Highgate 11+: A Steady Plan for English and Maths

You might notice that a tricky paper can make a child doubt skills they use confidently in school. The answer is rarely to add more full papers. For Highgate's English and Maths assessment, a steadier route is to teach one difficulty clearly, practise it in a few forms and return to it after a short gap.

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What families need to know for 2027 entry

The details below were checked on 21 October 2026. Use Highgate's official admissions page for the latest information before applying or planning around a date.

For Year 7 entry in September 2027, applications close at noon on 4 November 2026.[2]

The first stage is an English and Mathematics examination at the school in early December, and Highgate also requests a confidential reference from the child's headteacher.[2]

A significant proportion of candidates return in January for a group interview and taster lessons, with offers sent in early February.[2]

Highgate says its English paper reflects the KS2 National Curriculum and provides sample papers. It describes the Mathematics paper as one for which no specific syllabus or preparation is desirable or necessary. That points families towards strong everyday foundations rather than obscure tricks.

Make reading answers easier to trust

Choose a passage your child can read without becoming overwhelmed. Ask one literal question and one question that needs an inference. Before accepting an answer, ask where the clue sits in the text. Your child could underline a short phrase, say what it suggests and then write one complete sentence.

When an answer goes wrong, keep the conversation specific. Did your child miss a word in the question, choose a plausible idea without evidence, or understand the passage but explain too little? Each needs a different next step. One carefully revisited question can teach more than another untouched page.

Writing also benefits from small, deliberate practice. Spend ten minutes improving a paragraph: replace a vague verb, vary one sentence opening and remove one detail that does not help. On another day, write a short response from a simple plan. This keeps attention on clarity and control rather than length.

Build flexible Maths, one choice at a time

Use questions that invite a choice of method. Before calculating, ask your child to estimate the size of the answer. Afterwards, ask whether the result is sensible. Estimation, method choice and checking help when a familiar idea appears in an unfamiliar form.

If a question is missed, resist writing “careless” beside it. Look at the working together. A copied digit needs a checking habit; a misunderstood fraction may need a visual example; a slow but correct method may need one more efficient strategy. Try one similar question immediately, then another later in the week.

Keep fluency work short. Five focused minutes on number facts or written calculations can sit alongside a richer problem that takes longer to discuss. The combination builds both reliability and thoughtfulness.

Introduce the exam format gradually

Highgate publishes sample material, but save it until your child has enough confidence for it to be informative. First try a small section without timing. Discuss any unfamiliar instructions and make sure the page itself is not the main difficulty. Later, use a short timed section and practise leaving one stubborn question to return to.

A full paper can occasionally show how concentration holds across a longer session, but it should not become the weekly default. Follow it with a calm review on another day, when your child is rested. Pick no more than two priorities for the next week.

Prepare for January by keeping conversation natural

The second stage includes a group interview and taster lessons. Everyday discussion is useful preparation: taking turns, listening to another view, asking a sensible question and changing an answer when new information appears. Family meals, shared reading and explaining a hobby all offer low-pressure practice.

Avoid scripting impressive answers. A child who can pause, think and respond naturally has a more useful habit than one trying to recall a polished paragraph.

A workable week could include two short Maths sessions, one reading discussion, one writing session and one mixed review. Keep the plan flexible around schoolwork and sleep. For official links and the wider school overview, visit the Highgate School guide. To try the same explain-and-check approach now, open a live Maths example or English lesson.

Official source

Highgate School: Senior School 11+ admissions