Y4 11+ Week Commencing 1st June (week 2 of 8)
Welcome back! I hope you had a restful and enjoyable May half-term holiday!
👉 👉 👉 11+ UPDATE
There have been increasing discussions that some 11+ tests may move from September to July. Whilst nothing has been officially confirmed for all areas, there is growing momentum behind this change, with a number of grammar school regions already announcing a move to summer testing. The reasoning behind this is to reduce the amount of revision children undertake over the summer holidays and to avoid the pressure of preparing throughout the six-week break.
Several grammar school areas have already confirmed changes. For example, the Gloucestershire Grammar School Consortium — including schools such as Pate’s Grammar School, The Crypt School, Sir Thomas Rich’s School, Ribston Hall High School, Stroud High School, Marling School and Denmark Road High School — has announced that tests will move to summer term testing from 2027 (for September 2028 entry). In Berkshire, Reading School has also moved its testing earlier, holding examinations in July for the 2027 intake.
Whilst we understand the reasoning behind a potential move, we also recognise that it may reduce the amount of preparation time available for some children. We know many families value a balanced summer, and we take pride in offering a wide range of engaging learning experiences during the holidays without creating unnecessary pressure or unrealistic expectations.
With this in mind, and as part of our “just in case” planning, we will be adapting our provision to ensure children are fully prepared should testing move earlier.
For children in Year 4, we will now be introducing:
• Weekly workshops in addition to the existing 1:1 lessons already available
• Additional Maths crash courses, as we recognise this can be an area of challenge for many children
• Earlier access to mock examinations to help build familiarity and confidence
We will also be increasing our wider holiday provision, with additional support available during:
• February half term
• Easter holidays
• May half term
This will include targeted crash courses and earlier mock testing opportunities to ensure children remain well prepared, whilst still enjoying a balanced approach to learning.
Based on previous changes to testing formats — such as the move from CEM to GL-style assessments in a number of areas — it is possible that confirmation may not arrive until February or March 2027. However, at present, no official announcement has been made, and we will continue to monitor developments closely.
Ultimately, we want to ensure our children are confidently prepared whilst avoiding unnecessary pressure. As competition increases, with some providers beginning preparation as early as Years 1 and 2, we feel it is important to adapt our offering to support families in a measured, positive and child-centred way.
Further details will be shared shortly and updated over time.
As always, if you have any questions, please do get in touch and we will do our very best to provide the most up-to-date information as we receive it.
👉A REMINDER OF THE FOLLOWING
Holiday Provision
Throughout the holidays, we will continue to offer workshops (each covering different content), mock tests, and 1:1 lessons. These will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with booking links shared in the coming weeks.
Resources & Homework
If you have already placed a book order, your resources should have been distributed. If not, ordering details can be found in the Homework section.
If you are still waiting to receive materials, please get in touch. A small amount of stock is still available for those who have not yet ordered.
Important Reminders
Parking
Please do not park on site, as the parking spaces belong to other organisations using the venue. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
Attendance
Classes run Monday to Saturday. If your child is unable to attend a session, please notify us as early as possible. Where space allows, we will do our best to offer an alternative session within the same week.
As a reminder, we are now entering the final term with just 7 weeks of regular teaching remaining. We recommend gradually increasing home study to around 20–30 minutes per day, ideally split into 10–20 minute sessions.
If you are not already attending additional sessions, we strongly encourage you to consider them, as they are highly effective for boosting confidence and addressing any gaps.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We are looking forward to a productive and successful half term ahead.
BLOCK 6 DATES
Week 1: 18th May - 23rd May
HALF TERM HOLIDAY
Week 2: 1st June - 6th June
Week 3: 8th June - 13th June
Week 4: 15th June to 20th June
Week 5: 22nd June to 27th June
Week 6: 29th June to 4th July
Week 7: 6th July to 11th July
Week 8: 13th July to 18th July
Warm regards,
Chris, Nic, and the team
*********************************************
YEAR 4 11+ PARENTS WORKSHOP BOOK HERE
DON’T FORGET TO BRING YOUR CHILD!
11+ parent workshop talks you through
- what is the 11+
- what your child has to do to be successful
- how you can help them
- how we can help them
- expectations for sept 2027 onwards
- some example VR and NVR questions
This will give you the opportunity to ask any questions
You will receive a £25 voucher towards workshops or mock tests at the end of the workshop.
👉NON-VERBAL REASONING FOCUS LESSONSBOOK HERE
TUESDAYS 4:30pm or SATURDAYS 11:00am
Week 4: 15th June to 20th June
Week 5: 22nd June to 27th June
Week 6: 29th June to 4th July
Help your child build confidence and excel in their GL 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning with our focused NVR sessions. Designed to break down the more complex elements, each session is paced carefully to ensure your child fully understands and develops key skills in areas such as coding, sequences, matrices, and analogies, along with other challenging NVR topics. By mastering these essential techniques, your child will feel more prepared and self-assured for the 11+ exam.
👉HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS BOOK HERE
WEDNESDAYS 4:30-6:30PM
The workshops have been carefully written by Chris to cover all 4 aspects of the 11+. EACH WORKSHOP IS DIFFERENT.
Each workshop lasts 2 hours and covers the four key areas of the 11+ exam: Maths, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning and English. Pupils work through a range of test-style questions, helping them become confident with the format, structure and timing of the GL assessment.
These sessions are especially valuable in the lead-up to the exam as they help children to:
Develop effective exam strategies – using efficient methods to improve accuracy and reduce errors.
Strengthen time management – practising under timed conditions to build pace and stamina.
Pinpoint strengths and gaps – with clear teacher guidance for targeted improvement.
Build confidence – regular practice in a supportive setting reduces anxiety.
Our workshops provide more than subject knowledge; they equip children with the practical skills and exam techniques needed to perform at their very best. They are a vital part of a well-rounded 11+ preparation programme.
👉SUMMER ONE TO ONES BOOK HERE
Spaces are limited and on a first come, first served basis. We can focus on an area of need your child has. These are also pre-bookable for Mock Test Feedback.
*******************************************************
VOCABULARY
WORD OF THE WEEK: TRANQUIL (Find a synonym, antonym and put it into a sentence)
**************************************************
This week’s KAHOOT quiz pin: 0279127 (VOCAB QUIZ 30)
Well done to Harriet last week! 5 raffle tickets coming your way!
Remember to play through kahoot.it.Use name1, name2, name3 etc for each play!
***********************************
If you haven’t done so already - please follow me on Facebook
***********************************
HOMEWORK
9-10 NVR P2-7 9-10 MATHS P2-5
Unsure how to do homework or independent study - watch this link
PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEO LINK: MIRROR CODES VERBAL REASONING before the lesson. This can replace a 10min test and children will receive 2 raffle tickets for doing so.
We are coming towards the end of the 8-9 books and will be moving onto the 9-10 books. I plan to do an order this weekend for the books. You can order here.
Coming to the end of the 10min test books? The next steps are the focus books. Order here
Finish the booklet from the lesson and return in the following week. Remember to complete the vocab in context. To be handed in week commencing 8th June.
REMEMBER: to mark the homework with your child and bring it to next lesson.
REMBEMBER THE HOMEWORK IS DUE IN NEXT WEEK’S CLASS.
Complete at least 3 tests from each of the 10min test books. REMEMBER to mark this with your child daily & go through mistakes. Suggested time table is available in our 11+ guide. https://www.elevenplussuccess.com/11-useful-documents
