Mock exams are the single highest-leverage preparation tool your child has — and the most misused. Sat too early, before the syllabus is covered, they crush confidence and teach nothing. Left too late, they surface weaknesses at a point when there is no time left to fix them. A mock only earns its place when it does two jobs at once: it builds calm familiarity with real exam conditions, and it hands you a precise map of what to revise next. This guide sets out exactly when to start, how to run one properly at home, how many to sit, and how to turn every score into targeted practice — all reflecting the current GL Assessment landscape, since CEM's separate 11+ tests were phased out around 2023 and most regions now use GL or bespoke consortium papers.
Why mocks matter more than any single worksheet
A worksheet tests one skill in isolation and gives your child unlimited time. A mock does the opposite: it forces them to switch between synonyms, fractions, non-verbal series and comprehension inside a tight, unforgiving clock, exactly as the real paper does. GL papers are typically multiple-choice, answered on a separate OMR answer sheet, with roughly a minute a question and no calculator. The skills a mock trains — pacing, skipping and returning, bubbling the answer sheet cleanly, reading the question twice — are never practised by a single-topic worksheet. Both matter, but only the mock rehearses the exam as a whole event. It is the difference between knowing the notes and playing the whole piece to time.
When to start mocks
Timing is everything, and starting too soon is the commonest parent error. Here is a schedule that consistently works:
| Stage | What to do | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn Year 5 | Topic worksheets only — build the syllabus first | Little and often |
| Spring Year 5 | First diagnostic mock, unmarked pressure, score kept private | One |
| Easter Year 5 onward | Regular full mocks under real conditions | Weekly or fortnightly |
| Final 6 weeks (autumn Year 6) | Switch to centre-specific papers in the exact target format | Weekly |
The first diagnostic mock in spring of Year 5 is a baseline, not a verdict — keep the score private and treat it purely as a starting point. From Easter of Year 5, move to centre-specific papers in your target school's exact format as the exam approaches. Check the key 11+ dates for your region so the final weeks line up with the real sitting.
How to run a mock properly at home
A mock only works if the conditions are honest. Cutting corners at home produces a flattering score that collapses on exam day.
- Real timings, one quiet room, no interruptions, phone in another room — treat it exactly like the real day.
- Use a separate answer sheet if the paper is GL-style, so bubbling technique is practised alongside the questions.
- Mark it the same evening, privately, without your child watching over your shoulder.
- Debrief the next morning in ten calm minutes — never immediately after, when they are tired and defensive.
- Log the score AND the error types. Three timing errors need completely different follow-up work than three fraction errors.
That final point is where most families leave value on the table. A bare percentage tells you almost nothing; a categorised error log tells you exactly which revision hub topics to drill this week.
How many mocks are enough
Most successful candidates sit somewhere between 15 and 25 full mocks across Years 5 and 6. Fewer than that and the exam still feels unfamiliar; many more and you risk burnout and diminishing returns, because each mock only helps if you have time to act on it before the next. Space them so there is always a clear week of targeted practice in between. Quest Arena's mocks are genuinely free with no signup and no paywall: our 180 standard mock papers and 520 centre-specific papers all come with marking schemes, and you can compare formats using our GL paper guide. The full marking-and-review technique lives in using mock papers effectively.
Turning scores into targeted revision
The debrief is where marks are actually won. Sort every mistake into one of three buckets: content gaps (a topic not yet learned), technique slips (misread question, wrong section on the answer sheet) and timing failures (ran out, panicked, rushed). Content gaps go to the revision hub and matching worksheets; technique slips are fixed by slowing down and reading the question twice; timing failures are fixed by rehearsing skip-and-return under the clock. Re-sit the same paper two weeks later — a genuine climb, not a memorised one, proves the fix worked.
Frequently asked questions
When should my child sit their first mock?
Spring of Year 5, once most of the syllabus is covered. Keep it unmarked to your child and treat the score as a private baseline, not a judgement on their ability.
Are online mocks as good as centre-based ones?
Online mocks are excellent for regular practice and instant marking. Add one or two centre-based mocks in the final months so your child rehearses sitting among strangers, which is genuinely different pressure.
Do your mocks match the current GL exams?
Yes. Our papers reflect the post-CEM, GL-dominant landscape, with multiple-choice questions and separate answer sheets. Use our centre-specific mocks to match your exact target school's format.