Where does your child need to be by Year 5?
The 11+ is sat in the opening weeks of Year 6, not at the end of it. So the real preparation window closes a whole year earlier than most parents realise.
It is not about ability. It is about arithmetic.
The Bexley Selection Test, the Kent Test, Newstead Wood and St Olave’s are all sat in September, in the opening weeks of Year 6. Count the lessons available before that morning and the decision makes itself.
| If your child starts… | Weekly lessons before the test |
|---|---|
| Year 3, this September | 114 |
| Year 4, this September | 76 |
| Year 5 | 38 |
| Year 5, after Christmas | 25 |
Based on roughly 38 term-time weeks in a school year.
Same paper, same September morning. Half the preparation.
Two of the four subjects are never taught at school
That is not a criticism of primary schools. Teaching to a selective entrance exam simply is not their job. But it does change what preparation has to achieve.
English
Comprehension, grammar, vocabulary and creative writing, pitched above the national curriculum for the child’s age.
Maths
Year 6 content and beyond, under time pressure, with multi-step problems that reward fluency rather than method-hunting.
Verbal reasoning
Codes, letter sequences and word logic. Not on the national curriculum at any point, in any year group.
Non-verbal reasoning
Shapes, patterns and rotations. Also absent from the curriculum, and a large share of the Bromley and Bexley papers.
A Year 5 starter has 38 weeks to learn two entirely new subjects while also stretching the other two.
Starting early is not the pushy choice
It is the choice that means you never have to push. Here is what each route actually looks like, week to week.
Starting in Year 3 or Year 4
- A short weekly session, and that is it
- Reading, vocabulary, times tables, writing
- No past papers until Year 5
- No timed conditions, no mock tests
- Holidays stay holidays
- Year 5 becomes technique, not catching up
Starting in Year 5
- Two hours a week, often more
- Four subjects at once, two from scratch
- Past papers from the first term
- A mock test every fortnight
- Papers over half term and the summer
- Everything riding on one intense year
Same destination. Completely different childhood.
And if you reach Year 5 and decide grammar school is not right for your family, none of it is wasted. You will simply have a child who reads well, writes well and is comfortably ahead in maths.
You do not have to decide about grammar school when your child is seven. You only have to decide not to leave yourself with a single option.
The Year 5 Readiness Report
Every family starts with a free one-hour assessment. You leave with something worth having, whether you book a lesson with us or not.
What you receive
What we actually do with a Year 3
It is probably not what you are picturing.
Small groups, one calm session a week. That is the whole commitment.
The timeline most parents never see laid out
A child starting Year 4 this September sits their 11+ in September 2028. A child starting Year 3 sits theirs in September 2029.
Lessons begin
Reading, vocabulary, times tables and writing. For Year 4, verbal and non-verbal reasoning introduced gently alongside.
Technique and timing
Past papers, exam technique and pace, built on foundations that are already there rather than laid from scratch.
Registration windows
Bexley registers in March. Newstead Wood from 1 May. Kent from 1 June to 1 July. St Olave’s in June. Bexley, Newstead Wood and St Olave’s do not accept late applications, and families miss these dates every year.
Exam day
Bexley 7 to 10 September. Kent around 10 September. Newstead Wood in late September. St Olave’s Stage 1 in mid-September, with Stage 2 in November.
You register in the summer term of Year 5, and your child sits the test in the first weeks of Year 6. Dates shown are for the most recent admissions cycle. Always confirm exact dates with the school or local authority in your child’s Year 5.
Parents in South East London already trust us
“Geek School is a place to go if you want to see real progress in your child’s learning.”
Oko Ganchimeg“My daughter passed two of her top grammar school exams.”
Aidah Nabugo“Daniel got into Beths Grammar School and has been offered his first choice, Chislehurst and Sidcup.”
JenniferThe questions parents actually ask
Isn’t Year 3 too early?
We haven’t decided whether we want grammar school.
Can’t we just start in Year 5?
My child is already doing well at school. Do they need this?
Is it expensive?
Do you teach online, or only at your centres?
What if you tell us our child isn’t ready?
What it costs, and how many places are left
All four 11+ subjects included. Sibling discount of 10% for two children, 15% for three or more.
11+ Programme, in centre
English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning in a small group at Beckenham or Catford, plus a free online booster.
11+ Programme, online
The same four subjects and the same curriculum, taught live online to families across the UK.
One-to-one tuition
Individual sessions where a child needs focused work on a specific area, alongside or instead of a group.
Your Year 4 has about 76 lessons left.
It takes one hour to find out exactly where they stand, and it costs you nothing. Bookings close Friday 4 September, and lessons begin the week of 7 September.
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