If I could give parents only one piece of 11+ advice, it would be this: get your child reading, every day, books that are a little harder than the ones they would choose themselves.
Reading does more for the English paper than any vocabulary list, and it quietly helps with Maths too, because so many Maths questions are really reading questions. It also makes the written second stage far easier. Children who read well write well.
The short version
- Aim for 20 minutes of reading a day, every day, from Year 3.
- Mix easy favourites with books that stretch them. Both count.
- Keep reading aloud to your child, even in Year 5. It builds vocabulary quickly.
- Talk about the book. A two-minute chat does more than a written book review.
Years 3 and 4
At this age, the aim is enjoyment and stamina. Let them reread favourites. Add one “stretch” book at a time.
- The Iron Man by Ted Hughes
- Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
- The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy
- Fantastic Mr Fox and The BFG by Roald Dahl
- Varjak Paw by S. F. Said
- The Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo
Year 5
This is the year to widen the range. Include some older classics, because their longer sentences and richer vocabulary are closer to the passages children meet in the test.
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo
- Wonder by R. J. Palacio
- Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson
- The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
- Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce
- Carrie’s War by Nina Bawden
- The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
Year 6 and beyond
Once the test is done, keep going. These are a good bridge into secondary school.
- Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian
- Skellig by David Almond
- Pig-Heart Boy by Malorie Blackman
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
- Boy by Roald Dahl, for something true
Do not forget non-fiction
A weekly children’s newspaper, such as First News or The Week Junior, gives children short, varied, well-written articles. That is very close to the kind of passage they meet in comprehension. It also gives them something to talk about at dinner.
A child who reads for twenty minutes every day meets around a million words a year. You cannot teach that many words any other way.
Manju Pillai
How to talk about a book
Skip the formal questions. Try these instead, in the car or at bedtime:
- Who would you most like to meet from this book, and why?
- Was there a word you did not know? What do you think it meant?
- What do you think will happen next?
- Did the ending feel right?
The “why” and the “what do you think” questions are exactly the kind of thinking the comprehension paper rewards.
If your child does not like reading
It is common, and it can change. Some things that help:
- Let them choose, including comics, graphic novels and joke books. Reading is reading.
- Audiobooks count, especially alongside the printed book.
- Read the first chapter aloud together, then leave the book lying around.
- Visit the library every couple of weeks. Free, and no pressure to finish.
- Be seen reading yourself. Children copy what we do far more than what we say.
Our reading set
We offer an optional reading set chosen by our teachers for Year 5. It is free for families receiving Pupil Premium or Universal Credit, because no child should miss out on books because of cost.
Preparing for the 11+?Our Year 4 and Year 5 classes run in Croydon, Sutton and online. Start with a short assessment and we will recommend the right group.
Should my child write a book review after every book?
No. It turns reading into homework. A short conversation is better.
Is it fine if they read the same series over and over?
Yes, alongside one stretch book at a time. Comfort reading builds fluency and confidence.
Do e-readers count?
Yes. What matters is the reading.
