Courses start in mid September because that is when the previous year's test was sat. And starting then buys discipline rather than content, which is why joining later is not the disaster families think it is.
Why mid September
Most tuition centres begin their yearly course on or just after the date the previous year's examination fell. The test is in early-to-mid September, so the new Year 5 cohort starts within days of it.
That is not arbitrary. It gives a clean twelve months to the next test, which is what a full course needs: all four subjects, maths, verbal reasoning, English and non-verbal, running right through the year.
So if you are looking for a place, the first week or two of the school term is when they fill. See our month-by-month Year 5 guide.
What starting early actually buys
Here is the part worth understanding, because it changes what you do with September.
Starting in September does not buy a head start on content. Twelve months is far more than the syllabus needs. What it buys is the habit.
A child who has been studying since September is in a routine by the time the holidays arrive. When Easter comes, and the work steps up to three or four hours a day, they are already used to sitting down to it. A child who starts in spring meets the intensity and the habit at the same time, and that is much harder.
So September is about building the discipline that pays in the later months, and the later months are where the marks are made. See our guide to Easter.
Joining in November, honestly
I want to be plain about this, because it is where families panic unnecessarily.
It is not incumbent on anyone to start in September. I have had students join in October, in November, some even in December, and succeed in the 11+.
The year is long. What matters is the discipline of studying, not the date in the register. A family who finds themselves in November having not started should start in November, briskly and without guilt, rather than concluding the year is lost.
What the first month covers
Nothing dramatic. The first month is about finding out where a child is and setting the routine.
- All four subjects introduced. Maths, verbal reasoning, English, non-verbal.
- A baseline on each, so you know which is weakest.
- Reading aloud, to check fluency. See our guide to reading for meaning.
- A word book started, and used.
- A fixed weekly slot, same days, same times.
That last one is the actual deliverable of September. The slot matters more than what goes in it.
What not to do in September
- Do not start with full timed papers. They belong later, once there is something to test.
- Do not buy everything. One book per subject. See our book guide.
- Do not set the hours you will want at Easter. Three hours a day in September burns a child out by February.
- Do not talk about scores yet. There is nothing to score.
- Do not skip the registration dates in May and June. September is early enough to diarise them.
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.
The date matters less than the routine
September of Year 5 is a very important start. Normally this is the time where students enrol into a yearly course for the whole year until the 11+ examination. A lot of tuition centres start on the day of the examination for the previous year, so it is normally the middle of September, and the course covers all four subjects, maths, verbal, English and non-verbal, throughout the year.
Is it really important to start at that time? Possibly not. I mean, students have joined in October, November, some have even joined in December, and have also succeeded in the 11+ test. So it is not incumbent that they start in September.
It is more about the discipline of studying. Starting early builds that discipline for the later months, especially going into Easter and the holidays, so by then they are in the routine of studying and practising. That does really help.
Mushtaque Ahmed, Founder of GrammarPath and Bright Mentors
Frequently asked questions
When should 11+ preparation start in Year 5?
Most courses begin in mid September, on or just after the date the previous year's test fell, which gives a clean twelve months to the next one. Places fill in the first week or two of the school term.
Is it too late to start the 11+ in November of Year 5?
No. Students who joined in October, November and even December have gone on to succeed. The year is long, and what matters is the discipline of studying rather than the date you started.
What does starting in September actually give you?
The habit rather than a content head start. Twelve months is far more than the syllabus needs. A child studying since September is already in a routine when Easter arrives and the work steps up to three or four hours a day.
What should the first month of Year 5 cover?
All four subjects introduced, a baseline on each so you know the weakest, reading aloud to check fluency, a word book started and used, and a fixed weekly slot on the same days at the same times. The slot matters more than what goes in it.
What should we avoid in September of Year 5?
Full timed papers, which belong later. Buying every book rather than one per subject. Setting the hours you will want at Easter, since three hours a day in September burns a child out by February. And talking about scores when there is nothing to score.