Year 6 is the key preparation year for many Year 7 (11+) entry routes. Families often use Year 6 papers to build reasoning methods, comprehension accuracy, and timing so that the Year 7 assessments feel familiar rather than stressful.
6+ School Entry Past Papers (Official School Sources)
- King’s College Junior School – 6+ Sample Papers
- Highgate Junior School – 6+ Sample Papers
- The Latymer Prep School – 6+ Sample Papers
- North London Collegiate School – 6+ Sample Papers
Year 6 is where most outcomes are decided. The goal is not frantic volume. The goal is method, timing, and confidence, built in the right order.
What should Year 6 practice focus on most?
The highest impact focus is accuracy and method. Strong working habits, clear comprehension technique, and consistent reasoning rules typically improve performance faster than doing large volumes of mixed papers.
If your child is working hard but scores do not move, that is usually a targeting issue, not effort. A short diagnostic can identify the exact lever to pull.
Is CAT4 test practice useful in Year 6?
Yes. CAT4-style reasoning helps build transferable skills in verbal, quantitative, non-verbal and spatial thinking. It is commonly relevant to entrance testing and can identify strengths and weaknesses early.
CAT4 diagnostic: CAT4 explained
What Year 6 entry preparation usually includes
- English: comprehension accuracy, inference, vocabulary, short writing quality.
- Maths: arithmetic fluency, multi-step word problems, reasoning.
- Reasoning: early VR/NVR routines with consistent method and timing.
Year 6 practice that actually works
| Approach | Outcome | Risk | Better alternative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Random paper dumping | Busy, not better | Stress rises, scores drift | Targeted drills plus review |
| Speed first | Fast errors | Bad habits | Accuracy first, then timing |
| Only easy questions | Confidence without transfer | Test shock | Gradual difficulty ramp |
Practice questions
Q1 (Maths): Percentage reasoning
A book costs £20. It is reduced by 15%. What is the new price?
- £17
- £18
- £19
- £16
Correct answer: A
Coached explanation: 15% of 20 is 3. Subtract 3 to get 17.
- B is wrong because it subtracts 10% only.
- C is wrong because it subtracts 5% only.
- D is wrong because it over-subtracts.
Q2 (English): Best evidence
A character “kept glancing at the door, tapping the table with two fingers.” What does this suggest?
- They are relaxed and patient.
- They are nervous or impatient.
- They are confused about where they are.
- They are excited to read.
Correct answer: B
Coached explanation: Repeated glancing and tapping are classic signals of tension or impatience.
- A is wrong because the actions show restlessness, not calm.
- C is wrong because the behaviour does not indicate disorientation.
- D is wrong because the evidence is not linked to reading.
Q3 (VR): Coding
If CAT is coded as DBU, how is DOG coded?
- EPH
- ENH
- DPH
- FPI
Correct answer: A
Coached explanation: Each letter moves forward one: C→D, A→B, T→U. DOG becomes EPH.
- B is wrong because only some letters move correctly.
- C is wrong because the first letter is unchanged.
- D is wrong because it shifts by two, not one.
Simple 10-week plan
- Weeks 1–3: accuracy routines and method building.
- Weeks 4–7: timed drills and difficulty ramp.
- Weeks 8–10: full papers, review, stabilise performance.