Holidays are when ground actually gets made in the 11+ year. Term time is for keeping the routine going. Half terms and longer breaks are when a child can move.
The trick is spending that time on the right thing, and not converting a week off into a week of school.
Why holidays are the opportunity
In term time a Year 5 child has already done a full school day before any 11+ work starts. Thirty minutes is realistic and an hour is pushing it, which is exactly why our guide to hours argues for short daily sessions.
In a holiday, a fresh child can do a focused hour in the morning and still have the day. That is a different quality of work, not just more of it, and it is why a well-used half term can move a weak topic further than six weeks of term-time practice.
Spend it on weaknesses
The single biggest waste of a holiday week is practising what a child is already good at, because it is pleasant and the scores look nice.
Go in with a list:
- Look at the last marked paper and write down the three weakest topics.
- Pick two. Not five.
- Teach, then practise, then test, in that order, across the week.
- Re-test at the end on those two topics only.
Two topics genuinely fixed in a week is a very good week. Our free mock gives a topic breakdown, which makes a usable list in about forty minutes.
What a half-term week looks like
| Day | Roughly |
|---|---|
| Monday | Re-teach topic one. Worked examples, untimed |
| Tuesday | Practise topic one. Short timed sets |
| Wednesday | Off, entirely |
| Thursday | Re-teach topic two, then practise |
| Friday | Short mixed set covering both |
| Weekend | Off. Reading only |
An hour a day, four days out of seven. That is far less than most anxious families do over a half term and considerably more effective, because it is aimed.
Keeping it a holiday
- Mornings only. Get it done and give the day back.
- A clear end point. "Until twelve" beats "until you finish".
- At least two full days off. Non-negotiable.
- Keep the reading going, and do not count it as work. See our Year 5 reading list.
- Do not add work because a holiday exists. The point is focus, not volume.
A child who returns to school resentful has cost you more than the topic was worth. Our guide to pressure covers the warning signs.
The one that matters most
If you only use one break properly, use the summer.
The test is in September, so the summer holiday is the last opportunity to move anything, and it is long enough for real work. That is the break to plan around, with the February and May half terms as useful top-ups rather than the main event.
See where your child stands today
Timed sections in the GL Assessment format, marked instantly, with a topic-by-topic breakdown. No sign-up to start.
Holidays are where the ground is made
I always say to our students that the best time to make ground for the 11 plus, and to develop a child's ability in their weak subjects as well as their strong ones, is the holidays. Half terms, the longer holidays, and the summer holidays are fantastic opportunities to make ground and really prepare.
Half term, and especially the run towards the summer holidays, is the time to push on with some extra work. Any free time in the holidays is very useful for taking extra lessons or just getting the extra practice in.
But the key word is weaknesses. The time should go on what they are not good at, with a consistent plan behind it. Spending a holiday week on the topics a child already enjoys feels productive and moves nothing.
Mushtaque Ahmed, Founder of GrammarPath and Bright Mentors
Frequently asked questions
How much 11+ work should a child do over half term?
Around an hour a day on four days out of the seven, aimed at two specific weak topics. That is less than many anxious families do and considerably more effective, because the time is targeted rather than simply increased.
Why are holidays better than term time for 11+ work?
Because a Year 5 child in term time has already done a full school day before any 11+ work starts, so thirty minutes is realistic. In a holiday a fresh child can do a focused hour in the morning, which is a different quality of work rather than just more of it.
What should my child work on over half term?
The two weakest topics from their last marked paper, not five, and not the things they are already good at. Teach, then practise, then re-test those two at the end of the week. Two topics genuinely fixed is a very good week.
How do I stop 11+ work ruining the holiday?
Mornings only, a clear finishing time rather than a finishing point, and at least two full days off. A child who goes back to school resentful has cost you more than the topic was worth.
Which holiday matters most for the 11+?
The summer before the test, because the test is in September and it is both the last chance to move anything and long enough for real work. Treat the February and May half terms as top-ups rather than the main event.