How to prepare for Walhampton School
Start from the time you have
A year or more
Start at: Foundation
Follow the plan from the start. Skills first, full papers later.
A few months
Start at: Exam-style
Start with full timed papers in the shape of the test, one a week, and go through every mistake. Use the short daily sessions for the weakest topic.
A few weeks
Start at: Final stretch
Keep sessions short and daily, revisit past mistakes rather than new topics, and do one dress-rehearsal paper at the time of day of the real test.
Month by month
The whole plan, for a family starting a year or more ahead. With less time, join it at the stage above.
1. Months 12–9 before exam
Foundation
Fill curriculum gaps before moving to exam-style work. Consistency > intensity.
- Daily 20-minute practice across all four subjects (rotate, not all at once)
- Identify weak topics via a diagnostic and prioritise them
- Build reading stamina — 20 minutes of fiction + 10 minutes of non-fiction daily
- Learn core mental maths facts (times tables to 12, doubles, halves, %)
2. Months 8–5
Skill-building
Move from learning topics to practising them under mild time pressure.
- Introduce timed mini-tests (15 questions in 15 minutes) per subject weekly
- Add vocabulary-building: aim for 10 new words per week with usage
- Start verbal and non-verbal reasoning technique drills (one type per week)
- Review mistakes — a wrong answer without a follow-up is a wasted question
3. Months 4–2
Exam-style
Full papers under real test timing, in the school's format.
- One full timed paper a week, then go through the marks together
- Build exam resilience — do at least one sitting in exam-style conditions
- Target weakest topic from the diagnostic each week
4. Final 4 weeks
Final stretch
Peak condition — maintain volume, reduce novelty, prioritise sleep.
- Short daily sessions (25–30 min) — no marathons
- Review mistakes notebook — revisit questions, don't re-do unrelated topics
- Do a dress-rehearsal paper at the same time of day as the real exam
- Sleep, hydration, breakfast — treat the final week like athletes treat taper
Questions parents ask
When should we start preparing for Walhampton School?
Most families start a year to 18 months before the test: building skills first, then moving to full timed papers in the last few months. Starting later still works: begin at the stage that matches the time you have.
Can we prepare without a tutor?
Yes. Many children prepare at home with short daily practice, full papers under timed conditions and an honest weekly look at mistakes. Leap gives you the papers, marks them and suggests the next step.
Practise for Walhampton School
Practise online or on paper, then see the next step.
Created by Leap. Leap is not affiliated with or endorsed by Walhampton School.