What top London schools really test

Selective day schools deliberately hop between arithmetic fluency, multi-step logic and pattern recognition to see how pupils persevere under time pressure. The maths questions are rarely alien, but the switching speed is. Parents who create micro-routines for each skill tend to see calmer, more confident performances.

Daily numeracy rhythm

Morning: 10 minute CEM-style mental arithmetic routine (I like Schofield & Sims Mental Maths). Keep score visibly so children can see momentum build.
After school: Logic puzzle or non-verbal reasoning board that stays playful — ThinkFun Rush Hour or the David Walliams 11+ cards both work.
Weekend: Full timed section pulled from recent consortium papers followed by a “why the trap worked” breakdown.

Weekly structure for Years 5–6

Monday diagnostics – One focused paper section to spotlight weak sub-topics. Note the question numbers in a “redo later” list.
Wednesday mastery block – 45 minutes on just two microskills (for example, fractions of quantities + code-breaking sequences).
Friday reasoning lab – Mix of lateral-thinking games and interview-style prompts to keep verbal agility high.
Sunday dress rehearsal – Sit the student at a cleared table, run a full paper, then mark using coloured pens so they visualise method marks.

Parental checkpoints

Use a calm, factual script when asking about mistakes: “Which step cost you most time?” rather than “Why did you miss that?”.
Track slip-ups inside a shared Google Sheet so I can address them in our next lesson.
Rotate reward choices (baking, trip to Waterstones, extra park time) when your child hits three consecutive accuracy targets.

Recommended resources

Goal	Resource	How we use it
Arithmetic speed	Bond Times Tables app	Quick wins during school runs
Reasoning breadth	GL Assessment practice papers	Alternate versions weekly so nothing feels “over memorised”
Interview flow	Family “press conference” cards	Parents ask, siblings record responses to build poise

When to escalate support

Accuracy flat-lines below 75% for two consecutive months.
Timings dramatically worsen once problem-solving or spatial tasks appear.
Your child shows stress signals (clenched jaw, perfectionism, sudden “I can’t” statements).

In those moments parents benefit from a tailored plan: tighter mock schedules, curated question banks and interview rehearsal loops. Use the contact form to request a Chelsea/South Kensington 11+ briefing — I’ll reply within one working day with next steps.