Frequently asked questions

Yes, both. While grammar school entrance tests often use multiple-choice formats, independent school entrance exams frequently require written calculations and structured methods. Our workbooks bridge this gap by teaching students how to break down multi-step word problems, write clear working for partial credit, and manage timed conditions across both GL and school-specific test formats.

Our 11+ resources are primarily designed for Year 5 students working above their expected level, and Year 6 students doing targeted revision in the final months before exams. Motivated students in the second half of Year 4 can also use them to build confidence with multi-step word problems.

If your child is in Year 4, we suggest completing 1 to 5 selected questions a week to develop their problem-solving skills. If you're unsure, contact us and we can tailor our advice to your child's needs.

No. Our books focus on problem solving and multi-step questions. They can still be used for SATs preparation if your child is working above the expected level and wants to be stretched further, or if they're comfortable with questions that tell them exactly what to do but find worded questions challenging.

If your child finds maths challenging, we recommend Workbook 3 from our Primary range. Although the recommended age is 7 to 9, the format and style are ideal for a child who finds maths difficult.

If your child is working at or above the expected level, we suggest the 11+ books. We use them with Year 7 students alongside their school work to deepen their understanding.

The right choice comes down to their current confidence and set:

Foundation Tier: recommended for most Year 8 and Year 9 students. It bridges Key Stage 3 concepts into early GCSE-style reasoning and reinforces foundational arithmetic and algebra. If your child finds multi-step word problems intimidating, starting here builds a solid foundation before Year 10.

Higher Tier: ideal for Year 9 students in top sets who are already working comfortably ahead of the curriculum and aiming for the Higher paper in Year 11.

Building confidence with Foundation problem solving early gives far better long-term momentum than rushing into advanced Higher Tier material before core concepts are secure.

Foundation Tier covers Grades 1 to 5. It's ideal for students consolidating core arithmetic, practical problem solving and financial maths, or those aiming to secure a strong Grade 4 or 5 pass.

Higher Tier covers Grades 6 to 9. It focuses on advanced algebraic manipulation, proofs and complex geometric reasoning.

If you're unsure which tier your child is sitting, their most recent school report or their maths teacher will confirm it.

We strongly recommend starting with our Foundation Tier workbooks. There's a substantial crossover between the tiers at Grades 4 and 5: the multi-step questions towards the end of a Foundation paper often mirror the opening questions of a Higher paper.

Starting with Foundation lets students master these crossover questions, secure essential method marks and rebuild confidence without the fatigue of advanced Grade 8 and 9 topics. Once they're consistently picking up marks on Grade 5 problem-solving questions, they can step up to our Higher Tier workbooks to target Grades 6 to 9.

Our GCSE workbooks align with the national curriculum and cover the core requirements of all major UK exam boards, including Edexcel, AQA and OCR. Because the fundamental maths principles and multi-step problem-solving structures are the same across all specifications, the methods, question styles and worked solutions apply whichever exam board your child's school uses.

Yes, every book has sample pages. Open a book's page and select the Sample pages tab to flip through them.

At the start of each chapter you'll find a progress and goal-setting tracker. It breaks the chapter down into clear milestones so students can plan their study schedule, record the date they complete each section, and note questions to revisit with the worked solutions.

Tracking progress visually takes away the overwhelm of tackling a whole syllabus, encourages independent study habits and builds consistency, which matters far more than cramming before exams.

Yes. Every workbook has answers at the back of the book, and full worked solutions are available on our Answers & Solutions page. We set out every line of working so parents and students can see exactly where a calculation slipped and understand the method needed to secure method marks in the exam.

Absolutely. Our worked solutions are designed to be accessible to parents without a teaching or maths background. Each problem shows the method step by step, including the mark allocations, so you can guide your child through difficult topics with confidence.

We follow the dyslexia-friendly style guide from the British Dyslexia Association. Standard textbooks and worksheets often use stark white, high-contrast paper and cramped layouts, which can cause visual glare, eye fatigue and overwhelm. Olivia Press workbooks are designed with generous line spacing, clear typography, plenty of working space and premium off-white paper, to minimise visual stress and help students focus on the maths.

To protect our authors' intellectual property and give the best reading experience, our digital editions are available only in the Canopy App. They can't be printed, exported as PDFs or shared by email. In the Canopy App you can highlight key sections, add notes and bookmark pages across your devices.

If your child prefers to write their working directly on the page, we recommend our printed paperbacks, which use premium off-white paper designed for pencil and pen work.

Yes. We work closely with independent tutors, tuition centres and schools. To order multiple copies or ask about bulk educator pricing, email contact@oliviapress.education with your estimated quantities and requirements.