Mock tests are useful but easy to overdose on. The right cadence builds stamina and timing; the wrong cadence burns the child out before the real test.
How many is right
A useful target is twelve to fifteen full mock tests across the preparation period, sat at fortnightly cadence in the run-up to the test. Twenty-plus tends to produce diminishing returns; under ten leaves stamina untrained.
These twelve to fifteen are full timed sittings under exam conditions. Topic-specific practice — shorter drills on individual question types — does not count toward this number and should happen alongside.
When to start
First full mock around eight weeks before the live test. Before that, partial papers and topic-specific practice are more useful. Earlier than this and the format itself becomes the source of stress.
The exception is an early baseline mock in March or April of Year 5, sat with no warning, to identify the starting point. Treat that as a diagnostic, not as a benchmark.
How to run a mock at home
Sit in a quiet room at the same time of morning the live test will run. Use the official paper materials and a real timer. No interruptions, no parental hints, no early stopping. Mark the next day, calmly, with the four-column system.
The conditions matter as much as the paper. A mock sat in pyjamas at the kitchen table after lunch tells you very little about live performance.
Commercial mock tests
Several tutoring chains run paid mock test events, often in the format and venue style of the live test. These can be useful for first-time experience of a "real" test environment but are not necessary if you are running good mocks at home.
Cost varies; expect £30–£60 per session. Three commercial mocks across the preparation is plenty — more than that and you are paying for what you can produce at home for free.
Reading the results
A child who consistently scores within the top quartile of practice papers is in a strong position; one who scores around the cohort mean is unlikely to qualify without meaningful improvement. Use trends across multiple mocks rather than any single result.
Volatile scores almost always indicate a timing problem rather than a knowledge problem. Investigate timing first when results swing.
When to stop
Stop full mocks two weeks before the live test. The final fortnight is for light topic review and rest. Mocks in the final week tend to dent confidence rather than build it, regardless of how they go.
If a child desperately wants to do "one more" in the final week, do a partial paper rather than a full one — twenty minutes on a single section gives the reassurance without the exhaustion.