Frequently asked questions

Most families start light preparation six to twelve months out — earlier for children who find reading or maths hard, since the slow work (vocabulary, fluency, stamina) is what takes time. A few weeks of format practice shortly before the test is usually enough for a child who is already comfortable with the content.

Tutors help some children, but they are not a requirement, and the qualities most tests reward — steady reading habits, number fluency, calm under time — grow as well at home with structured practice. If you do engage a tutor, ask what they will measure and when they expect to finish; be sceptical of anyone who promises an outcome or wants open-ended years.

Usually a morning at the school or a venue: check-in with paperwork, a few short papers with breaks, and done before or not long after lunch. Bring what the instructions list — often identification, a water bottle and little else — and arrive early enough that nobody is rushing. Details differ every time, so read the school’s or provider’s instructions when they arrive and again the night before.

Many processes allow adjustments for diagnosed conditions, but they must be arranged in advance with documentation, and deadlines are firm. If this applies to your family, contact the school’s enrolments office as soon as you are considering applying — not after entries close.

Many schools charge an application or testing fee, and scholarship processes themselves vary widely in what they ask of families. Check the fee and what it covers with the school before applying, and ask about fee waivers if cost is a barrier — some schools have them.

There is no general limit, but each application is a real cost in fees, preparation and your child’s energy. Two or three well-chosen processes — schools you would genuinely attend — usually serve a family better than half a dozen rushed ones.

Then it is a no from one school, one year, out of a very small number of places — it is not information about your child’s future. Many families reapply in a later year, and the reading, maths and habits built meanwhile are never wasted. Say the disappointment out loud once, then point at what grew.