What to Do Before Year 5: How to Build 11 Plus Skills Naturally in Years 2 and 3
• Cause boredom or burnout long before the actual test year.
• Lead to frustration if children are pushed into abstract reasoning before they’re ready.
• Waste time and money, because much of the early material will need to be re-taught later when a child’s reasoning skills have matured.
During Years 2 and 3, the goal isn’t to build skills specific to the 11 Plus test, it’s to strengthen confidence and curiosity, and build solid foundations in reading, vocabulary, and number sense. If those skills are in place by the start of Year 5, your child can make excellent progress in just one year of structured 11 Plus study.
• No formal 11 Plus tutoring before Year 4.
• Focus on core reading and maths skills in Years 2 and 3.
• Introduce light-touch familiarisation with verbal and non-verbal reasoning questions in Year 4 if desired.
The Key to Early Success: Reading, Reading, Reading!
If you only do one thing before Year 5, make it reading - it builds vocabulary, comprehension, grammar awareness, and imagination, all essential for success in the 11 Plus English and verbal reasoning tests.
Simple habits that make a huge difference:
• Read for at least 15 minutes every day from Year 2 onwards. Read together aloud until your child is fluent, then encourage independent reading.
• Choose slightly challenging books, just above comfort level, but remember that all reading is good reading, even comfort reading all the old favourites!
• Visit the library regularly and let your child choose books themselves.
• The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark – Jill Tomlinson
• Flat Stanley – Jeff Brown
• Isadora Moon series – Harriet Muncaster
• Claude series – Alex T. Smith
Core English Skills to Encourage Naturally
It might sound obvious, but in these busy times, sometimes we forget that the best way to help our children to develop a wide vocabulary is to talk to them!
• Ask questions about books, films, and everyday events, and build storytelling into bedtime routines.
• Encourage them to keep a “word diary” of new or tricky vocabulary.
In the 11 Plus English and verbal reasoning tests, a wide vocabulary is absolutely key to success. Relying on memorising long word lists in Years 4 and 5 is rarely effective; it’s far better to start developing vocabulary naturally through wide reading from Year 2 onwards.
Maths Foundations for Years 2 – 4
In Years 2 and 3 focus on:
Speedy adding and subtracting: practise with flashcards or quick-fire games - the aim is for children to add instantly, without having to use their fingers.
Times tables: up to 12 × 12. Again, aim for instant recall.
Money sense: recognise coins and notes, add totals, and give change.
Telling the time: on analogue and digital clocks, and converting between the two.
Measurements: Make sure your child has a good understanding of:
• Length and distance (in mm, cm, m, km & miles).
• Weight (in mg, g & kg).
• Capacity (in ml & litres).
• Direction (clockwise & anticlockwise, north, south, east & west).
Fun ways to practise:
• Card games: add, subtract, or multiply cards drawn.
• Dice games: roll two dice and add or multiply the numbers.
• Cooking together: measure ingredients and estimate weights.
• Shop role-play: calculate totals and change with real coins.
The more fluent children become with number facts, the easier problem-solving becomes later on.
Introducing 11 Plus Reasoning Skills in Year 4
If you decide to begin specific 11 Plus work in Year 4, start gently, and focus initially on verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. These subjects don’t rely on anything learned in school, so they’re ideal for early practice.
Club 11 Plus offers hundreds of verbal and non-verbal reasoning lessons and quizzes, perfect for children in Year 4 who are beginning to explore 11 Plus questions in a fun, interactive way.
Final Thoughts
Early preparation for the 11 Plus isn’t about formal tutoring or test papers, it’s about nurturing confident learners with strong language and number foundations.
To find out more about the Club 11 Plus online academy, click here. You can take advantage of our 7-day free trial to get a feel for what we have to offer your child to guide them on their journey to 11 Plus success.