Five Ways 11+: Keeping Practice Manageable Each Week

A busy week can fill up before 11+ practice even begins. There is schoolwork, clubs, family time and the ordinary need to rest. A useful preparation routine should fit around those things, not crowd them out. Start with a few short, purposeful sessions and let the quality of your child's attention guide what happens next.

NeurofiED is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by King Edward VI Five Ways School.

Check where the 2027 process has reached

These details were checked on 24 October 2026. Admissions arrangements can change, so always use the official school and Foundation pages before acting on a date or requirement.

For 2027 entry, Five Ways listed test registration from 5 May to 4pm on 26 June 2026, with the reasonable-adjustments deadline on 12 June.[1]

The entrance test took place on 12 September 2026, and the local-authority preference deadline is 31 October 2026.[1]

The shared Birmingham test is provided by GL Assessment and uses two papers of about 60 minutes, divided into shorter timed sections covering English comprehension, verbal reasoning, Maths and non-verbal or spatial reasoning.[2]

If your child sat the 2027 test, preparation has finished. The useful action now is to understand the result and submit the preference form on time. If you are thinking about a later intake, wait for that year's official dates before building a timetable.

Choose three small spaces in the week

Look at a normal family week and find three spaces when your child is usually alert. Twenty to thirty minutes after a snack may work better than an hour at the end of a tiring evening. Keep at least one full day free from entrance-test work.

A simple pattern might be:

one English session for reading, vocabulary or sentence meaning;

one Maths session for teaching and practising a particular skill;

one short mixed session to revisit earlier work.

This is a starting point, not a quota. If homework is unusually heavy or your child is unwell, shorten or skip a session. Consistency over several months matters more than forcing every box to be ticked.

Give each session one purpose

Before you begin, finish the sentence: “Today we are going to practise…” Try “finding evidence in a passage” or “comparing fractions with different denominators”, rather than “doing 11+”. A clear purpose makes it easier to choose suitable questions and easier for your child to know what success looks like.

Spend the first few minutes recalling the method or reading strategy. Work through one example together if needed. Then let your child try a small set independently. Leave time to discuss one or two answers at the end; completing more questions is not useful if there is no time to understand them.

Use time carefully, not constantly

The published test contains shorter timed sections, but that does not mean every home session needs a countdown. New or uncertain work is usually better practised without time pressure first. You might notice that your child understands a Maths method but makes avoidable mistakes when rushing, or reads accurately until they start watching the clock.

When accuracy is reasonably steady, introduce a brief timed section using familiar material. Explain that the aim is to notice pace, not to prove ability. Afterwards, ask what felt comfortable and where time disappeared. Return to untimed teaching if the clock is masking a skill that still needs work.

Keep review shorter than the practice

A review does not need to become a second lesson. Choose one answer that went well and one that needs another look. Ask your child to talk through their thinking before you explain. Sometimes the issue is a missing skill; sometimes it is a misread word, untidy working or an answer changed without a reason.

Write the next step in plain language: “practise equivalent fractions on Tuesday” or “underline the sentence that supports each reading answer”. That is enough. A long list of every mistake can make progress feel further away than it is.

Notice when the week is too full

Watch for sessions that regularly begin with arguments, repeated careless errors late in the evening, or a child who no longer has time for sleep and ordinary interests. These are signs to reduce the load, change the time or pause for a few days. More practice is not always better practice.

You can also alternate emphasis. A demanding school week might contain only reading and mental Maths in everyday situations. A quieter week may have room for a mixed section. The plan should respond to your child's life rather than pretending every week is identical.

Try this next

Choose three realistic spaces in next week's diary. Give each one a single English or Maths purpose, stop while attention is still good, and write down only the next useful step. After two weeks, keep what worked and remove what did not.

For school-specific links and admissions information, use the Five Ways school guide. You can also try a short NeurofiED English example or Maths example before choosing the next practice focus.

Official sources

King Edward VI Five Ways School: Admissions timeline for 2027 entry

King Edward VI Foundation: Entrance Test Information for 2027 entry