How many hours a week should my child study for the 11 Plus?

There is no single weekly hour target that can tell you whether your child will qualify for a grammar-school place. Plan from the subjects required, the skills your child needs to learn and the time they can manage alongside school and family life. More completed papers do not automatically mean better understanding.

Start with a small routine you can review

As an illustrative starting point, try three 20-minute skill sessions and one 30-minute review session in a week: 90 minutes of structured work altogether. This is an example timetable, not a research-backed minimum, a ceiling or a guarantee. Some children will need a different arrangement; include tutor lessons and their homework when counting the total.

Reading for pleasure does not need to become a timed exam assignment. Let your child choose books as well as reading material you suggest. A conversation about an unfamiliar word or why a character acted a certain way can be useful without turning every chapter into a test.

Decide what the time is for

• Knowledge gap: teach one idea and model it before assigning questions.
• Method gap: ask the child to explain each step and compare a worked example.
• Reading error: identify the instruction or detail that changed the answer.
• Timing difficulty: use a short timed section only after the underlying method is secure.
• Answer-sheet error: practise transferring a small set of answers accurately.

For example, a child who cannot yet find a fraction of an amount needs instruction, not a longer mixed paper. Use our fractions lesson, then ask a fresh question to see whether the method transfers. A total score alone will not reveal that distinction.

Should the hours change with the year group?

For younger children, concentrate on reading, number understanding and enjoyment of learning rather than importing a Year 6 testing routine. During the year before the test, add the specific subject knowledge and question formats required. Nearer the exam, allow time for realistic practice and reviewing it. These are planning stages, not prescribed age-based hour quotas.

If your child takes an autumn 2027 test, work backwards from that date. A January 2027 school assessment has a different preparation window. Confirm the calendar before copying another family’s schedule.

Count review time as preparation

A 30-minute paper followed by a thoughtful discussion is a different task from a 30-minute paper put straight into a folder. Record two or three learning points, reteach one of them and return later with different questions. Include this in the weekly budget so that correction work does not silently add another evening.

When to reduce or change the workload

If sessions regularly end in tears, arguments or exhaustion, reduce the demand and discuss what is difficult. Consider whether the task is too long, too hard, poorly explained or simply placed at the wrong time of day. Speak to the child’s teacher or tutor about the learning difficulty rather than assuming more hours will solve it. Persistent concerns about wellbeing deserve appropriate support.

• Protect existing schoolwork, sleep, friendships and activities.
• Avoid making up every missed session with a weekend backlog.
• Give the child a clear finishing point.
• Review what they can now do independently, not just the minutes logged.

What if we start late?

Prioritise the official test requirements and the largest teachable gaps. It may be sensible to narrow the school shortlist or seek targeted help, but do not replace a missed year of preparation with an extreme daily quota. There is no honest timetable that can guarantee a particular score by a particular date.

Next step and sources

Use the weekly timetable guide to turn this into a plan. GL Assessment confirms that local test subjects and timings vary; its familiarisation materials are a starting point for format checks. The example hours on this page are editorial planning suggestions, not instructions from GL or a clinical recommendation. Reviewed 7 October 2026.