Top 11+ scorers in maths have one thing in common: fluent arithmetic. Not "they can work it out", but "they know it cold". Under exam pressure a child has roughly a minute a question, so a method that is slow but correct at home becomes a lost mark on the day. This guide is the foundation list every Year-5 child should have under control before tackling the reasoning-heavy problems in an 11+ paper, with worked methods, a few quick-reference tables, and the exam traps that quietly cost marks.
How maths appears in the current 11+
Since CEM's separate 11+ tests were phased out around 2022-2023, GL Assessment now dominates most regions, alongside bespoke consortium papers such as the Essex CSSE exam. A typical GL maths section runs to around 50 questions in 50 minutes, multiple-choice with answers marked A-E on a separate answer sheet, and no calculator. That format rewards speed and accuracy equally: a child who can shed ten seconds per question through fluent recall buys time for the two or three genuinely hard problems at the end. CSSE and many independent-school papers ask for free-response working and lean more on probability and multi-step problems. Whatever the region, the underlying skills below are identical — see our 11+ process guide and GL papers page to confirm which format your child faces.
Number facts to know cold
These are the recall skills that should be automatic before any topic work begins. If a child pauses to compute these, they will run out of time:
- Times tables to 12x12, in and out of order, plus the matching division facts.
- Doubling and halving any number to 100 (and beyond for confident pupils).
- Number bonds to 10, 100 and 1000.
- Place value: reading, writing, ordering and rounding large numbers to the nearest 10, 100, 1000 and to decimal places.
- Square numbers to 12x12, the first few cube numbers, and simple square roots.
- Roman numerals up to at least C (100).
The four operations, laid out properly
Column addition and subtraction, short and long multiplication, and short and long division all need a neat, consistent layout — messy columns are where careless errors breed. A worked long multiplication such as 34 x 26 should be set out in full: 34 x 6 = 204, then 34 x 20 = 680, then add 204 + 680 = 884. Keep the place-value columns aligned and carry digits clearly. Order of operations (BIDMAS/BODMAS) is a classic trap. Consider 6 + 2 x 5: a child working left to right gets 40, but multiplication comes first, so the answer is 6 + 10 = 16. Practise these on our free worksheets until the layout is second nature.
Fractions, decimals and percentages
This trio is the single richest source of 11+ marks, and the three forms are really the same idea in different clothes. Children should be able to move between them instantly. To add fractions, find a common denominator first: 1/4 + 1/3 becomes 3/12 + 4/12 = 7/12. To divide fractions, use "keep, change, flip": 2/3 ÷ 1/4 = 2/3 x 4/1 = 8/3. For a fraction of an amount, divide by the bottom and multiply by the top: 3/5 of 40 = 40 ÷ 5 x 3 = 24. Learning the common equivalences below by heart removes a huge amount of exam-day computation.
| Fraction | Decimal | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 | 0.5 | 50% |
| 1/4 | 0.25 | 25% |
| 3/4 | 0.75 | 75% |
| 1/3 | 0.333... | 33.3% |
| 1/5 | 0.2 | 20% |
| 1/10 | 0.1 | 10% |
For percentages, teach the building blocks: 10% is "divide by 10", 5% is "half of 10%", 1% is "divide by 100". From those, any percentage can be built up quickly. Our dedicated guide on the revision hub drills these until they are automatic.
Ratio, proportion and simple algebra
Ratio questions climb in difficulty through the paper. To share £48 in the ratio 3:5, add the parts (3 + 5 = 8), find one part (48 ÷ 8 = 6), then multiply out: 3 x 6 = £18 and 5 x 6 = £30. Direct proportion (scaling a recipe up or down) and inverse proportion (more workers, less time) both appear. Early algebra — substituting into expressions, function machines, and forming and solving one-step equations — enters the Year 6 curriculum but is regularly tested from the autumn of Year 5, so it belongs on the timeline now.
Shape, space and measures
Geometry marks are lost more to carelessness than to difficulty. The most-tested angle facts are worth memorising:
| Rule | Total |
|---|---|
| Angles on a straight line | 180° |
| Angles around a point | 360° |
| Angles in a triangle | 180° |
| Angles in a quadrilateral | 360° |
| Vertically opposite angles | equal |
A compound-shape area question is a top mark-loser. For an L-shape, split it into two rectangles, find each area, and add — or box it into a big rectangle and subtract the missing corner. Keep a small formula bank in mind: area of a rectangle = length x width; area of a triangle = ½ x base x height; volume of a cuboid = length x width x height; speed = distance ÷ time; and mean = total ÷ number of values. Add unit conversion, 12- and 24-hour time, elapsed-time from timetables, and reading averages (mean, median, mode and range from one data set), and the syllabus is essentially covered. Time your child against a mock paper to see which of these still cost seconds.
Tackling worded problems and avoiding traps
Multi-step word problems are where fluency finally pays off. Teach a fixed routine: underline the actual question, list what you are given, choose the operation, work it out, then check the units and re-read the final sentence. That last step matters because the last line of a worded problem often switches what is asked — "how much change?" after all the working has found the total spent. The commonest 11+ maths traps are mixing up area and perimeter, forgetting to simplify a fraction or ratio, dropping a decimal point, and answering the sub-question rather than the whole question. A calm, checked answer beats a fast, wrong one every time.
Frequently asked questions
Is a calculator allowed in the 11+ maths test?
No. GL and most 11+ maths papers are non-calculator, which is exactly why fluent mental and written arithmetic matters so much. Build that fluency early rather than relying on a device at home.
How many questions are there and how long per question?
A typical GL maths section has around 50 questions in 50 minutes — roughly a minute each. CSSE and independent papers vary and often allow more working, but the pace is always brisk.
My child gets the maths right but slowly — does that matter?
Yes, in a timed exam speed is a skill in itself. The fix is not more new topics but repeated short, timed practice on the fundamentals above until recall becomes automatic. A raw score is then converted to an age-adjusted Standard Age Score (roughly 69-141, with 100 average and often around 111+ needed), so consistent accuracy under time is what lifts the final result.