What Is the 11+ Exam? A Complete Guide for Parents

The 11+ is an entrance exam used by grammar schools and some independent schools to select students for Year 7 entry. It is typically sat in the autumn of Year 6, when children are 10 or 11 years old.

If you are considering the 11+ for your child, this guide explains what the exam involves, how the different exam boards work, how to prepare effectively, and how to handle the process without turning it into a source of family stress.

How the 11+ Works

The 11+ is not a national, standardised exam. Different regions and schools use different exam boards, different formats, and different scoring systems. This is one of the reasons the process can feel confusing — there is no single "11+ exam."

Your first step is to find out which exam board your target schools use. The three main providers are:

GL Assessment

GL Assessment is the most widely used 11+ provider. Their tests typically cover:

• English — comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, spelling, punctuation
• Mathematics — arithmetic, problem-solving, reasoning, applied maths
• Verbal Reasoning — word patterns, codes, logic, vocabulary-based puzzles
• Non-Verbal Reasoning — pattern recognition, spatial awareness, sequences of shapes and figures

GL tests are usually multiple-choice, timed, and follow a predictable format. This makes them relatively straightforward to prepare for — once your child is familiar with the question types, they can practise efficiently.

CEM (Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring)

CEM tests, developed by Durham University, are designed to be harder to prepare for. They typically assess:

• Verbal Ability — comprehension, vocabulary (often advanced), verbal reasoning
• Numerical Ability — arithmetic, mathematical reasoning, problem-solving
• Non-Verbal Reasoning — similar to GL but integrated differently

CEM tests are intentionally less predictable than GL. The question formats change from year to year, and the vocabulary used is often more advanced than what children encounter in school. The aim is to test natural ability rather than preparation — though preparation still helps.

CSSE and SET (Essex-specific)

Schools in Essex use the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE) exam. This has its own format:

• English — creative writing and comprehension
• Mathematics — problem-solving and applied maths

The CSSE test includes a creative writing component, which is unusual among 11+ exams and requires specific preparation.

The Southend Education Trust (SET) runs a separate exam for Southend grammar schools, with its own format and timing.

Independent Schools

Many independent (private) schools set their own entrance exams, which may or may not resemble the 11+ exams listed above. Some use the ISEB Common Pre-Test, typically taken in Year 6 or 7, which is an adaptive online test covering English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning.

Check each school's admissions page for details of their specific test format.

When Is the 11+?

The timing varies by region:

• Most areas: September or October of Year 6
• Some areas: Earlier in the autumn term
• Registration deadlines: Typically June to July of Year 5, though some areas are earlier

You must register your child for the 11+ — it is not automatic. Check your local authority's website or the admissions pages of your target schools for registration deadlines. Missing the deadline means your child cannot sit the test.

What Does the 11+ Actually Test?

At its core, the 11+ tests four areas:

English

Comprehension passages with questions that test understanding, inference, and vocabulary. Grammar, spelling, and punctuation may also be assessed. Some exam boards include a writing component.

What this really tests: Can your child read a complex passage, understand what it says and implies, and express their understanding clearly?

Mathematics

Arithmetic, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio, algebra basics, geometry, and problem-solving. The level is broadly the upper end of the Key Stage 2 curriculum, though some questions go beyond what is taught in school.

What this really tests: Can your child apply mathematical knowledge to unfamiliar problems, not just follow procedures?

Verbal Reasoning

Puzzles involving words — anagrams, codes, analogies, word patterns, sentence completion, odd-one-out. These questions test logical thinking using language.

What this really tests: Can your child spot patterns and apply logic when the medium is language?

Non-Verbal Reasoning

Puzzles involving shapes, patterns, and spatial relationships — sequences, rotations, reflections, odd-one-out, matrices. No language is involved.

What this really tests: Can your child think logically and identify patterns in visual information?

Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning are not taught as subjects in primary school, which is why they can feel unfamiliar. They are learnable skills, but they require specific practice.

How to Prepare

When to Start

Most families begin structured 11+ preparation in Year 4 or early Year 5 — roughly 12 to 18 months before the exam. This allows enough time to cover all the question types without creating a pressure-cooker environment.

Starting earlier than Year 4 is generally unnecessary and risks burnout. Starting in Year 6 (the year of the exam) is possible but leaves little room for addressing weak areas.

What Preparation Looks Like

Effective 11+ preparation is a balance of:

1. Familiarisation with question types. Your child needs to know what Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning questions look like. These are not covered in school, so they need to be introduced and practised specifically.

2. Building core skills. Strong reading comprehension, a broad vocabulary, and confident arithmetic are the foundations. These are worth developing regardless of the 11+.

3. Timed practice. The 11+ is time-pressured. Practising under timed conditions builds speed and helps your child learn to manage their time during the test.

4. Past papers and mock exams. These are the closest approximation to the real thing. Use them in the final months to build familiarity and identify any remaining weak spots.

LearningBro offers 11+ preparation courses covering English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with practice questions designed to match the major exam board formats.

Tutoring vs Self-Study

Many families hire a tutor for 11+ preparation. This can be effective, but it is not essential. A motivated child with good materials and some parental support can prepare successfully without tutoring.

When tutoring helps:

• Your child has specific weak areas that need targeted attention
• You do not have the time or confidence to guide preparation yourself
• Your child responds better to external instruction than parental teaching

When self-study is sufficient:

• Your child is already performing well academically
• Good preparation materials are available (books, online courses, practice papers)
• You can provide regular, consistent support at home

If you do hire a tutor, look for someone with specific 11+ experience and ask how they structure their programme. A good tutor will assess your child's starting point and focus on their weak areas, not just work through generic practice papers.

Materials

For GL Assessment areas:

• Bond 11+ and CGP 11+ workbooks are widely used and reliable
• GL Assessment publishes its own practice papers
• LearningBro's 11+ Verbal Reasoning and 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning courses cover all question types with guided explanations

For CEM areas:

• Preparation is harder because CEM varies its format, but vocabulary development and broad reading are the best investments
• LearningBro's 11+ English and 11+ Maths courses build the underlying skills that CEM tests, regardless of the specific format

How Competitive Is It?

This varies enormously by area. In some regions, grammar schools receive two or three applications for every place. In others, the ratio is higher. Some grammar schools are so oversubscribed that even children who pass the 11+ are not guaranteed a place — the school ranks applicants by score and offers places to the highest performers.

Your local authority or school admissions team can tell you how many applicants there are per place. This is useful for setting realistic expectations.

Supporting Your Child Through the Process

Keep It in Perspective

The 11+ is one exam, taken at age 10. It does not define your child's intelligence, potential, or future. Grammar schools are one route to an excellent education, but they are not the only one. Comprehensive schools, academies, and independent schools all produce outstanding results.

If your child does not pass, it is not a failure — on their part or yours. The exam is designed so that most children who sit it do not pass. That is how selection works.

Watch for Stress

Children can pick up on parental anxiety about the 11+ very easily. If you are stressed, they will be stressed. Keep your own anxiety in check and present the 11+ as an opportunity, not a do-or-die moment.

Warning signs of 11+ stress in children:

• Reluctance or refusal to practise
• Tearfulness around preparation time
• Saying things like "I'm stupid" or "I'll never pass"
• Sleep difficulties
• Stomach aches or headaches before practice sessions

If you see these signs, ease off. No grammar school place is worth your child's mental health at age 10.

Make Preparation Manageable

• Short, regular sessions (20-30 minutes, three to four times a week) are more effective than long weekend marathons
• Mix up the subjects so preparation does not feel monotonous
• Praise effort and improvement, not just correct answers
• Take breaks and protect time for play, sport, friends, and fun

Talk About All Outcomes

Before the test, have an honest conversation about what happens if they do not get in. "We will be proud of you whatever happens, and there are great schools either way" is not just a comforting platitude — it is the truth, and your child needs to hear it.

After the Test

Results typically arrive in October or November, though the timing varies by area. There is often a wait of several weeks between the test and the results, which can be an anxious period.

If your child is offered a place, you will need to accept it through the normal school admissions process (usually by mid-March). If they are not offered a place, some areas have an appeals process — your local authority can advise on this.

Whatever the outcome, the skills your child developed during 11+ preparation — reading comprehension, mathematical reasoning, logical thinking — are valuable in their own right and will serve them well at secondary school regardless of which school they attend.

Further Reading

• 11+ English guide — what the English component tests and how to prepare
• 11+ Maths guide — key topics and preparation strategies for the Maths component
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning guide — an introduction to VR question types
• 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning guide — an introduction to NVR question types