Year 4 is a useful time to build foundations for the 11+, but it is far too early to expect a child to look like an exam-ready Year 6 pupil. A baseline at this stage should help you understand learning habits and core skills, not generate a frightening “pass probability”.
Think of it as a health check for the basics.
Reading: can your child explain what they have read?
Do not begin with speed. Give your child an age-appropriate but slightly challenging passage and talk about it.
Can they retrieve a fact? Explain why a character acted in a certain way? Work out an unfamiliar word from context? Support an opinion with evidence?
If the answer is sometimes, that is normal. The best Year 4 preparation may simply be more regular reading and better conversations about books.
Maths: are the fundamentals becoming fluent?
Check number sense, place value, the four operations appropriate to their school stage, times tables and simple fractions.
You are looking for developing fluency, not instant perfection. A child who has to rebuild every multiplication fact from scratch will later struggle with the pace of 11+ problem solving, so foundational practice has high value.
Vocabulary: is the word bank growing?
Vocabulary develops over years, which is why Year 4 is a good time to make it part of normal life. Notice interesting words in books, signs, documentaries and conversation.
Ask what a word might mean before reaching for a dictionary. Compare synonyms. Use the new word later in the week.
Avoid turning vocabulary into hundreds of disconnected flashcards unless your child genuinely enjoys that approach.
Reasoning: introduce the idea, not the pressure
Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning may be unfamiliar because they are not always taught explicitly in school. Use short sets to see how your child responds to codes, analogies, patterns, sequences, rotations and classifications.
If verbal and non-verbal reasoning are unfamiliar, it helps to see how each test board sets these questions before you start practising them. 11+ exam format guides
At first, teach the method. Do not expect a child to infer every question rule through trial and error.
Concentration matters too
Can your child work independently for 15 minutes? Do they give up quickly when the first answer is unclear? Can they listen to a correction without becoming defensive?
These habits are as important as individual question types. Gradually build resilience through manageable challenge.
What a Year 4 baseline should not do
It should not rank your child against Year 6 candidates. It should not become a weekly full mock. It should not create a label such as “grammar-school material” based on one afternoon.
Children develop at different rates, and admissions outcomes years later depend on far more than a Year 4 worksheet.
A good Year 4 weekly rhythm
Try two or three brief sessions: one reading/comprehension activity, one maths foundation activity and an occasional reasoning puzzle. Keep ordinary reading, sport, play and schoolwork central.
EduArchives includes foundation-level material across the main 11+ subjects, making it possible to introduce the style without jumping straight to the hardest papers.
Frequently asked questions
Should a Year 4 child sit full 11+ mocks?
Usually there is little need for frequent full mocks this early. Skills, familiarity and positive habits matter more.
Do we need a tutor in Year 4?
Not automatically. Some families value professional guidance, while others build foundations successfully at home. The child's needs matter more than the calendar.
What is the most useful Year 4 habit?
Regular reading is difficult to beat. It supports comprehension, vocabulary, attention and general knowledge while remaining valuable whether or not the child eventually sits the 11+.