When an 11+ maths question looks like a story rather than a sum, many children freeze — or rush into the first calculation that comes to mind. The Plan, Model, Solve, Check framework gives them a calm, repeatable way through word problems. It works for ratio, percentages, speed–distance–time, and especially age problems, where the story is long but the maths is usually one clear idea.
Use this alongside our full 11+ maths syllabus and strategies. Parents can practise the habit at the kitchen table; tutors and KidSmart use the same structure so children hear one consistent method.
1 · Plan
What am I being asked?
2 · Model
Make the ages clear
3 · Solve
Turn the model into maths
4 · Check
Does this fit the story?
Why this framework works in the 11+
Grammar-school papers reward accurate multi-step thinking under time pressure. Children who jump straight to arithmetic often:
- answer a different question from the one that was asked;
- mix “now” ages with “in 5 years” ages;
- treat “three times as old” as “three years older”;
- forget that the gap between two people’s ages never changes.
Plan → Model → Solve → Check slows the rush just enough to catch those errors — without turning every question into a long essay.
1. Plan — read the whole story first
Before writing a number, the child should be able to say in one sentence:
- Who is in the question?
- What do we know about their ages (or other quantities)?
- What must we find?
- When does the story happen — now, in the past, or in the future?
Clue words help choose the right tool later:
| Clue words | Likely problem type |
|---|---|
| older than, younger than, difference | Age difference (bar model) |
| ago, now, in … years | Now / then (table or timeline) |
| twice, three times, half as old | Age multiples (table + algebra) |
Hard questions often combine two types — for example a multiple and a future time. Planning first stops the child from building only half the model.
2. Model — make the ages clear on paper
This is the step most children skip, and the one that saves the most marks. Pick one clear picture:
- Bar model — best when ages are compared (“Aisha is 4 years older than Ben”).
- Now / then table — best when time moves (“In 3 years their ages total 30”).
- Timeline — useful when past and future get muddled (subtract for ago, add for later).
- Algebra — let x be the unknown age once the story is clear.
For age problems, one non-negotiable idea sits under every model: the difference between two people’s ages stays the same as years pass. If that idea is missing, teach it before the method.
On KidSmart, tutors use the same visual toolkit (bar model, now/then table, worked example, and practice challenges) so the child sees one language at home and in chat.
3. Solve — turn the model into an equation
Once the model is drawn, the algebra should almost write itself. Example:
Aisha is 4 years older than Ben. In 3 years, their ages will total 30. How old is Ben now?
- Plan: find Ben’s age now; we know the gap (4) and a future total (30).
- Model: Let Ben now = x. Aisha now = x + 4. In 3 years: Ben = x + 3, Aisha = x + 7.
- Solve: (x + 3) + (x + 7) = 30 → 2x + 10 = 30 → 2x = 20 → x = 10.
Show each line. Children who try to hold the whole story in their head make far more slips — even on multiple-choice papers.
4. Check — put the answer back in the story
Checking is not optional in the 11+. After finding x = 10:
- Ben now = 10, Aisha now = 14.
- In 3 years: 13 and 17. Total = 30. ✓
- Gap still 4. ✓
- Ages are positive and sensible for the characters. ✓
If a check fails, do not start a new random method — go back to the model and find which box was wrong.
How to practise Plan, Model, Solve, Check
- Print or draw a four-box checklist and use it on every word problem for two weeks.
- Start with age-difference questions, then now/then, then multiples — then mixed.
- Ask the child to explain the model out loud before they solve. If they cannot, they are not ready to calculate.
- Keep a short error log: was it Plan (misread), Model (wrong tool), Solve (arithmetic), or Check (skipped)? That tells you what to coach next — see our revision habits.
Practise age problems on KidSmart
Short sessions, linked practice questions, and tutor help that follows the same method. See the 11+ app · Start free trial · Preparation strategy
A one-minute parent script
When your child is stuck, try this instead of giving the answer:
- “What is the question asking for?” (Plan)
- “Can you draw bars or a now/then table?” (Model)
- “What equation does that give you?” (Solve)
- “Put your answer back into the story — does it work?” (Check)
That four-line conversation is often enough to unlock the mark — and it builds the habit the exam actually rewards.