11+ Support Thread 2026

@notanothernvr it's hard isn't it, when they make a silly mistake. I have had to try so hard to stop myself from getting annoyed. It's so much pressure so young, no wonder they struggle

@Hullopalloo completely agree. We are doing 4 practise papers per week (1 of each test), so she gets some days off. As you say, there comes a point where it's not worth it anymore, and we just have to respect how hard they have worked regardless of the outcome. But it is do easy to get tucked into thinking it's the end of the world if they don't pass. When the reality is if they are hardworking bright children they will do fine in any school

@notanothernvr i read the do it yourself forum and there were the odd posters saying they had spent hours every day working on prep. I may be a lone voice here but is it really worth all this pressure? Im sure if there isnt a great alternative, then its the right move but i do think if someone needs all that, then they arent right for whichever school it is. Honestly if my DD doesnt get any offers, then for us certainly, we arent right for those schools because we did work hard. I learnt my lesson early on when i guilt tripped DD then saw their energy plummet so i just thought this isnt worth it.

Just over a week to go for us, and I am over it. I feel terrible as one of my twins made a stupid mistake the other day in a maths practise paper (using long division for dividing by 1000) and I got really cross with her. She just deflated and it made me feel awful. So I'm furious with myself for making her feel rubbish (she's worked so so hard all summer) and also feel like all this effort was potentially for nothing as their progress has plateaued really. Eurgh! I'm going to ease off now, just some 10 min tests to keep them ticking over and lots of reassurance and nice things to look forward to.

Ours are done and dusted (unless we get to the 2nd round). We really eased off at the end because I felt i wanted DD to feel confident as opposed to despondent if they struggled on another paper. Genuinely not expecting to progress but has been a good experience for DD.

Is everyone here going for grammar or anyone trying some indies too? For us that's the preferred route.

One week until the Kent test for us and then it's over. Had final tutor session and now practice papers, tapering off on Sunday in anticipation. Will be glad when it's done.

I will be so happy to be done with it, and not deal with the constant dilemma of keeping them sharp vs exhausting them.
DD has her final mock + mock review this weekend, and then I think we are done, and what will be will be

Warks on the 12th/13th weekend. No choice but to taper down now back at school. Exactly as you, just the odd 10 minute test each day, maybe a few at the weekend, then next week a few more 10 minute tests, stopping by Thursday.

Hello, is anyone going for the Kent test? DS is doing intensive workshops this week and I’ll think that’s us done with prep.

I’ve heard some tutors have access to past papers and a few of their students got full marks in the past. I’ve always thought they don’t release past papers so seems a bit unfair. Any thoughts?

It really is tough, and totally unfair for a 10 year old to have to go through. DD has her heart set on a specific grammar, otherwise we wouldn't have started this process. If we had our time again I think we would have moved to a non grammar area from London, but DD was 5 when we moved and we didn't really understand it.

In many ways I think it's worse than gcse's as it's just pass/fail. If someone is aiming at a 9 for example but then gets an 8, then thats fine. And it's multiple tears across multiple areas.

@Bushmillsbabe i think thats terribly sad about those feeling stressed about the 11 plus. Im stressed myself and am really trying hard not to put in on my DD however i do think my negative comments about their current school's academics has rubbed off - and i regret that now in case we have to stay.

We have one child in class who put the 11 plus into the worry box and i really feel for her - her parents are super smart and lovely but the little girl has SEN so feels things very much and will be distraught if she doesnt pass. Its such a tough process.

Ah ok. I'm not sure if that's better or worse 😁. It's such a huge things for Bucks kids. On their transition day for year 6 (where they spent a morning with their teacher for next year) they all had to wrote something they were excited about and something they were worried about. Out of 28 children, over 20 wrote '11+' on their papers which went in an anonymous box to be read out. Only about 8 I would say are seriously going for the 11+ (tutors, doing mocks, home revision etc) but that worry has clearly rubbed off on many others in their class.

If only a few doing it wouldn't be such a big thing for the class, but on the plus side it gives DD moral support that her close friends are going through the same thing

No we are in Essex. Most in our area don't attempt the 11+ as the grammar schools are over an hour away but all 4 local comps have similar or worse results.
We would need to move towards the city to get better comprehensive schools which just isn't possible.

Are you south Bucks? We have same situation with our local comp, which adds to the pressure. The grammars are great, our catchmented comp is terrible, so it feels very high stakes

@GrammarSchoolJourney we go back over the questions line by line and see where the issue is, then set tasks on those. It feels a bit never ending but I remind myself that they are only young so won't be too much in terms of volume in reality at this stage. I know we have worked a lot and its never going to be perfect.

We were struggling to motivate DD in June, but this month she has worked so hard and her mocks scores reflect this. We are hoping she has peaked at just the right time. The fact it's only 2 weeks away has really focused her.

Still think it's a shit system though. And it's especially rubbish that the local privates are boasting a 95% pass rate, vs the state schools are more like 15% - the children in private have been so intensively coached that they will take places from brighter state school children. There should be a thing like the universities, where you get a contextual offer based on several factors, but sadly there isn't.

We did the last external mock on Saturday. I am hoping it is better than the last few we have done at home because we have had a real dip in scores. Which has then been affecting her confidence.
DD has an intensive week of tuition this week which we hope will increase her continuous writing speed.

I still don't know if she will pass as she hasn't passed any of the mocks. If she doesn't then I will need to start looking for tutors to supplement the local comprehensive (30% get 9-5 in English and maths). I am also looking at independent schools but the likelihood of being able to afford them is slim.

Mine are actually quite motivated now with a few weeks too go. Still playing and enjoying holidays but less moaning about doing work. We arent tutoring but im just going through books in between work.

We are trying some indies later in the year, plus one grammar which is one of the top ones so quite a stretch. My biggest fear is if we get nothing. In my mind it will feel like all this for nothing. Currently in an indie so will just remain if nothing comes up.

@Bushmillsbabe I told mine that if they didn’t pass it meant it wasn’t right for them. The exam is just an indication of which school would suit them better. All the work isn’t just to pass it’s to make sure that are they very best they can be starting secondary school no matter where they end up.

I know this is easy for me to say sat on the other side though. The other thing we did was take them out for a celebration after the exam to celebrate how hard they had worked rather than celebrating the pass.
It’s a shit system it really is. We had so many tears from dc4 even though he passed as his two best mates didn’t. One went for appeal and he was hoping and praying he got in but unfortunately he didn’t.

@troppibambini6 thanks for your positive message
When you are deep in it you are thinking is it worth it, are they going to feel too much pressure on them. How are they going to feel putting in all this work if they don't pass? The last one is my biggest fear.

DD has worked so hard, and I know she will do well wherever she goes and be an asset to any school - she is a strong all rounder. But I think it might crush her if she fails. It's such a horrible system, and I can see why so many areas got rid of it.

Hi came upon this thread and although I don’t have one sitting this year I want ed to wish you all luck!!

I have had 4 dc all sit and pass for the grammar school they wanted to go to ( we are in Trafford)

The last one is about to start in Y7 and I remember last summer very clearly. It was so hard not knowing if I had done enough? was I doing too much? were dc going to hate me forever? 🤣

They have all said they are so so glad that they did it and even though they didn’t love the summer of year 5 it was so worth it. So just wanted to pass that on to you all…. The end is in sight!
One of the mums on our group booked a spa day after the exam and I can highly recommend a holiday/ weekend away in October half term after results are out.

This could have been me a couple of months ago! DD also assumed that any amount given in a question was 100%!

We got the Cgp 10 minute maths word problems to practice them little but often.