Year 4 Maths: Is Your Child Ready for 11+ Preparation? A Checklist

Year 4 is the recommended starting point for most 11+ Maths preparation programmes. At this stage, children are building the foundational skills in number, calculation, and reasoning that underpin every 11+ topic. But readiness varies significantly between children — and starting formal 11+ preparation before foundations are secure can actually be counterproductive. This checklist helps parents assess whether their Year 4 child is ready, and what to prioritise if gaps exist.

The Checklist: Year 4 Maths Skills for 11+ Readiness

Number Fluency

  • Can count forwards and backwards confidently in steps of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 25, and 100
  • Understands place value in numbers up to 10,000 (thousands, hundreds, tens, ones)
  • Can round numbers to the nearest 10, 100, and 1,000
  • Understands and can order negative numbers
  • Can read and write Roman numerals up to 100

Times Tables Mastery

This is non-negotiable for 11+ readiness. A child who is not fluent in all times tables to 12×12 will struggle with calculation speed throughout 11+ preparation.

  • Recalls all multiplication facts to 12×12 quickly and accurately (within 3 seconds)
  • Can derive corresponding division facts from any times table
  • Can use times table knowledge to multiply and divide multiples of 10 and 100

Fractions

  • Understands the concept of a fraction as a part of a whole
  • Can identify equivalent fractions
  • Can add and subtract fractions with the same denominator
  • Understands that fractions can represent division (3/4 means 3 ÷ 4)

Word Problem Ability

This is one of the clearest indicators of 11+ readiness. A child who can only solve problems when told which operation to use will struggle with 11+ papers, which require students to identify the correct approach independently.

  • Can solve one-step word problems without being told the operation to use
  • Can solve simple two-step word problems
  • Can explain their reasoning — not just give an answer

What to Do if Gaps Exist

Finding gaps in Year 4 is not a cause for alarm — it is exactly what the checklist is for. If your child has not yet secured their times tables, for example, there is ample time to address this before formal 11+ preparation begins. Rushing into 11+ content before foundations are secure tends to create anxiety and confusion rather than progress.

In our experience, the most common gaps we see in Year 4 students who join us are: times tables not fully secure (particularly 6×, 7×, and 8× tables), limited experience with multi-step word problems, and a tendency to rely on counting rather than calculating. These are all very fixable in a structured tuition environment.

Our Pre-11+ tuition programme for Year 3 and 4 students is designed specifically to build these foundations before formal 11+ preparation begins. If your child is in Year 4 and you’d like to find out which programme is right for them, contact us — we’d be happy to advise.