welcome!
If your child is aiming for a place at one of the West Midlands grammar schools, the 11+ test
will be a big milestone in their final years of primary school.

This guide is here to make that journey clear, manageable, and (dare I say) enjoyable — with
practical activities you can do at home, reading suggestions to build vocabulary, and
strategies that really work. You’ll find activities tailored for Year 4 and Year 5, covering
every part of the GL 11+ — English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, and
Spatial Reasoning — plus grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

At the very end, there’s a tick-box checklist so you can track what you’ve covered, see
progress at a glance, and make sure no key skill is missed.

This free guide is designed as a starting point — full of practical activities, book lists, and tips
to help you support your child’s 11+ journey. It includes excerpts and ideas from my
forthcoming comprehensive guide, which will give a complete picture of the process — from
different approaches to tuition, to going it alone, to understanding the full 11+ admissions
system. The ebook will also include practical tools you won’t find here — for example, a
comprehension passage written with both GL and CEM-style questions, so you can see the
difference for yourself and learn how to use both approaches effectively at home.

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 Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

About This Mini-Guide

This guide has two main purposes:

1. Give you practical, creative ideas for helping your child learn through both hands-on and
written activities.
2. Keep you on track with the skills and knowledge needed for the West Midlands Grammar
School Partnership 11+ test.

The activity sections are full of suggestions you can do at home or out and about — things that
turn everyday life into learning opportunities. They’re designed to:

Keep your child’s brain cells buzzing.

Reinforce key skills in a fun, low-pressure way.
Build confidence before moving on to more formal work.

✏️ At the end of the guide, you’ll find a tick-box checklist. This is your progress tracker — use
it to make sure you’re covering all the areas of the 11+ curriculum.

Here’s the best way to use it:

Use the checklist alongside published 11+ materials (specific to the GL Assessment format)
to ensure your child is building academic skills and practising answering questions in the
correct style.

Keep practical activities running in parallel with written work. This gives variety, keeps
motivation high, and makes sure skills are being applied in different contexts.

Written materials (books, worksheets, practice papers) should be used for:

1. More formal working out.
2. Practising specific question responses.
3. Exploring and refining methods in Maths and reasoning.
4. Building up to timed test practice closer to the exam.

💡 Think of the activities in this guide as the “everyday fuel” for your child’s learning, and the formal
practice books as the “exam training” that shapes their performance.

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 Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

GL vs CEM - What Parents Need to Know

For many years, Birmingham used the CEM (Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring)
11+ assessment, known for its unpredictable question formats and heavy focus on problem-
solving and vocabulary.

In recent years, the West Midlands Grammar School Partnership switched to GL (Granada
Learning) Assessment.

Why this matters:

The change affects how children need to prepare — especially the type of practice materials
you choose and the format of the questions they’ll face.

What is GL Assessment?
Tests are divided into separate subject areas (English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-
Verbal Reasoning, and Spatial Reasoning).
Multiple-choice format — answers are selected and recorded on an answer sheet.
Questions are generally more predictable in format than CEM.
Strong focus on speed and accuracy under timed conditions.

Recommended publishers/resources for GL-style preparation:

CGP – GL 11+ series for all subjects, including practice papers and question books.
GL Assessment official practice papers – closest in style to the real test.
Schofield & Sims – excellent for targeted English and Maths skills.
Bond 11+ – good for building foundations, especially in Year 4.

What is CEM?
Sections often mix topics together (e.g. Maths and VR in the same paper).
Mix of multiple-choice and written answers.
Strong emphasis on problem-solving, reasoning, and breadth of vocabulary.
More unpredictable — children may see a question type they haven’t practised.

Recommended publishers/resources for CEM-style preparation:

CGP CEM 11+ series – mixed-style papers for variety and unpredictability.
First Past the Post – good for mixed-format practice.
Learning Together – for building stamina in CEM-style reasoning.

💡 In my full guide, I’ll show you this difference in action, with a single comprehension passage
written in both GL multiple-choice and CEM open-response formats. It’s one of the best ways to
understand how each style stretches your child differently, and how combining both can
strengthen preparation.

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Independent School Entry

Many independent school entrance exams still include written answer sections, even for
comprehension and reasoning.
Requires full sentence answers and well-structured written work.
Strong benefit in practising both GL multiple-choice and CEM/open-answer questions for
well-rounded skills.

Why Use CEM-style Materials for GL Prep?

Even though the West Midlands now uses GL Assessment, CEM-style prep encourages:
Deeper thinking rather than “process of elimination” guessing.
Better problem-solving skills in Maths and reasoning.
More flexible thinking if unusual question types appear.

Types of Practice – and Why You Need All Three

1. Full Practice Papers

Best for building exam stamina and learning to manage time.
Should be done under strict timed conditions, ideally with answer sheets.

2. Short-burst / 10-Minute Tests

Keep skills fresh without exhausting your child.
Ideal for fitting into busy weeks or focusing on one skill at a time.
Topic-specific Books & Lesson-style Practice

3. Target activities covering weaknesses exposed in (1) and (2) e.g. fractions, synonyms, 3D
nets.
Build mastery before moving back to mixed-topic papers.

💡 Balanced preparation uses a mix of all three — variety keeps your child sharp and avoids “burn
out” from constant full-paper practice.

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Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Year 4
Building strong
foundations
In Year 4, the focus is on gentle exposure to the skills needed for the 11+
without pressure. Think of it like preparing the soil before planting — you
want strong vocabulary, fluent maths skills, confident reasoning, and plenty
of curiosity.
Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Activities to consider
English: Reading & Comprehension Activities at Home

- Vocabulary Jar with a Twist – Collect new words, definitions, synonyms; review weekly.
- Comprehension Treasure Hunt – Hide answers around the house.
- Dialogue Detectives – Replace “said” with stronger verbs.
- Sentence Expander – Grow a plain sentence with clauses.
- Summary Skim – Read a page, then summarise in one sentence.
- Prediction Pause – Stop mid-chapter and predict what happens next.
- Hot Seating – Pretend to be a character; answer questions in role.
- Word Swap Game – Replace dull words with ambitious synonyms.
- Comprehension Dice – Roll a die with prompts (Who? Where? Why? etc).
- Paired Reading – Alternate reading aloud, stopping to explain tricky words.

Books to start in Year 4 and continue in Year 5

Classics (Extract Reading)
These following texts can be downloaded or viewed for free at [Link]

The Canterville Ghost – Oscar Wilde

The Wizard of Oz – L. Frank Baum
Pinocchio – Carlo Collodi
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
Five Children and It – E. Nesbit
The Jungle Book – Rudyard Kipling
The Water-Babies – Charles Kingsley
Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame

Modern Classics (Extract Reading and Longer Passages)

Purchases necessary

Stig of the Dump – Clive King

The Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler – Gene Kemp
Emil and the Detectives – Erich Kästner
A Traveller in Time – Alison Uttley
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase – Joan Aiken

Short Stories (Whole Text)

The following texts can be downloaded or viewed for free at [Link]

The Canterville Ghost – Oscar Wilde

The Lumber Room – Saki
The Happy Prince – Oscar Wilde
The Selfish Giant – Oscar Wilde
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi – Rudyard Kipling

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A note of caution on classics

Some books are not suitable for primary-aged children preparing for the 11+ — either because
of mature themes, graphic content, or misleading portrayals of serious historical events.
Including them too early can put a child off reading entirely or give them an inaccurate
understanding of complex issues.

From experience, I recommend avoiding the following books that are sometimes recommended:

❌ Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy. While beautifully written, these include adult
themes, death, sexual relationships, and moral conflicts far beyond the age and emotional
maturity of most 11+ candidates.

❌ Lord of the Flies –William Golding. Contains extreme violence and disturbing scenes.
❌ Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë. Slow, complex, and more likely to frustrate than inspire a
young reader.

❌ The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas – John Boyne. The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and many
historians have warned that fictionalised accounts like this can give children misleading or
harmful first impressions of the Holocaust and its victims. If you want to explore this history,
there are accurate, true accounts — such as The Diary of Anne Frank — which give a more
authentic and respectful understanding.

💡 Why this matters:

The aim of 11+ reading is to build vocabulary, comprehension, and an interest in literature —
without forcing children to wrestle with themes they are not emotionally ready to process.

Year 4 English: Punctuation Activities at Home

- Punctuation Hunt – Circle punctuation marks in a passage and explain their job.
- Missing Marks – Add punctuation to a bare passage.
- Speech Bubble Challenge – Turn comic-strip dialogue into punctuated speech.
- Comma Race – Add commas to lists and subordinate clauses.
- Punctuation Dominoes – Match sentences to the correct missing punctuation mark.

Year 4 English: Grammar Activities at Home

- Noun, Verb, Adjective Hunt – Colour-code in a passage.
- Sentence Builder – Start with subject + verb, add adjectives, adverbs, clauses.
- Tense Swap – Rewrite sentences in different tenses.
- Who/Which Game – Add relative clauses to simple sentences.
- Conjunction Challenge – Link two sentences with FANBOYS conjunctions.

Year 4 English: Spelling Activities at Home

- Look, Cover, Write, Check – Classic but effective.
- Spelling Stairs – Write word one letter per line down a staircase.
- Word Sort – Group words by spelling pattern (e.g. -tion, -sion, -cian).
- Dictation Dash – Parent reads a sentence aloud, child writes with correct spelling.
- Silly Sentence Builder – Use spelling words in the funniest sentence possible.

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 Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Year 4 Maths Activities at Home

- Times Table Tennis – Call out multiples while batting a ball.
- Receipt Riddles – Work out totals and change from receipts.
- Fraction Feast – Cut food into fractions and calculate what’s left.
- Number Plate Maths – Add/multiply digits from car plates.
- Maths in the Park – Estimate and measure objects outdoors.
- Dice Duel – Roll dice and create sums (addition, multiplication).
- Calendar Challenge – Work out days between two dates.
- Shape Sort – Group household items by 2D/3D shape.
- Time Trials – Work out journey times with clocks/timetables.
- Maths Card Snap – Quickfire calculations with playing cards.

Year 4 Verbal Reasoning Activities at Home

- Word Family Dominoes – Match synonyms/antonyms.
- Odd One Out Detective – Find the misfit word.
- Alphabet Code Cracker – A=1, B=2 secret messages.
- Synonym Snap – Play snap with pairs of synonyms.
- Compound Word Builder – Join halves to make real words.
- Hidden Word Finder – Spot words hidden inside bigger words.
- Anagram Shuffle – Rearrange letters to make words.
- Word Ladder – Change one letter each step to make new words.
- Missing Letter Puzzle – Fill in blanks using logic.
- Syllable Sort – Clap and sort words by syllable count.

Year 4 Non-Verbal Reasoning Activities at Home

- Shape Sequence Builder – Predict next in pattern.
- Jigsaw Speed Test – Timed puzzle race.
- Spot the Fake – Find differences in two pictures.
- Pattern Copying – Copy and extend visual sequences.
- Tangram Shapes – Make animals from tangrams.
- Mirror Line Challenge – Draw reflections of shapes.
- Odd Shape Out – Find which one breaks the rule.
- Shape Sort – Group shapes by number of sides/angles.
- Rotation Spinner – Rotate cut-out shapes by 90°, 180°.
- Transformation Trail – Change shape one step at a time.

Year 4 Spatial Reasoning Activities at Home

- Lego Mirror Challenge – Build mirror image models.
- Tangram Timer – Complete outlines fast.
- Paper Cube Builder – Fold nets into cubes.
- 3D Build & Sketch – Build with blocks, sketch from another angle.
- Hidden Cube Count – Count all cubes including hidden ones.
- Shape Net Match – Match nets to 3D shapes.
- Rotation Race – Redraw rotated shapes.
- Perspective Spotter – Compare how a model looks from different angles.
- Origami Challenge – Fold paper into shapes.
- Isometric Drawing – Use isometric paper to draw 3D objects.
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Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Year 5
Sharpening Skills and
Building Exam Readiness
By Year 5, the focus shifts to sharpening skills, building exam stamina, and
becoming familiar with GL-style multiple-choice practice. Practical
activities are still important, but they should increasingly mirror the kinds of
tasks your child will face under exam conditions.
Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Activities to consider
English: Reading & Comprehension Activities at Home

- 15-Minute Comprehension Sprint – Use a GL-style comprehension passage, timed. Review

errors together.
- Summary Sprint – Summarise a chapter in three sentences in five minutes.
- Evidence Hunt – Find a line in the text to prove a given statement.
- Reverse Writing Challenge – Paraphrase a paragraph in their own words.
- Inference Ladder – Start with a fact in the text, climb to an inference about
feelings/motives.
- Compare & Contrast – Read two extracts and list similarities/differences in style or theme.
- Hot Seating Advanced – Be a character and justify their actions to the “audience.”
- Vocabulary Detective – Underline tricky words, guess meaning from context, then check
dictionary.
- Prediction with Justification – Predict what happens next and back it with evidence.
- Timed Retelling – Retell a passage in exactly 60 seconds using their own words.

Classics for Year 5 (Whole Books/Longer Extracts)

These following texts can be downloaded or viewed for free at [Link]

Tom’s Midnight Garden – Philippa Pearce

The Railway Children – E. Nesbit
The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
Black Beauty – Anna Sewell
Peter Pan – J.M. Barrie
Anne of Green Gables – L.M. Montgomery
A Little Princess – Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Phoenix and the Carpet – E. Nesbit
Pollyanna – Eleanor H. Porter

Modern Classics for Year 5 (Extract Reading and Longer Passages)

Purchases may be necessary

Flambards – K.M. Peyton

Goodnight Mister Tom – Michelle Magorian
Carrie’s War – Nina Bawden
Thursday’s Child – Noel Streatfeild
The Machine Gunners – Robert Westall
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit – Judith Kerr
The Silver Sword – Ian Seraillier

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Short Stories for Year 5 (Whole Text)

The following texts can be downloaded or viewed for free at [Link]

The Open Window – Saki

The Nightingale and the Rose – Oscar Wilde
To Build a Fire – Jack London
The Necklace – Guy de Maupassant
Luck – Mark Twain
The Fir Tree – Hans Christian Andersen
The Happy Prince – Oscar Wilde
The Cop and the Anthem – O. Henry

Year 5 English: Punctuation Activities at Home

- Paragraph Punctuation Fix – Rewrite a passage missing all punctuation.
- Dialogue Perfection – Add speech marks and commas to conversations.
- Comma Placement Drill – Insert commas into long sentences with multiple clauses.
- Punctuation Alternatives – Rewrite a sentence using ?, !, … for different effects.
- Semi-colon Switch – Replace conjunctions with semi-colons where appropriate.

Year 5 English: Grammar Activities at Home

- Clause Jigsaw – Rearrange clauses to make different sentences.
- Passive vs Active – Rewrite sentences from active to passive voice.
- Relative Clause Insertion – Add “who/which/that” clauses to improve sentences.
- Pronoun Precision – Rewrite a paragraph avoiding repetition using pronouns correctly.
- Advanced Conjunctions – Use subordinating conjunctions (although, unless, whereas).

Year 5 English: Spelling Activities at Home

- Suffix Builder – Add -tion, -sion, -cian endings to roots.
- Homophone Sort – Use to/too/two, their/there/they’re correctly in sentences.
- Word Origins – Research Greek/Latin roots of tricky spelling words.
- Error Spotting – Deliberately misspelt passage to correct.
- Spelling Bee Challenge – Timed oral spelling contest.

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Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Year 5 Maths Activities at Home

- Arithmetic Race – 20 mixed sums in 5 minutes.
- Two-Step Problem Cards – Multi-step word problems.
- Shopping Basket Challenge – Plan a meal with a budget.
- Speed Division Drill – Division flashcards.
- Estimation Station – Estimate measurements before checking.
- Data Detectives – Collect data (sports results/weather) and make charts.
- Multi-operation Dice – Roll dice for numbers and operations, solve quickly.
- Shape Challenge – Identify properties of polygons.
- Time Challenge – Work out elapsed times from timetables/clocks.
- Mental Agility Ladder – Solve a string of mental sums without writing down.

Year 5 Verbal Reasoning Activities at Home

- Type-of-the-Week – Focus on one GL VR type each week.
- Compound Word Match – Join halves to make words.
- Synonym Races – 10 synonyms in 90 seconds.
- Odd Pair Out – Spot which pair doesn’t fit.
- Letter Shift Game – Move each letter forward/back in the alphabet.
- Missing Word Logic – Fill in blanks using reasoning.
- Definition Challenge – Write definitions for 5 tricky words daily.
- Crossword Clues – Solve or write VR-style clues.
- Anagram Speed Test – Unscramble in under 30 seconds.
- Sentence Completion Drill – Fill gaps with best-fit words.

Year 5 Non-Verbal Reasoning Activities at Home

- Mixed NVR Sprint – 12 questions in 6–8 minutes.
- Odd Shape Out – Spot which doesn’t follow the rule.
- Shape Transformation – Rotate, reflect, enlarge shapes.
- Analogy Pairs – Shape A is to B as Shape C is to ___.
- Mirror Reflections – Draw reflected shapes across axes.
- Rotation Challenge – Predict rotations of complex shapes.
- Hidden Pattern Finder – Spot faint/repeated designs.
- Series Builder – Continue the sequence logically.
- Spot the Error – Deliberately broken pattern to identify.
- Block Puzzle Challenge – Reconstruct a cut-up shape mentally.

Year 5 Spatial Reasoning Activities at Home

- Hidden Cube Count – Count all cubes, visible and hidden.
- Net-to-Shape – Match nets to their 3D solids.
- Perspective Drawing – Sketch an object from a different viewpoint.
- 3D Build & Describe – Build a structure, then describe it precisely.
- Rotation Drill – Redraw rotated shapes at 90°/180°/270°.
- Isometric Drawing – Use isometric paper to draw 3D models.
- Folding Challenge – Predict folds of paper with holes cut in.
- Pattern Blocks – Build larger shapes from small units.
- Spatial Snap – Spot identical shapes rotated or reflected.
- Map Reading – Follow/plot routes on a simple map.

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 Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Myths &
Mistakes
The facts of the matter

Even the most dedicated parents can fall into traps when supporting their
child for the 11+. Here are some of the most common — and what to do
instead.
 Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Myths & Mistakes in 11+ Preparation

When to start
Myth 1: “We can start properly in Year 6.”

Reality: The West Midlands Grammar School Partnership test is held in early September of Year 6 —
barely two weeks after the new school year starts.

Why it’s a problem: Starting in Year 6 leaves no time to learn the new skills required for the exam,
practise them, and then build speed and accuracy.

Better approach: Use Year 4 to build foundations and Year 5 for focused preparation, so your child
enters Year 6 in “fine-tuning” mode, not “panic mode.”

Content coverage
Myth 2: “The school will cover everything they need.”

Reality: Most state primary schools don’t teach Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, or Spatial
Reasoning as part of the curriculum — yet these make up a large part of the GL exam.

Why it’s a problem: Assuming school covers it means whole sections of the test may be unfamiliar on
the day.

Better approach: Introduce these areas gradually at home so they feel normal, not daunting.

Using test papers

Myth 3: “Endless past papers are the key.”

Reality: Jumping straight into full test papers without building skills first is like running a marathon
without any training runs.

Why it’s a problem: Children get disheartened by low marks, and mistakes become habits.

Better approach: Break down practice into short, targeted activities first (e.g., one VR type at a time)
before moving to full papers.

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Test scores
Myth 4: “If we’re not hitting 90% by spring in Year 5, they’ll never pass.”

Reality: Children develop at different rates — and test scores can rise sharply once weaker topics
are addressed.

Why it’s a problem: Over-focusing on scores too soon can lead to unnecessary pressure and low
confidence.

Better approach: Track progress, but focus on understanding mistakes and celebrating
improvement.

Reading books
Myth 5: “The harder the book, the better.”

Reality: Giving a child a dense Victorian novel may improve vocabulary a little, but if they’re not
enjoying it, very little is retained.

Why it’s a problem: Struggling through dull or incomprehensible text puts them off reading
entirely.

Better approach: Use age-appropriate extracts from classics, modern classics, and short stories
— they’re more likely to spark interest and build language skills.

Study time
Myth 6: “More hours = more success.”

Reality: After about 30 minutes of focused 11+ work, most children’s concentration dips.

Why it’s a problem: Long, exhausting sessions reduce retention and create resentment.

Better approach: Short, regular bursts with breaks between — 20–30 minutes is plenty, especially
in Year 4.

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Tuition
Myth 7: “Tutoring is a magic bullet.”

Reality: A tutor can guide, assess, and target weaknesses — but progress still depends on
practice at home and working hard at school.

Why it’s a problem: Without reinforcement between lessons, skills fade and time is wasted going
over the same ground.

Better approach: Choose a tutor who knows the West Midlands GL format, and work in
partnership with them — ask what to practise at home.

Pace & material

Myth 8: “Practice at school pace, with school homework is enough.”

Reality: Primary school learning moves steadily, but the 11+ demands speed and accuracy far
beyond the national curriculum expectations.

Why it’s a problem: A child may “know” the maths or English skills, but without timed practice they
can’t get through the volume of questions.

Better approach: Build in timed activities gradually — short bursts first, then longer papers — so
speed becomes natural rather than stressful.

Intelligence & study

Myth 9: “If my child is bright, they don’t need preparation.”

Reality: Even the most able pupils struggle if they haven’t seen GL-style questions before —
especially VR, NVR, and Spatial, which aren’t taught in schools.

Why it’s a problem: Children lose confidence when they face unfamiliar formats, no matter how
“bright” they are.

Better approach: Natural ability is a wonderful foundation, but practice builds confidence.
Exposure to question styles is essential for success.

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11+
Countdown
Final Tips for a Calm,
Prepared Child

The West Midlands Grammar School Partnership test in 2025 is on

Saturday 13th September. Most children will have only been back at
school for two weeks — so the real countdown begins in the summer
holidays.
 Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

How to manage those final weeks so your child walks into the exam room
confident and ready.

6–8 Weeks Before the Test

🎯 Goal: Finalise knowledge, build stamina, refine timing.

Full mock papers under timed conditions every 1–2 weeks.
Review mistakes immediately and focus on why they happened.
Rotate subjects so one week is English/VR, the next Maths/NVR/Spatial.
Daily reading — use shorter, high-quality extracts and short stories to top up vocabulary.
Short, targeted work on weaker topics.

4 Weeks Before the Test

🎯 Goal: Get comfortable with exam conditions.

Practise sitting two papers back-to-back with the official break in between.
Use the same stationery, water bottle, and quiet environment you’ll have on the day.
Practise filling in answer sheets if using multiple-choice format.
Begin light review of exam-day strategies: skip and return to tricky questions, no blanks, check if
there’s time left.

2 Weeks Before the Test

🎯 Goal: Consolidate, not cram.

Last full mock early this week — then stop full papers.
Switch to short, sharp practice bursts (10–15 minutes per subject).
Keep reading and discussing tricky words.
Avoid brand-new topics; stick with familiar formats.

The week of the Test

🎯 Goal: Keep calm and steady.

Focus on confidence-boosting topics they’re already good at.
Light revision only (max 30 minutes a day).
Early nights, less screen time.
Do one short VR or NVR warm-up the day before — no more.

The Day Before

No studying — let their brain rest.

Do something relaxing — a walk, a film, a board game.
Prepare clothes, pencils, erasers, water, snack.
Early bedtime.

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On the Day – Fuel for Focus

The right food keeps energy steady and supports concentration. Avoid sugar highs, greasy
food, and anything that could cause discomfort while sitting still.

🍳 Morning Sitting – Breakfast Ideas

Goal: Slow-release energy, stable blood sugar, and brain-friendly nutrients.

Best choices:
Wholegrain toast or porridge oats – Slow-release carbs to maintain energy.
Example: Porridge with banana and cinnamon.
Protein (eggs, yoghurt, nut butter) – Keeps hunger away and supports brain function.
Example: Boiled egg with toast soldiers.
Fruit (banana, berries) – Gentle natural sugar and vitamins.
Example: Blueberries with Greek yoghurt.

Example balanced breakfast:

Small bowl of porridge with banana and a spoon of peanut butter
Boiled egg on the side
Glass of water (to aid hydration and focus)

🥗 Afternoon Sitting – Early Lunch Ideas

Goal: Balanced energy without feeling too full.

Best choices:
Wholegrain sandwich or wrap – Slow-release carbs for steady energy.
Example: Chicken and salad wrap.
Protein (chicken, tuna, cheese, hummus) – Keeps them full and focused.
Example: Tuna mayo with sweetcorn in wholegrain bread.
Fruit/veg sticks – Light and hydrating.
Example: Apple slices, cucumber sticks.
Healthy fats (cheese cubes, avocado, seeds) – Steady energy release.
Example: A sprinkle of pumpkin seeds in a salad.

Example balanced lunch:

Wholegrain wrap with chicken, lettuce, cucumber, and light mayo
Apple slices and carrot sticks
Small handful of sunflower seeds
Glass of water (to aid hydration and focus)

🚫 Foods to Avoid:
Sugary cereals – Spike and crash mid-test.
Pastries/doughnuts – Too much sugar/fat, slows thinking.
Large fry-up – Heavy to digest, can cause discomfort.
Fizzy/energy drinks – Can cause jitteriness then a slump. Can also cause bloating.
White bread jam/chocolate sandwiches – Quick sugar, quick crash.
Crisps-only lunch – Lacks sustained energy.
Burgers/chips – Heavy and greasy, can make them sleepy.
Chocolate bars/sweets – Sugar spike then fatigue.

💡 Tip: If nerves mean they can’t eat much, go for a small, nutrient-dense option like Greek
yoghurt with berries (morning) or half a wrap with chicken and salad (afternoon). Always offer
water before leaving home.

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 Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Topic
Checklists
Final Tips for a Calm,
Prepared Child

Over the next few pages you’ll find a list of the main topics covered in the GL examinations.
Use them at home to ensure you are helping your child cover the breadth of activities required.
 Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Your Topic Checklists

Why use checklists?

One of the ways teachers make sure children are learning what they need in school is by using
objectives checklists. These break down the curriculum into clear skills, then track how many
times each has been taught and practised. The aim isn’t to “tick and forget” — but to make sure
nothing important slips through the net.

This guide uses the same principle for 11+ preparation.

✔ Each major topic is broken into sub-skills.

✔ Three tick-boxes are provided for each skill, so you know your child has had at least three
chances to practise it.
✔ This gives a simple way to balance coverage — you’ll see at a glance if you’ve done a lot of
vocabulary but neglected punctuation, for example.

How to use them

Tick it off each time you cover that area specifically. For example, if today’s focus was
apostrophes, mark one box for that skill.

Secure topics early? If your child seems confident after the first attempt, try a short, age-
appropriate 10-minute test for that skill. If they score full marks, brilliant — move on. If not,
revisit the topic before ticking the next box.

Still shaky after 3 attempts? Don’t panic. Make a note that this is a weaker area, but keep moving
forward. You’ll cycle back to it with practice papers and revision later.

Don’t forget to refresh. Even after a skill has three ticks, your child still needs the occasional
question to keep it fresh — especially as test day approaches.

Take note:
Reading and Comprehension are special cases. These skills underpin the
whole 11+. Unlike spelling or fractions, they can never be “ticked off and
done.” They require constant and consistent practice throughout
preparation, right up to the test.

💡 The checklist is not about perfection — it’s about reassurance. By steadily working through and
ticking off skills, you’ll build a picture of your child’s strengths, weaknesses, and readiness for the
test.

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Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

English 11+ Preparation Checklist

Reading & Comprehension

☐☐☐ Understanding main ideas in a passage

☐☐☐ Identifying supporting details
☐☐☐ Inference (reading between the lines)
☐☐☐ Deduction (drawing logical conclusions)
☐☐☐ Author’s purpose & tone
☐☐☐ Vocabulary in context (working out word meaning)
☐☐☐ Comparing characters or themes
☐☐☐ Justifying answers with evidence from the text

Vocabulary & Spelling

☐☐☐ Commonly confused words (their/there/they’re; to/too/two)

☐☐☐ Homophones & homonyms
☐☐☐ Prefixes (un-, re-, dis-, pre-, etc.)
☐☐☐ Suffixes (-tion, -sion, -cian, -able, -ible, etc.)
☐☐☐ Synonyms (same meaning)
☐☐☐ Antonyms (opposites)
☐☐☐ High-level vocabulary for 11+ (Tier 2 words)
☐☐☐ Spelling patterns & tricky rules (i before e, doubling consonants, etc.)

Grammar

☐☐☐ Parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs)

☐☐☐ Sentence types (simple, compound, complex)
☐☐☐ Clauses (main, subordinate, relative)
☐☐☐ Tense (past, present, future) & consistency
☐☐☐ Active vs passive voice
☐☐☐ Subject-verb agreement
☐☐☐ Pronouns (correct and consistent use)
☐☐☐ Conjunctions (coordinating & subordinating)

Punctuation

☐☐☐ Full stops, question marks, exclamation marks

☐☐☐ Commas (in lists, clauses, fronted adverbials)
☐☐☐ Apostrophes (contractions & possession)
☐☐☐ Speech punctuation (inverted commas + commas/full stops)
☐☐☐ Colons & semi-colons (lists, clauses)
☐☐☐ Ellipses (…) to create tension
☐☐☐ Hyphens & dashes

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Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Maths 11+ Preparation Checklist

Number & Place Value

☐ ☐ ☐ Reading and writing large numbers

☐ ☐ ☐ Ordering and comparing numbers (including decimals)
☐ ☐ ☐ Rounding to the nearest 10, 100, 1000, or decimal place

Four Operations

☐☐☐ Addition (including column addition with large numbers/decimals)

☐☐☐ Subtraction (including decomposition/borrowing)
☐☐☐ Multiplication (short and long multiplication)
☐☐☐ Division (short and long division, remainders)
☐☐☐ Order of operations (BIDMAS)

Fractions, Decimals & Percentages

☐☐☐ Simplifying fractions

☐☐☐ Equivalent fractions, decimals, and percentages
☐☐☐ ↔ ↔
Converting fractions decimals percentages
☐☐☐ Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions
☐☐☐ Percentage of an amount (e.g. 25% of 240)

Ratio & Proportion

☐ ☐ ☐ Simple ratio (scaling up/down)

☐ ☐ ☐ Solving proportion word problems
☐ ☐ ☐ Recipes and scaling quantities

Algebra & Sequences

☐☐☐ Using simple algebraic expressions (e.g. 3n + 4)

☐☐☐ Substituting into expressions
☐☐☐ Recognising and continuing number sequences
☐☐☐ Finding the nth term in simple sequences

Measurement

☐☐☐ ↔
Converting between units (cm m, g kg, ml l)↔ ↔
☐☐☐ Perimeter and area of rectangles, triangles, and compound shapes
☐☐☐ Area of parallelograms and triangles
☐☐☐ Volume of cuboids
☐☐☐ Time: reading timetables, calculating elapsed time

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Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Maths 11+ Preparation Checklist (continued)

Geometry

☐☐☐ Properties of 2D shapes (sides, angles, symmetry)

☐☐☐ Identifying 3D shapes and nets
☐☐☐ Angles on a straight line, in a triangle, and around a point
☐☐☐ Coordinates in 1st quadrant (plotting points, finding midpoints)

Statistics

☐ ☐ ☐ Reading and interpreting bar charts, line graphs, and pictograms

☐ ☐ ☐ Reading and interpreting tables and timetables
☐ ☐ ☐ Calculating mean, mode, median, range

Word Problems & Problem-Solving

☐ ☐ ☐ Multi-step word problems involving the four operations

☐ ☐ ☐ Using bar models or diagrams to represent problems
☐ ☐ ☐ Estimation and checking answers for reasonableness

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Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Verbal Reasoning (VR) 11+ Preparation Checklist

Vocabulary

☐☐☐ Synonyms (words with similar meanings)

☐☐☐ Antonyms (words with opposite meanings)
☐☐☐ Odd one out (choose the word that doesn’t belong)
☐☐☐ Homophones / homonyms (words that sound the same / have multiple meanings)
☐☐☐ Compound words (joining halves to make a real word)

Word Codes & Letter Sequences

☐☐☐ →
Coded letters (e.g. CAT ECV, shifting each letter +2)
☐☐☐ →
Reverse coded letters (e.g. DOG CNF, shifting each letter -1)
☐☐☐ Complete a word from first/middle/last letters
☐☐☐ Find the next/previous letters in a sequence
☐☐☐ Missing letters in a word pattern

Word Logic & Relationships

☐☐☐ Analogies (dog is to puppy as cat is to kitten)

☐☐☐ Word classification (grouping by type/category)
☐☐☐ Sentence completion (choosing the correct missing word)
☐☐☐ Rearranging letters to form new words (anagrams)

Word Building & Manipulation

☐☐☐ →
Hidden word inside a sentence (e.g. “The caT RAN Over” TRAIN)
☐☐☐ Insert a letter into a word to make a new word
☐☐☐ Move a letter from one word to another to form two new words
☐☐☐ Join two words and find the overlapping string of letters

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Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR) 11+ Preparation Checklist

Series & Sequences

☐ ☐ ☐ Complete a sequence of shapes (rotation, shading, size)

☐ ☐ ☐ Find the missing shape in a sequence
☐ ☐ ☐ Identify the rule governing a series (e.g. each step adds a line, or rotates 90°)

Analogies & Relationships

☐ ☐ ☐ Shape analogies (A is to B as C is to __)

☐ ☐ ☐ Matching pairs based on rules (e.g. same rotation, shading change)
☐ ☐ ☐ Identifying the relationship between pairs of shapes (e.g. shape becomes larger
and shaded)

Classification & Odd One Out

☐ ☐ ☐ Spot the odd one out from a group of shapes

☐ ☐ ☐ Sort shapes into sets by shared features (e.g. number of sides, symmetry,
shading)

Transformations

☐☐☐ Rotations (90°, 180°, 270°)

☐☐☐ Reflections (mirror images across vertical/horizontal lines)
☐☐☐ Symmetry (identify line or rotational symmetry)
☐☐☐ Shading or colour changes as rules

Counting & Combining

☐ ☐ ☐ Counting sides, angles, or elements within shapes

☐ ☐ ☐ Overlaying/combining shapes to make a new figure
☐ ☐ ☐ Spotting hidden figures within a larger diagram

💡 Tip: These NVR skills aren’t taught in school — so children need repeated, targeted practice to
feel confident. Use a mix of short 10-minute tests for speed and topic-specific drills for accuracy
before moving onto full practice papers.

💡 Tip 2: NVR relies heavily on pattern recognition and visual memory. Encourage children to say
the rule out loud (“this one rotates + adds a line each time”) to help them lock in the logic before
choosing an answer.

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Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

Spatial Reasoning (SR) 11+ Preparation Checklist

3D Shapes & Nets

☐ ☐ ☐ Match 2D nets to their 3D solids

☐ ☐ ☐ Predict which faces will touch when folded into a cube/solid
☐ ☐ ☐ Identify which net cannot make the given solid

Cubes & Blocks

☐ ☐ ☐ Count cubes in a 3D structure (including hidden cubes)

☐ ☐ ☐ Visualise cubes removed from a structure and recalculate totals
☐ ☐ ☐ Work out surface area/visible faces of cubes in a structure

Rotation & Transformation

☐ ☐ ☐ Visualise 2D shapes rotated (90°, 180°, 270°)

☐ ☐ ☐ Identify 3D solids rotated into a new position
☐ ☐ ☐ Match identical 3D objects shown from different angles

Perspective & Views

☐ ☐ ☐ Recognise front/side/top views of 3D objects

☐ ☐ ☐ Match isometric drawings to real structures
☐ ☐ ☐ Predict how a model looks from a different viewpoint

Folding & Visualisation

→
☐ ☐ ☐ Paper folding with holes punched predict final pattern
☐ ☐ ☐ Folding paper into simple 3D shapes (cones, cubes, pyramids)
☐ ☐ ☐ Visualising mirror images of 3D objects

💡 Tip: Spatial reasoning isn’t taught in most schools, so it often feels unfamiliar at first. Start
with hands-on practice (paper folding, Lego, nets) before moving into abstract diagrams — this
builds confidence.

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 Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Helping Your Child Prepare for the 11+

A Final Word

I hope this guide has given you confidence, practical ideas, and a clear sense of how to support
your child on their 11+ journey. Preparing for the test is a marathon, not a sprint — and the most
important thing is to keep it balanced, consistent, and positive.

Remember: this guide is just the beginning. I’m currently writing a comprehensive guide that will
bring together everything you need for the complete 11+ picture, including:

Different approaches to tuition (1:1, group, DIY, online)

How the admissions system works from start to finish
Tips for managing workload, stress, and wellbeing
Extra resources and tools you won’t find in this free version

All this information will be available to you (hopefully!) in late October — so keep an eye out!

In the meantime, I wish you and your child the very best for the year ahead. With the right support,
steady practice, and plenty of encouragement, they can walk into the test room in September
feeling confident and ready.

Mrs BC’s Tutor Room

Cofton Hackett, Birmingham

Specialising in 11+ preparation (West Midlands Grammar School Partnership) and

independent school entrance exams
Warm, welcoming, and high-expectation tuition in a calming environment

Website:
[Link]

Mrs BC’s Tutor Room Facebook page:

[Link]/mrsbc1/

Birmingham / West Midlands Grammar & Independent Schools Q&A (11+) Facebook group:
[Link]/groups/7430284483655509

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