Study Timeline
How Long to Study for 11+ Exam
A complete week-by-week study plan for the 11+ Exam (Hard difficulty, ~20-25% pass pass rate).
12
Weeks
5
Hrs/Week
56
Total Hours
~20-25% pass
Pass Rate
Find out which test your target schools actually set
Week 13 this week
- List every school you might apply to and open each one's admissions policy page rather than relying on forum summaries
- Check whether the area uses a consortium test: Kent County Council for the Kent Test, Buckinghamshire Council and TBGS for the Secondary Transfer Test, CSSE for the Essex schools, SEAG for Northern Ireland
- Note the registration window and the closing date in a calendar with a reminder two weeks earlier
- Download the free official familiarisation material for that test: the Kent Test familiarisation paper, CSSE free familiarisation papers, or the SEAG practice papers with answer keys
- Sit one familiarisation paper untimed simply to see the question formats, and do not score it
Baseline and gap list
Week 24 this week
- Sit one full official familiarisation paper under real time limits with a visible clock
- Mark it and write every wrong answer into a single running error log with the topic named
- Sort errors into four buckets: did not know the content, misread the question, ran out of time, careless slip
- Set a weekly slot pattern of four short sessions rather than one long weekend session
- Start a daily reading habit of 20 minutes of unfamiliar non-fiction, which feeds comprehension and vocabulary at the same time
Mathematics fluency: number and calculation
Week 35 this week
- Drill times tables to 12 by 12 to instant recall, because every timed maths section assumes it
- Work through fractions, decimals and percentage conversion until the child can convert in both directions without writing intermediate steps
- Practise mental strategies for percentages of amounts and for doubling and halving
- Complete two 25-minute maths sections at Kent Test length to build the habit of finishing
- Add each error to the error log with the reason, not just the correct answer
Mathematics: measures, shape, data and probability
Week 45 this week
- Cover the six SEAG maths headings in turn: numbers, measurements, shape and space, money, probability, data representation
- Practise reading bar charts, line graphs, pie charts and two-way tables at speed, since data questions carry several marks from one stimulus
- Practise unit conversion for length, mass, capacity and time until it is automatic
- Work perimeter, area and volume problems that mix units deliberately
- Re-attempt the ten oldest entries in the error log and delete the ones now correct twice running
English comprehension technique
Week 55 this week
- Practise reading the questions before the passage on one paper and after the passage on another, then keep whichever produced the better score
- Learn to quote or point to the line that supports an answer, which kills guesswork on inference questions
- Build a vocabulary notebook of words met in reading, ten per week, with the sentence they appeared in
- Sit one 25-minute English section at Kent Test length and one 60-minute CSSE-length paper if Essex is a target
- Review spelling rules for plurals, suffixes and common homophones
Verbal reasoning question types
Week 65 this week
- Work through GL Assessment verbal reasoning practice papers one question type at a time rather than mixing types
- Build a written method for letter codes: write the alphabet across the top of the page before starting
- Practise hidden words and jumbled sentences, which reward pattern spotting rather than knowledge
- Time a set of 20 verbal reasoning questions and record seconds per question
- Identify the two verbal reasoning types with the worst accuracy and schedule extra practice for them next week
Non-verbal reasoning and spatial reasoning
Week 75 this week
- Work matrices, analogies and odd-one-out sets separately so the child learns each logic family
- Practise rotation and reflection with a physical piece of paper before moving to mental rotation
- Practise cube nets by folding a real net, then predict the opposite faces
- Rehearse short individually timed blocks, because the Kent Test administers non-verbal reasoning in separately timed sections
- Record which distractor type keeps catching the child: added element, removed element, wrong rotation, wrong shading
First full mock under exam conditions
Week 86 this week
- Sit a complete official familiarisation set in one morning with the real breaks between papers
- Use a real separate answer sheet so the child practises transferring answers without slipping a row
- Score, then compare section by section against the week 2 baseline
- Rewrite the study plan for the remaining weeks based on the weakest section, not the most enjoyable one
- Practise the answer sheet checking routine: every ten questions, confirm the question number matches the row
Speed without loss of accuracy
Week 95 this week
- Set a target seconds-per-question figure for each section and practise hitting it
- Teach the skip and return rule: mark the question, move on, come back only after reaching the end
- Run short accuracy sprints where the goal is zero errors in 10 questions rather than speed
- Practise one paper with 10 per cent less time than the real limit to build headroom
- Track the error log split: careless slips should now be falling faster than knowledge gaps
Extended writing, if your target schools use it
Week 104 this week
- Confirm from each admissions policy whether writing is marked, screened or ignored before investing time
- Practise the Kent Test shape: 40 minutes total with 10 minutes of planning, then write
- Build three reusable settings and two reusable characters so planning time is spent on plot rather than invention
- Practise varying sentence length deliberately and using paragraph breaks at changes of time, place or speaker
- Have the child proofread their own piece for five minutes and count the corrections they find
Second full mock and error log purge
Week 116 this week
- Sit a second full mock in the same room, at the same time of day, as the real test where possible
- Compare against mock one section by section and calculate the change per section
- Re-attempt every unresolved entry in the error log in one sitting
- Do a logistics rehearsal: the journey to the test centre, timed door to door
- Confirm pencil, eraser and any permitted item against the letter sent by the test administrator
Taper, sleep and test day rehearsal
Week 123 this week
- Cut total practice to short sessions of 20 to 30 minutes and stop new content entirely
- Move bedtime to the pattern needed for test day at least seven days ahead
- Re-read the practice section instructions for the actual test so the wording is familiar
- Rehearse the calm response to a hard question: mark it, breathe once, move on
- Pack everything the night before, including the pupil identification or admission letter the administrator asked for
Working Full-Time Schedule
Duration: 18 weeks
Hours/week: 4 hours
Daily: ~1 hours on weeknights
Weekends: 3-4 hours Saturday + Sunday
Study during lunch breaks and commute time. Use weekends for deeper study sessions and practice tests.
Weekend-Only Schedule
Duration: 24 weeks
Hours/week: 3 hours
Saturday: 4-5 hours of focused study
Sunday: 3-4 hours of practice tests
Longer timeline but sustainable. Review flashcards on weeknights for 15-20 minutes to maintain retention.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to study for the 11+ Exam?
Plan for 12 weeks of dedicated study at 5 hours per week (56 total hours). If studying while working full-time, extend to 18 weeks.
Can I pass the 11+ Exam in 2 weeks?
It's unlikely for most candidates. The 11+ Exam is rated "Hard" difficulty and typically requires 12 weeks of preparation. Rushing increases your risk of failing and paying the exam fee again.
How many hours a day should I study for 11+ Exam?
Aim for 1-1 hours per day on weekdays. Quality matters more than quantity, use active recall and practice tests rather than passive reading.
Is 11+ Exam hard to pass?
The 11+ Exam is rated "Hard" difficulty with a pass rate of ~20-25% pass. Solid preparation over several months is recommended.
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