When should 11+ preparation start?

Admissions calendars differ, so Plusling does not prescribe one 11+ preparation start month. Check the calendar first: current registration windows can close while a child is still in Year 5.^{[2] [3]} For learning, a gentle start during Year 5 can be reasonable Plusling guidance, not an official rule. Begin with the child’s current foundations, then add relevant reasoning and test familiarisation once the target assessment is known.

Plusling helps families build confidence with bite-sized daily practice, starting whenever the timing is right for your child.

Official information: check the administrative timetable first

Registration dates are not the same everywhere. For September 2027 entry, the Bexley Selection Test registration window ran from 1 to 31 March 2026, with testing in September.^[2] For the same entry year, Kent opened Kent Test registration from 1 June to 1 July 2026, also with testing in September.^[3] Those dates are current examples from two areas, not a national timetable and not dates to reuse for another entry year.

The test process and the secondary-school application are separate. GOV.UK says families apply through their home local council, including when applying for a school in another council area. Its national summary says secondary-school applications usually open on 1 September and gives 31 October as the general deadline.^[1] The exact local date can differ. For September 2027 entry, Bexley closes applications at 11.59pm on 31 October 2026,^[4] while Kent gives Kent residents until Monday 2 November 2026.^[5] Follow both the relevant test-registration instructions and the exact school-application deadline published by the home council.

If a child may need access arrangements, check the area’s evidence and submission instructions early. Do not assume that the test-registration form, the school application, and an access-arrangement request share one deadline.

Plusling guidance: build from the foundations the child has now

A preparation start date is useful only when it leads to manageable work. A calm approach is to identify what the target assessment covers, then strengthen one underlying skill at a time. In English that might mean reading evidence or vocabulary in context; in Mathematics it might mean secure arithmetic or multi-step reasoning. Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning should be included only where they are relevant to the target assessment.

This is a flexible progression, not a required programme:

1. identify the schools or areas the family may apply to;
2. read their current dates, eligibility rules, subjects, and format;
3. work on a small, specific skill with accuracy and understanding first;
4. use any official familiarisation supplied or linked for that assessment, where available; and
5. add timed work only after the learner understands a dependable method.

The 11+ practice library explains broad subject skills. The past-papers and familiarisation guide helps distinguish official material from historic papers, publisher practice, and original Plusling questions.

What varies: child, assessment, area, and entry year

One child may already read confidently but need support with arithmetic. Another may need time to build vocabulary before unfamiliar question formats are useful. Registration windows, eligibility, test dates, and admissions criteria can also differ by school or area.^{[2] [3]}

That uncertainty is why this guide does not prescribe a number of months or weekly hours. Recheck the responsible school, consortium, or local authority for the child’s entry year, even if an older sibling followed a similar route.

If you are starting later

First find out whether registration is still possible for the relevant test. Then focus on the confirmed format and a small number of important skill gaps. A shorter preparation period is not a reason to create panic, promise a rapid catch-up, or rush through every available paper.

If an official registration date has passed, ask the responsible authority what its current published process allows. Another area’s late-registration policy is not evidence for the child’s own application.

What preparation cannot promise

Practice cannot guarantee a qualifying score, admission, or a school place. Bexley and Kent both state that reaching the selective or grammar-school standard does not itself guarantee a place.^{[2] [3]} The school’s current admissions criteria and the coordinated school application still matter.

Explore original Plusling practice

Use the public subject pages to explore skills, then head into the app for short, encouraging daily practice.