The Year 5 Job
Year 5 is when broad school research becomes an application record. Confirm which assessment each school uses, what the school does with the result and which deadlines come before testing.
Write your child’s Year 7 entry year at the top of the record. A child in Year 5 in September 2026 would usually start Year 7 in September 2028, with many tests taking place in 2027. A page headed “2027 entry” is usually for the preceding cohort.
Year 5 Research Checklist
- Read the correct-year policy
Use determined arrangements when published. Note academic requirements, priority groups, address rules and any supplementary form.
- Confirm every test stage
Check the organiser, subjects, first and second stages, and whether scores must be shared with particular schools.
- Register and save confirmation
Do not rely on school visits, practice bookings or mailing-list subscriptions as registration. Check whether any automatic registration arrangement applies.
- Request access arrangements early
Ask the organiser about evidence and deadlines. Explain existing support and what your child needs during assessment.
- Keep non-selective options current
Visit schools you could reasonably accept. Qualification, priority and available places remain uncertain.
- Use appropriate familiarisation
Start with the organiser’s published materials and instructions. Review understanding and confidence rather than collecting unrelated practice scores.
Dates To Put In One Place
| Reminder | Detail to keep |
|---|---|
| Registration deadline | Official link, login and confirmation reference |
| Access arrangements | Evidence required and its separate deadline |
| Test stages | Venue, arrival time, equipment and illness instructions |
| Result release | How the result arrives and what it means |
| CAF preparation | Preference limit, submission deadline and school forms |
Some access-arrangement deadlines precede the main registration deadline. If dates for your cohort are unpublished, mark them “awaiting official publication”; do not roll last year’s date forward.
What To Stop Doing In Year 5
Stop using a county-wide ranking as a substitute for reading admission rules. A highly ranked school can be impractical because of the journey or a low-priority admission category.
Avoid buying materials simply because they say “11+”. Check the actual subjects, response format and provider. Do not invent a percentage target from a different region’s standardised score.
Keep preparation proportionate to your child’s needs and leave space for sleep, exercise, friends and ordinary schoolwork. If preparation causes persistent distress, discuss the approach and expectations with the child’s teacher.
Area Starting Points
Use the exam-area directory to reach the relevant official organiser. Kent, Buckinghamshire, Sutton, Bexley and CSSE have different registration and assessment arrangements; Chelmsford County High School uses a separate route from CSSE.
Then return to each school’s admission policy. A shared exam does not mean shared catchment rules or a single application for every school.
A Year 5 Workflow
- First
Confirm eligibility and the exam
Keep a school record alongside the shared test record.
- Next
Register and submit supporting evidence
Save proof of submission and read any acknowledgement carefully.
- Before testing
Check instructions and revisit school choices
Confirm stages and travel to the venue. Keep the later CAF deadline separate.
A few more answers
Common questions
When should we register for the 11+?
Many registrations happen in Year 5, but there is no single national window. Follow the official timetable for the named test and entry year.
Are access arrangements automatic?
No. Ask the test organiser about the application, evidence and deadline, even when your child already receives support at primary school.
Does registering for one test cover every school?
Only where the published arrangements say it does. Check additional stages, score sharing and school-specific forms.
What if the correct-year timetable is not published?
Record the official page and a reminder to revisit it. Do not assume last year’s dates or test format will be repeated.
Official sources
Reviewed 30 Sept 2026. Check the published arrangements for your child’s entry year.