Countdown to 12th September: What Should You Be Doing Over the Summer for the Gloucestershire 11+ Exam?
If your child is sitting the Gloucestershire 11+ exam on 12th September, the summer holidays are the perfect opportunity to prepare without the pressure of schoolwork.
The key is not spending hours every day studying. Instead, focus on regular, consistent practice that keeps your child's brain active and builds confidence for exam day.
Keep the Brain Ticking Over
One of the biggest mistakes families make is taking a complete break from learning over the summer. While everyone deserves a holiday, children can quickly lose momentum if they don't keep using the skills they've worked so hard to develop.
A focused study period most days (try to stick to five days a week) is far more effective than cramming at the end of August. Little and often helps improve memory, develops good habits and reduces stress as the exam approaches. Complete a weekly timetable - this will help you keep track of the areas you are covering and don’t forget to plan for fun !
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Mix Study with Games
Preparing for the Gloucestershire Grammar School Entrance Test doesn't have to feel like hard work.
Word games, puzzles, logic challenges, Sudoku, crosswords and number games are all excellent ways to strengthen the reasoning skills needed for the 11+ exam. Learning through play keeps children engaged while reinforcing important skills. There are lots of online games you can play too. Ask your tutor (if you have one) for a list of suggestions.
Complete Mock Papers – and learn from them
There are plenty of free 11+ mock papers and practice questions available online, making it easy to build a regular routine. Gloucestershire never release their exam papers and compared to other parts of the UK the exam is not as hard - thus don’t panic about the crazy hard ones at the end of some of the papers !
However, completing papers is only half the job. The real learning happens afterwards.
Spend time reviewing every paper carefully. Ask questions like:
Which questions were answered incorrectly?
Was the mistake caused by rushing, misunderstanding the question or not knowing the topic?
How could the same mistake be avoided next time?
One of the best habits your child can develop is creating a Mistakes Book.
Every time they make an error, write it down along with the correct method or answer. Reviewing this notebook regularly helps prevent the same mistakes from happening again and turns every practice paper into a valuable learning opportunity.
Read Every Day
Reading is one of the most powerful ways to prepare for the Gloucestershire 11+.
Regular reading improves vocabulary, comprehension, spelling and general knowledge—all essential skills for success.
Encourage your child to read a wide range of books, newspapers and magazines. Even 30 minutes of reading each day can make a significant difference by September. But do try for an hour each day !!!
Looking for new books - review our 11+ Reading lists
Learn New Words Every Day
A strong vocabulary gives children confidence across every part of the exam.
Rather than trying to memorise hundreds of words in one go, encourage your child to learn just five new words every day.
Talk about what they mean, use them in conversations and encourage your child to write sentences using their new vocabulary. Small daily improvements soon add up to a huge advantage.
Build Confidence Ready for 12th September
The countdown to 12th September has begun, but there's still plenty of time to make real progress
By combining:
Regular study
Reading every day
Vocabulary building
Mock papers
A dedicated Mistakes Book
Fun learning games
your child will arrive on exam day feeling calm, prepared and confident.
To discover more resources and expert guidance, visit www.successindex.co.uk and make this summer count.
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