How To Improve 11+ Maths Speed

It’s a common and perplexing problem for many parents. Your child is bright, understands mathematical concepts, and can solve complex problems… given enough time. But when faced with a timed 11+ mock exam, they struggle to complete the paper, leaving valuable marks behind.

This isn’t a reflection of their intelligence. The 11+ Maths exam is a test of both knowledge and efficiency. Speed is a critical skill, and many bright children miss out on grammar school places simply because they haven’t been trained how to work effectively under pressure.

The good news is that speed is not an innate talent. It’s a skill that can be developed through smart strategies and targeted practice.

At elevenplus.com, we believe in turning slow and steady into fast and accurate. This guide will provide you with 5 practical, expert-backed strategies to help your child improve their calculation speed, build their confidence, and finish the exam with time to spare.

In this definitive guide, you will learn:

• Why speed is not about rushing, but about efficiency.
• The #1 foundational skill that unlocks mathematical speed.
• How to use “Topic Blasts” to build momentum.
• The strategic importance of knowing when to skip a question.
• Simple techniques to improve mental maths agility.

The Real Reason Your Child is “Slow”

Before we get to the solutions, we need to understand the cause. A lack of speed is rarely about a child being “slow” at thinking. It’s almost always a symptom of a lack of fluency in their core number facts.

If a child has to pause to calculate 7 x 8 or 42 ÷ 6, they are using up precious cognitive load that should be spent on the actual multi-step problem. Every moment spent on basic calculation is a moment lost.

Therefore, the foundation of all mathematical speed is automaticity.

5 Ways to Increase Speed Without Sacrificing Accuracy

1. Achieve True Times Table Fluency

This is the single most important step. “Knowing” times tables isn’t enough. Your child needs instant, effortless recall up to 12×12, including the corresponding division facts.

• The Technique: Move beyond chanting. Use online games, flashcards, and weekly timed quizzes. The goal is for the answer to be as automatic as their own name.
• Why it Works: It frees up working memory. When the brain doesn’t have to compute basic facts, it has more power available to decode the word problem, plan the steps, and execute the solution.

2. Practice with “Topic Blasts”

Marathon practice sessions can be counterproductive. Short, focused bursts are far more effective for building speed.

• The Technique: Set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes and give your child a short set of questions (10-15) on a single topic, like “finding fractions of amounts”.
• Why it Works: This low-pressure, gamified approach builds speed and confidence on specific skills. Over time, this speed on individual topics translates into speed on a full, mixed paper. Our elevenplus.com platform is specifically designed for these “Topic Blast” quizzes.

[Image: A screenshot of the elevenplus.com platform showing the start screen for a timed “Topic Blast” quiz.]

3. Teach Them the Art of the “Strategic Skip”

Many children believe they must answer every question in order. This is a trap. It’s vital to teach them that it’s smart to skip a question they are stuck on.

• The Technique: Give them a “1-minute rule”. If they have read a question and have no idea how to start it after one minute, they should circle it and move on immediately. They can come back to it at the end if they have time.
• Why it Works: It prevents them from wasting 5 minutes on a single difficult 1-mark question, which costs them the chance to answer 5 easier 1-mark questions later in the paper.

4. Build Mental Maths Agility

Encourage your child to solve problems in their head whenever possible.

• The Technique: Turn everyday situations into mental maths challenges. “This recipe needs 250g of flour, but we’re making a double batch. How much do we need?” or “The journey takes 45 minutes. If we leave at 9:20 AM, when will we arrive?”
• Why it Works: It builds their ability to manipulate numbers quickly without relying on written methods for simple calculations, saving valuable time in the exam.

5. Make Checking a Habit, Not a Chore

This may sound counterintuitive, but a fast checking process can actually increase overall speed.

• The Technique: Teach them quick checking methods like the “Estimation Check” (rounding the numbers to get a ballpark answer) and the “Prove It” method (using inverse operations).
• Why it Works: A child who trusts their checking process is less likely to hesitate and second-guess themselves during the initial calculation. This confidence leads to greater fluency and speed.

From Slow and Steady to Fast and Confident

Improving mathematical speed is a gradual process of building foundational fluency and layering on smart strategies. By focusing on these five areas, you can help your child move beyond the frustration of not finishing the paper and develop the efficient, confident approach needed to excel on exam day.

Ready to put these speed-building techniques into practice?

➡️ Our interactive Maths quizzes on elevenplus.com are timed and provide instant feedback, creating the perfect environment to build both speed and accuracy.