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When should we start preparing for the transfer test?
Answered by Sam Stirling, former P7 teacher · Last checked: 2 November 2026
The short answer
Start in January of P6, with a little every day: times tables, including the division facts, and reading. Your child's SEAG year starts in P6, and a steady, little-and-often start helps.
How the two years usually run
- P6, January: a little every day, tables and reading.
- P6, after Easter: most schools start practice papers around now. Keep it gentle at home: little and often still wins.
- The summer between P6 and P7: keep the little and often going, about ten minutes of questions a day and one practice paper a week. Keep the reading going, and keep it light.
- P7, September: from here it's a balancing act between practice and keeping your child motivated, with their energy up. Clubs and sport aren't a distraction now: they're an essential way to switch off.
- P7, October and November: if your child is starting to struggle with it all, or getting sick of it, start handing the baton over. Let them choose what to revise and when (within reason).
- P7, November: the two papers, on two Saturdays.
What matters most
Two things, more than anything: times tables known inside out, including the division facts, and reading every day.
Last checked: 2 November 2026 by Sam. This answer is Sam's own teaching advice, so it doesn't rely on official dates or figures. Answers that do always list their official sources here.
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