The Year 4 Job
Year 4 is a useful time to find out which secondary schools could work for your child. You do not need a final preference order or an admissions prediction. Start by learning what the local grammar school route involves and whether the journeys are practical.
Schools’ future policies may not yet be available. Use current arrangements to understand the pattern, then flag the facts that must be revisited for your child’s entry year. A child in Year 4 in September 2026 would usually start Year 7 in September 2029.
Year 4 Research Checklist
- Find local options
Include selective and non-selective schools. Check the Year 7 intake, rather than inferring eligibility from sixth-form information.
- Try the journey
Include the walk to the stop, waiting, changes and the final walk. Find out whether the return trip works after a club.
- Understand the test route
Identify whether a county, consortium or school organises selection. Note the broad subjects and stages without treating the current format as fixed forever.
- Look beyond exam results
Read the curriculum and pastoral information. Ask how the school supports pupils who need help, including children with SEND.
- Visit when useful
Check the school’s official open-event arrangements. Listen to your child’s reactions to lessons, noise, buildings and travel.
- Keep one brief record per school
Save the official policy link, journey, questions and future checks. Avoid a large spreadsheet of facts that do not affect your decision.
What Can Wait Until Year 5
Final CAF order, a prediction of the required score and a detailed application timetable usually cannot be settled in Year 4. Some organisers have different registration arrangements, so identify the route early, then use its published schedule.
There is no national rule that a child must start tuition in Year 4. Reading widely, talking about unfamiliar words and strengthening ordinary primary maths can be useful without turning every activity into exam practice. If you use familiarisation materials, make sure they match the named assessment and your child’s readiness.
Good Year 4 Starting Pages
| Your question | Start here |
|---|---|
| What is a grammar school? | Our grammar school explainer, then the school’s own website |
| Which schools can we reach? | School directory and real school-day travel information |
| Which test do they use? | The official organiser linked from our exam-area directory |
| Would the school suit my child? | Curriculum, SEND information, pastoral information and a visit |
Open the school directory, exam-area directory or open-day listings. Confirm event booking and dates on the school’s own page.
What To Avoid In Year 4
Avoid treating one school as the only acceptable outcome. Admission rules can change, children’s interests develop and a qualifying result is not always enough for a place.
Do not compare practice percentages from unrelated papers or use a school’s historic final offer score as your child’s target. Neither gives a reliable admission forecast. Keep conversations about schools specific: subjects, clubs, friendships, support and the school day.
A Year 4 Workflow
- Explore
Find schools and understand selection
Use a small number of relevant school pages, including non-selective options.
- Visit
Test the everyday experience
Record the journey and a few questions that a visit can answer.
- Revisit
Prepare for Year 5 registration
Check when the correct-year admissions arrangements and registration dates will be published.
A few more answers
Common questions
Does my child need a tutor in Year 4?
There is no national requirement to have a tutor. Understand the local assessment and your child’s needs before choosing any preparation.
Should we use current admission policies in Year 4?
They can explain the current system, but future rules may change. Recheck the policy for your child’s actual Year 7 entry when it is published.
Should we visit non-selective schools too?
Yes. It helps you understand the full set of suitable secondary options without making one selective result the only acceptable outcome.
Do we need to register for the 11+ in Year 4?
Registration windows vary. Identify the organiser and check its published timetable rather than assuming a national registration age.
Official sources
Reviewed 28 Sept 2026. Check the published arrangements for your child’s entry year.