Planning Your Child’s 11 Plus Campaign: A Month-by-Month Guide
Embarking on an 11 Plus campaign can feel a bit like preparing for a long-distance race—exciting, nerve-wracking, and full of ups and downs. With the right planning, however, the process can be far smoother and even enjoyable for both parent and child.
This month-by-month guide is designed to take the guesswork out of preparation, helping you support your child with confidence while keeping stress levels to a minimum. It’s all about creating structure, building momentum, and staying motivated from start to finish.
September – Laying the Groundwork
The academic year kicks off in September, making it the perfect time to assess where your child currently stands. This is the month to identify strengths and gently uncover areas that may need more attention.
At this stage, focus on familiarising your child with the format of the 11 Plus exams they’ll be taking—be it CEM, GL, or a school’s own paper.
Choose some light diagnostic papers, not to pressure but to guide your strategy. You might also begin looking into tutors or structured online platforms, depending on your chosen approach. Most importantly, this is when your planning calendar begins—mark the exam date and work backwards, setting realistic goals.
October – Building Consistency
October should be about establishing a rhythm. Begin setting aside dedicated time each week for preparation, mixing core subjects such as Maths and English with short sessions of Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. These regular practice sessions don’t need to be long or intense—consistency matters more than cramming.
Around this time, introduce the idea of vocabulary-building as an ongoing project. Read widely together, discuss unfamiliar words, and build a word wall or flashcard bank. The goal is not just to study, but to cultivate a mindset of steady progress.
November – Deepening Understanding
By November, your child should be getting more comfortable with the materials, so it’s time to start deepening their understanding. Rather than rushing through papers, focus on question analysis and explanation.
If your child makes mistakes, work through them together to identify whether it was due to misunderstanding, timing, or carelessness.
This is also a good time to gently introduce timed sections to build awareness of pacing without applying pressure. Confidence-building is key during this month—encourage your child when they get it right and help them feel supported when they don’t.
December – A Light Review and a Well-Earned Rest
As the festive season approaches, December calls for a lighter touch. This is the month to look back at everything your child has worked on so far and revisit earlier topics in a low-pressure way. Play educational games, do some reading challenges, or explore puzzles that strengthen reasoning.
The winter break should be used for gentle revision and keeping the brain ticking, but also for taking a proper breather. Balance is everything—children should enter the New Year feeling refreshed and ready, not burnt out.
January – Ramping Things Up
January marks a new start and an ideal moment to gently increase the intensity of study. At this stage, you can start introducing more structured mock tests, perhaps once a week, to build both accuracy and speed. Focus on improving weak areas without neglecting the stronger subjects.
It’s also helpful to review the results of these mocks with your child, highlighting progress rather than just errors. Parental involvement continues to be important—be encouraging, listen to their concerns, and adjust the plan where necessary.
February – Expanding Vocabulary and Strategy
As spring approaches, February is a good time to give vocabulary and exam techniques a proper spotlight. Continue developing your child’s word knowledge, but also work on how they approach unfamiliar words in context.
Strategy-based learning—like skimming comprehension texts, eliminating wrong answers in reasoning sections, or managing time in tricky Maths questions—can make a big difference. The aim this month is to sharpen thinking and teach your child how to think smart, not just hard.
March – Refinement and Confidence
March is the month for refinement. Your child should now be used to the exam structure and question types. Focus on polishing techniques and increasing accuracy.
Confidence becomes the main focus here—your child should feel capable, not overwhelmed. Talk positively about how much they’ve already achieved and remind them that mistakes are part of learning. This month is also a good opportunity to explore school-specific past papers, especially if applying to selective independent schools.
April – Holiday Boost and Reflection
With the school holidays in April, you can take advantage of the extra time to do some intensive but still manageable revision. Don’t overdo it—short, focused bursts of work are far more productive than hours of fatigue. Consider scheduling one or two mock exams in realistic conditions and reflect on how your child handles them.
Balance any revision with enjoyable activities, helping them associate effort with reward. Use this time to revisit your preparation plan—what’s working, what needs tweaking, and what new goals to set.
May – Fine-Tuning and Targeted Practice
In May, begin to narrow your focus. Work on topics or question types that your child still finds challenging, and continue weekly mock exams to track progress. Encourage independent learning by asking your child to explain how they arrived at answers.
This kind of self-reflection helps build exam resilience. With application deadlines approaching for some schools, start researching open days, scholarships, and interview requirements, so that everything is in motion before the summer rush begins.
June – Keeping Momentum
June can feel like a long month, but it’s essential to keep spirits high and maintain the study momentum. This is a good time to bring in variety—rotate topics more frequently, add in real exam conditions, and track improvements using a visible progress chart.
Help your child see how far they’ve come, and gently prepare them for the pressure of the actual exam. At this point, most of the heavy lifting should already be done. What’s left is a consistent, calm, and targeted review.
July – Simulated Practice and Summer Planning
By July, your child should be in a strong position. Focus on full-length practice papers under timed conditions, ideally once or twice a week. This will help build stamina and familiarity.
At the same time, plan out how the summer will be used. A balanced schedule of rest and revision is ideal—include time off for holidays and play, while continuing short daily revision sessions. The summer doesn’t need to be intense, but it does need to be consistent.
August – The Final Stretch
August is the final month before the exam, and the priority is to keep your child confident and composed. Revisit past mocks, fine-tune exam strategies, and maintain a calm environment at home. Less is more at this point—avoid overwhelming your child with too much new material.
Instead, focus on light revision, motivation, and emotional support. If nerves start to creep in, remind them how much work they’ve done and how ready they are. Short, relaxed sessions paired with frequent breaks will help them peak at just the right time.
September – Exam Month
For many, the 11 Plus exam happens early in September. Keep things steady, supportive, and reassuring. On the day, a good breakfast, calm words, and a bit of encouragement go a long way.
And once it’s over—celebrate. Regardless of the outcome, completing the 11 Plus campaign is an achievement in itself. Your child has shown resilience, effort, and growth—and that deserves to be recognised.
Summary
Planning an 11 Plus journey month by month not only makes the task more manageable but also brings clarity and balance to a challenging process. With structure, encouragement, and a touch of flexibility, your child can face the 11 Plus with confidence and capability.
