Year 5Ages 9 to 10

Year 5: the quiet year that matters

Written by A Dagdelen · Reviewed 17 October 2026

Year 5 has no national test, which makes it easy to coast through. It is also the year fractions, decimals and percentages arrive, texts get longer and families thinking about a grammar school often start the 11+ process.

Photo: Seaview N. on Unsplash

No testthere is no national test in Year 5
Varieswhen 11+ registration opens depends on the area and school
Fractionsdecimals and percentages become the main maths theme
1 Sepsecondary applications open next autumn, and close on 31 October

What this year is for

Maths turns to parts of a whole. Fractions, decimals and percentages are the big idea. A child who is shaky on times tables will struggle here, so this is a good year to close gaps.
Reading is about meaning. Children are asked to infer, compare and explain word choices. Wide reading builds the vocabulary that makes this easier.
Decide early about grammar schools. Trying for the 11+ is a family choice. If you might, check when registration closes for the schools you like. It is separate from the secondary application and the dates differ from area to area.
Start a shortlist, lightly. Visit an open day if schools hold them in the summer term. Note distance, travel and admission rules. You do not need to decide anything yet.

What to do at home

Fix one gap a week

Pick one thing that slipped, such as the 7 times table or equivalent fractions, and give it ten minutes on three days.

Read non-fiction

Magazines, museum guides and news for children stretch vocabulary in a way stories alone do not.

Talk about secondary without pressure

Ask what they are curious about and what worries them. Keep it open.

Timed practice only if you need it

If you are preparing for the 11+, ask the school what the test covers before buying anything.

Practise and explore on Quizo School

Year 5 Maths Fractions, decimals and the rest of the Year 5 units.
Year 5: calculating with decimal fractions A fifteen-lesson unit for confident decimal work.
Year 5: five sentence types A six-lesson English unit on how sentences are built.
Year 5 English Grammar, reading and writing units.
The 11+ and grammar schools How selective admission works and why registration is separate.
Applying for secondary school The Year 6 timeline, so you see it coming.

Questions parents ask

Is Year 5 too early to think about secondary school?

You do not need to worry, but it is a good year to learn the dates: registration for any selective tests, open days and the application window in Year 6.

Does my child need a tutor for the 11+?

No tutor is required. Many families prepare at home with practice papers. Ask the school what the test covers and decide what fits your child.

What if we are not interested in a grammar school?

Then Year 5 is simply a year of solid learning, and there is nothing to register for.

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