Free 11 Plus Readiness Checklist for Parents

Practical guide · Updated 23 September 2026

An unchecked box needs a next action, not a label

A readiness checklist should begin a conversation about skills and experience. It should not label a child as suitable or unsuitable for a school from a single informal observation.

A practical example

Choose one unchecked item and find a small task that illustrates it. Ask the child to explain their attempt, then decide whether the skill needs teaching, further practice or simply a clearer instruction. Revisit with a new example after support.

Keep observations separate from admission requirements and use the correct official guidance for the child’s intended cohort. A checklist does not produce an official standardised score or guarantee an offer. Allow strengths, interests and the child’s own experience to remain part of the preparation discussion.

Add a dated example beside a checklist judgement

Instead of ticking “secure vocabulary” with no evidence, note a word the child interpreted correctly in a new sentence. For a maths item, keep a short explanation or diagram that shows the reasoning.

Use the notes to plan one next activity and revisit the judgement when new evidence appears. This remains an informal learning record, not an admissions assessment or a prediction of a standardised score. Confirm the intended entry year and official requirements separately, particularly when an older checklist is reused for a different cohort.

How to use the checklist

Do not turn this into a forty-question interrogation. Review one section at a time and ask for a quick example. If your child can sometimes complete a skill but needs a prompt, leave it unticked and add it to the action plan.

This is a preparation checklist, not a pass prediction. Grammar school tests differ by area, school and provider. Some include verbal and non-verbal reasoning; others place more weight on English and Maths. Always confirm the current admissions arrangements for each target school.

Child's name: ______________________________ Review date: __________________

Verbal reasoning

Identifies word relationships and completes verbal analogies.

Finds the odd word out and explains the shared category.

Completes letter sequences by identifying the movement or pattern.

Solves simple letter and number codes accurately.

Builds words from letter groups without guessing from appearance alone.

Maintains accuracy when verbal questions are presented in a mixed sequence.

Non-verbal reasoning

Recognises rotations without confusing them with reflections.

Tracks changes in shape, position, shading and number.

Completes a visual sequence by describing the rule first.

Solves a shape matrix using both rows and columns.

Identifies which two-dimensional net makes a given cube.

Eliminates impossible options before choosing between close answers.

Timing, confidence and exam habits

Reads the instructions and sample question before starting a section.

Works at a steady pace without rushing the first few questions.

Moves on from a difficult question and returns if time remains.

Transfers or marks answers carefully when using a separate answer sheet.

Sustains concentration across a complete timed section.

Can explain whether an error came from knowledge, timing or carelessness.

Uses a simple routine to settle nerves before starting.

Recovers after a difficult section instead of carrying frustration forward.

What the total means

Count the ticks out of 40, but also note which section contains the gaps. A child with 28 secure skills and weak timing needs a different plan from a child with the same score and significant Maths gaps.

0-16 secure

Prioritise core reading fluency, vocabulary and KS2 Maths. Delay heavy timed practice until the methods are more dependable.

17-29 secure

Choose the two weakest sections and teach those explicitly. Add short timed work once accuracy is consistent.

30-40 secure

Move towards mixed papers, unfamiliar questions, pacing decisions and careful analysis of small recurring errors.

Four-week action plan

Week	Teaching priority	Independent practice	Evidence to review
1	Choose one English or verbal gap.	Three short sessions of 15-20 minutes.	Accuracy before timing.
2	Choose one Maths or non-verbal gap.	Model, practise, then mix the question type.	Can the method be explained?
3	Revisit both priorities.	One short timed section and one untimed correction session.	Separate knowledge errors from rushed errors.
4	Combine skills in a mixed mini-mock.	Practise moving on and returning.	Update this checklist and set the next priorities.

11 Plus readiness checklist