How to structure an 11 Plus study timetable for 2027

A useful 11 Plus timetable tells your child what to work on, when to stop and what to revisit. Build it around their actual 2027 exam date and the subjects their chosen schools assess. Avoid filling every free evening before you know what needs teaching.

Step 1: make a school and deadline sheet

Write down each target school, test provider or assessment name, tested subjects, exam date, registration deadline and relevant school-entry year. Add the source URL and the date you checked it. Mark unpublished information as unconfirmed; do not turn last year’s date into next year’s deadline.

Step 2: identify a few starting priorities

Use suitable familiarisation questions or a short untimed task. Record what the child found difficult and why. “Fractions of amounts” is a better target than “improve maths”. “Explain an inference with a quotation” is more actionable than “do English”. Limit the first week to a few skills you can review properly.

Step 3: put normal life into the calendar first

Enter school homework, clubs, family commitments and rest before adding preparation. Count any tuition and assigned homework as part of the total. Choose times when your child is available and receptive. A timetable should be easy to adjust when school demands change.

An adaptable weekly timetable

This example contains 90 minutes of structured preparation. It is not a universal recommended workload. Change the days, length and subject balance to fit your child and the test. If reasoning is not assessed, use that slot for a relevant skill; do not study it simply because it appears in a generic planner.

Step 4: give each session a beginning and an end

• State one learning goal, such as “share an amount in a ratio”.
• Show a worked example or discuss the rule.
• Let the child attempt a small set independently.
• Review the explanation, not just the answer.
• Write one next step and finish at the planned time.

Our ratio-sharing lesson can fill a maths session. If the child understands it quickly, try a more demanding application. If they do not, return to the example rather than extending the session indefinitely.

Work backwards from the test date

The stages need not occupy equal lengths of time. Move between them when necessary: a timed task may reveal a skill that needs teaching again. For a September 2027 test, the final stage is before September, not an invented May-to-December Year 6 revision block. Winter independent-school tests need a different calendar.

Step 5: use a simple review log

Do not treat a rising score on a repeatedly used paper as proof of the same improvement on unfamiliar material. Keep a record of whether questions were new, timed, independently completed and at comparable difficulty.

If the timetable stops working

Ask what needs to change: the task, its explanation, the time of day or the overall workload. Drop an optional session rather than letting missed work accumulate. A child who is regularly distressed needs a supportive conversation and a revised plan, not a punishment for missing a target.

Sources and related help

GL Assessment’s parent information explains why format checks must be local. GOV.UK admissions guidance explains where to check school applications. The timetable and review log here are original planning examples, not provider requirements. See how many hours to study for workload decisions. Reviewed 7 October 2026.