Should We Strengthen the Basics First or Start Using Bond, CGP and Timed Practice Papers?
Preparing for the 11+ is not simply about doing as many practice papers as possible. The right approach depends on how secure your child’s core skills are and how ready they are for more challenging 11+ questions.
For some children, strengthening the basics should come first. For others, it may be time to introduce Bond, CGP, mixed questions and timed practice. If you’re still building your child’s core skills, our guide to 11+ Preparation can help you understand what to focus on at each stage.
This guide explains when to make each step, how to use these resources effectively, and how to identify what your child should practise next.
Page Contents
Should You Strengthen the Basics First?
Signs Your Child Needs More Foundation Work
Before introducing more Bond, CGP or timed practice papers, it is important to check whether your child has the underlying maths skills needed to use these resources effectively. If they are repeatedly struggling with basic concepts, increasing the amount of exam practice may not address the real problem.
Some common signs that your child needs more foundation work include:
- They make frequent basic calculation errors, even when they understand what the question is asking.
- They struggle with fractions, decimals or percentages, particularly when questions require them to switch between representations.
- They find multi-step questions difficult because they are unsure which operation to use first.
- They rely heavily on written methods or a calculator for calculations they should be becoming more confident with.
- They cannot explain how they reached an answer, even when the final answer happens to be correct.
- They forget a method shortly after learning it, suggesting the underlying concept may not yet be secure.
- They struggle when a familiar topic is presented in an unfamiliar way, which can indicate that they have memorised a procedure rather than understood the maths.
A Simple Test Before Moving On
Try giving your child a small selection of questions without a time limit. Include straightforward questions alongside a few problems that require them to apply the same skill in a different way.
If they can solve the questions accurately and explain their reasoning, they may be ready to move towards more structured 11+ resources. If they struggle with the underlying concept, spend some time strengthening that skill before increasing the difficulty or introducing full timed papers.
The aim isn’t to delay exam practice — it’s to make sure the practice is working on the right thing.
Signs They Are Ready for 11+ Practice
Once your child has a secure foundation, you can gradually introduce more structured 11+ resources such as Bond, CGP and topic-specific practice. The key is to look for understanding and consistency, rather than simply whether they can complete a few difficult questions.
Your child may be ready for 11+ practice if they can:
- Solve core maths questions confidently without needing constant reminders of the method.
- Apply familiar skills to unfamiliar questions, rather than relying only on questions that look exactly like examples they have seen.
- Work through multi-step problems and identify which information is relevant.
- Explain their reasoning, including why they chose a particular method.
- Work accurately without excessive support, while still asking sensible questions when they are unsure.
- Recognise and correct mistakes when given an opportunity to review their work.
- Handle a mixture of topics in the same practice session without becoming dependent on knowing which method to use beforehand.
A Good Way to Start
You don’t need to jump straight into full timed papers. Start with short, untimed sets of 11+ questions and see how your child responds.
If they can maintain reasonable accuracy and understand their mistakes, gradually introduce more challenging questions and mixed-topic practice. Timing should come later, once the underlying skills are secure.
The goal is to move through a natural progression:
Secure the basics → 11+ practice → Mixed questions → Timed sections → Full practice papers.
Bond vs CGP: Which Should You Use?
When to Use Bond
Bond books can be useful once your child has secure basic maths skills and is ready for more structured 11+ practice. They can help children become familiar with the types of questions and problem-solving approaches they may encounter in selective entrance exams.
Use Bond when your child can already:
- Complete core calculations confidently.
- Apply familiar maths skills to word problems.
- Work through questions without constant support.
- Handle a mixture of topics rather than practising one skill at a time.
- Explain and review their mistakes.
Bond is particularly useful for short, regular practice sessions rather than expecting your child to complete large amounts of work in one sitting.
Quick answer: Use Bond when your child has moved beyond basic skill-building and is ready to practise applying those skills in an 11+ style format. If they are still struggling with fundamental concepts, strengthen those areas first rather than moving straight into harder Bond questions.
When to Use CGP
CGP books can be useful when your child has secure core skills and needs to reinforce specific topics or build confidence before moving into more demanding 11+ practice.
Use CGP when your child:
- Needs extra practice with a specific maths or English topic.
- Understands the basics but makes occasional errors.
- Benefits from clear explanations followed by practice questions.
- Needs to revisit a topic before moving on to mixed 11+ questions.
- Is ready to gradually increase the difficulty of their practice.
CGP can work particularly well as a bridge between foundation work and exam-style practice. For example, if your child is struggling with fractions, use targeted CGP practice to strengthen that skill before returning to Bond or mixed 11+ questions.
Quick answer: Use CGP to reinforce and consolidate individual skills. Once those skills are secure, move towards mixed 11+ questions and eventually timed practice papers.
When Should You Start Timed Practice Papers?
Year 4
Year 4 is often a good time to build confidence with 11+ style questions without making practice heavily exam-focused.
At this stage, focus on:
- Strengthening core maths and English skills through targeted practice.
- Introducing Bond or CGP in short, manageable sessions.
- Gradually adding mixed-topic questions so your child learns to switch between skills.
- Using untimed practice first, focusing on accuracy and understanding.
- Reviewing mistakes and revisiting topics that cause repeated difficulties.
Timed practice papers are usually better introduced later, once your child is comfortable applying their skills across different question types.
Quick answer: In Year 4, use CGP to reinforce individual topics and Bond to introduce more 11+ style practice. The main goal is to build secure skills and confidence before increasing difficulty and timing.
Year 5
Year 5 is when 11+ preparation can become more structured and exam-focused, particularly if your child has already developed secure core skills.
Focus on:
- Using Bond and CGP for regular 11+ practice.
- Moving from individual topics to mixed-topic questions.
- Introducing timed sections to improve speed and accuracy.
- Using practice papers to identify specific gaps, rather than simply completing papers for the sake of it.
- Reviewing mistakes and returning to CGP or targeted practice when a weakness is identified.
Quick answer: In Year 5, combine CGP for targeted skill development, Bond for 11+ style practice and timed sections for exam technique. Full timed papers can be introduced once your child is comfortable working across mixed topics.
Year 6
Year 6 is the stage to focus on exam readiness, particularly if your child has already built secure core skills.
Focus on:
- Using Bond and CGP to target any remaining weak areas.
- Completing mixed-topic 11+ questions regularly.
- Increasing the use of timed sections to develop speed and accuracy.
- Introducing full practice papers under realistic conditions.
- Reviewing mistakes carefully and returning to targeted practice where needed.
- Practising working independently and managing time effectively.
Quick answer: In Year 6, use CGP to fix specific gaps, Bond for regular 11+ practice and timed papers to develop exam technique. The focus should shift from learning individual skills to applying them accurately and efficiently under timed conditions.
How to Move From Practice to Timed Papers
Topic Practice
Start with topic practice before moving straight into mixed or timed papers. It allows your child to focus on one skill at a time and identify exactly where they need more support.
For example, practise:
- Fractions, decimals and percentages
- Multiplication and division
- Geometry and measurement
- Word problems
- Vocabulary and comprehension
- Grammar and punctuation
Keep sessions short and focused, then review any mistakes before moving on.
Quick answer: Use topic practice to strengthen individual skills first. Once your child is consistently accurate, move to mixed questions so they can practise deciding which method to use.
Mixed Questions
Once your child is confident with individual topics, introduce mixed questions that require them to decide which skill or method to use.
Mixed practice helps children:
- Apply different skills within the same session.
- Recognise which method a question requires.
- Become comfortable switching between topics.
- Identify gaps that may not appear during topic-specific practice.
- Build confidence with more varied 11+ questions.
Start with untimed mixed questions, focusing on accuracy and reasoning. Once your child is consistently confident, you can introduce timed sections.
Quick answer: Move to mixed questions when individual skills are secure. They are the bridge between topic practice and timed 11+ papers.
Timed Sections
Once your child is comfortable with mixed questions, introduce timed sections to develop speed and accuracy under pressure.
Timed practice can help children:
- Get used to working within a set time.
- Improve their speed without sacrificing accuracy.
- Learn when to move on from a difficult question.
- Identify questions they spend too long on.
- Build confidence before attempting full practice papers.
Start with short timed sections rather than complete papers. After each session, review the answers and focus on whether mistakes were caused by a lack of knowledge, a calculation error or simply running out of time.
Quick answer: Introduce timed sections once your child can handle mixed questions confidently. The aim is to build exam technique gradually before moving to full timed practice papers.
Full Practice Papers
Full practice papers are most useful once your child is comfortable with mixed questions and timed sections. They bring the different skills together and help your child practise working under realistic exam conditions.
Use full papers to:
- Practise managing time across a complete paper.
- Build confidence with a range of question types.
- Identify recurring weaknesses that need targeted practice.
- Develop concentration and independent working.
- Review performance and plan what to practise next.
Avoid using papers simply to measure scores. After each paper, review the mistakes carefully and return to topic or mixed practice where your child needs more support.
Quick answer: Use full practice papers towards the later stages of preparation, once your child has built the necessary skills. They should be used to test readiness, improve exam technique and identify final gaps, rather than replace targeted practice.
What to Do When Your Child Gets Questions Wrong
Identify the Gap
After a practice session or paper, look beyond the overall score to identify exactly where your child is struggling.
Check whether mistakes come from:
- A knowledge gap — they do not understand the skill.
- A method gap — they know the topic but are unsure how to solve the question.
- An accuracy error — they understand the method but make a calculation or reading mistake.
- A timing issue — they can solve the question but take too long.
- A reasoning gap — they struggle to apply a familiar skill to an unfamiliar problem.
Once you know the cause, you can choose the right type of practice rather than simply giving your child more papers.
Quick answer: Identify the specific gap first, then use targeted topic practice to address it before returning to mixed or timed questions.
Practise the Skill Again
Once you have identified a gap, return to that specific skill before moving back to mixed or timed practice.
For example, if your child struggles with fractions:
- Revisit the method and make sure they understand it.
- Complete a few straightforward questions first.
- Gradually introduce more challenging or unfamiliar questions.
- Ask them to explain how they reached the answer.
- Repeat the skill until they can solve questions accurately without support.
Once the skill is secure, return to mixed questions to check whether your child can recognise when and how to use it.
Quick answer: Identify the weakness, practise it directly, then return to mixed questions. This creates a simple cycle: Find the gap → Practise the skill → Check progress → Move on.
Frequently Asked Questions About 11+ Practice
When should my child start Bond or CGP?
There is no single starting point for every child. In general, start CGP when your child needs to strengthen or revisit a specific topic, and introduce Bond when they are ready to apply their skills to more 11+ style questions.
A simple progression is:
Foundation skills → CGP topic practice → Bond 11+ practice → Mixed questions → Timed practice
When should my child start timed papers?
Timed papers are best introduced after your child is comfortable with mixed questions and can complete the relevant skills accurately.
Start with short timed sections before moving to complete papers. This gives your child time to develop speed and learn how to manage difficult questions without making timing the main focus too early.
How many practice papers should they do?
Focus on quality rather than completing a large number of papers. A practice paper should identify what your child needs to work on, rather than simply producing another score.
After each paper:
- Review the mistakes.
- Identify the specific gap.
- Practise that skill again.
- Return to mixed or timed questions.
- Complete another paper when there is a clear reason to assess progress.
Quick answer: There is no fixed number of papers your child needs to complete. Use them as a progress-checking tool, alongside targeted practice, rather than making full papers the whole of their preparation.
