11 Plus Maths Exam – Year 5

A list of schools/areas this advice applies to is at the bottom of the page.

Skills development and exam preparation – Year 5

If preparing at home you have a choice between:

1. Using a structured course

2. Using books

In summary, if you choose a structured course all the planning is done for you, everything is included and you just have to print it out and do it. On the other hand, if you choose to buy books you would need to do the planning yourself and decide what to do when.

Please download our FREE 11 Plus Maths preparation guide which gives detailed explanations of how to structure a preparation programme at home and how to use the resources we have recommended below.

1. Using Structured Courses For Preparation

2. Using Books For Preparation

Step One – Core Skills Assessment

Core Skills Assessment

The first step is to complete our free Year 5 Core Skills Assessment. It has been designed specifically for children at the beginning of year five and will help parents understand where there is a times tables or four operations weakness. The time allowance for this assessment is deliberately tight because we expect children to be able to answer times tables questions instantaneously. You can find the Core Skills Assessment by clicking the link above where you can download it for free.

Step Two – Maths skills development phase

Mental Maths

Use the following books.           

Schofield and Sims – Mental Arithmetic Book 3

Schofield and Sims – Mental Arithmetic Book 3 (answers)

Schofield and Sims – Mental Arithmetic Book 4

Schofield and Sims – Mental Arithmetic Book 4 (answers)

Maths Problem Solving 

Use the following books.

Heinemann – Maths Word Problems Book 4

Heinemann – Maths Word Problems Book 5

Heinemann – Maths Word Problems Teachers Book (answers) Book 4 and Book 5

Maths Skills Development 

Use some of the following books.

EITHER  

CGP – Maths Study Book and Parent Guide

OR           

Peter Robson – Maths Practice and Revision Books (book 1 and book 2 only)

(If choosing the Peter Robson option also buy the answer book which covers books 1-5)

Step Three (see guide) – Exam skills development and practice papers

Use some of the following books.

GL Assessment –  Maths Multiple Choice Pack 1

GL Assessment  – Maths Multiple Choice Pack 2

GL Assessment  – Maths Multiple Choice Pack 3

Bond – 11 Plus Maths Test Papers Multiple Choice Pack 1

Letts 11+ Success Maths Practice Papers

Step Four- Do some home based mock exams using realistic papers.

Suppliers are now producing realistic mock paper packs. These are very useful because unlike the papers in step three they are structured in the same or similar way to the exam itself. Not all schools and areas are covered as of yet but most are. There are two main suppliers of these and we recommend the one below as they offer much better value. These papers are more expensive than mass produced /one size fits all but they are also about 80% cheaper than doing a hall based mock.

We’d recommend doing perhaps 4 of these ( one every weekend) as you near the exam to really sharpen up that exam technique. You can also do them in advance of doing a hall based mock so you get best value from that larger investment.

This link will take you to a listing of the 11 plus mock exam papers available

Step Five (see guide) – Further development for very bright children

Or

11 Plus Super-Selective Maths Questions Book 1

11 Plus Super-Selective Maths Questions Book 2

11 Plus Super –Selective Maths Questions Book 3

Schools/areas this advice applies to

Areas

Buckinghamshire – all schools

Devon – all schools

Dorset – all schools

Essex – all schools – apart from Chelmsford County High School for Girls

Gloucestershire – all schools

Greater Manchester – all schools – apart from Sale Grammar School

Hertfordshire South West – all schools

Hertfordshire – all schools

Kent Medway – all schools

Kent – all schools

Lancashire – all schools

London Barnet – all schools

London Sutton – all schools

Wiltshire – all schools

Wirral-Liverpool – Calday Grange, West Kirby, Wirral Grammar School for Boys and Wirral Grammar School for Girls.

Yorkshire Calderdale – all schools

Individual Schools

Reading Girls’ Grammar School – Berkshire Reading

Queen Elizabeth Grammar School – Cumbria

St Olave’s Grammar School – London Bromley

Tiffin Girls’ School – Kingston-upon-Thames

Skipton Girls’ High School – Yorkshire North