Stage 1 — familiarisation
A gentle first step: getting comfortable with 11+ question types before any timed practice.
⚠️ Worth knowing — the 11+ isn't the same everywhere
Whether children sit an 11+ at all, which subjects it covers, which exam board sets it, and what score is needed all depend on where you live and which school you're applying to. Always check the current guidance from your own local authority or grammar school before relying on general information like this page.
In short
The 11+ is sat by Year 6 children applying for a grammar-school or selective place, usually in September of Year 6. It isn't compulsory, and results are usually reported as a standardised score rather than a raw mark. Most guidance favours brief, low-pressure familiarisation with the question types over months of intensive coaching.
This page is general information, not advice for a specific school or local authority.
⚠️ A common concern about 11+ preparation
Educators and researchers have long debated how much coaching for the 11+ is appropriate. A frequently voiced concern is that long, expensive tutoring programmes can advantage children whose families can afford them, rather than measuring a child's own reasoning ability — which is part of why some schools and exam boards actively discourage heavy coaching.
We take that seriously: this page and the practice on this site are not a "guaranteed prep course", and they don't promise to improve a child's chances. The best first step is always to check the official guidance published by your own local authority or the grammar school you're applying to.
Who sits it, and roughly when
- Year group: Year 6 (age 10-11), for entry into Year 7 the following September.
- Timing: most commonly in September of Year 6, though exact dates vary by area.
- The test is usually sat at the child's own primary school, the grammar school, or a test centre — this varies locally.
- Sitting the 11+ is opt-in, not compulsory — parents register their child.
What the test covers
Most 11+ papers draw on some combination of verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, maths and English — but the exact subjects tested, the exam board used (commonly GL Assessment or CEM-style papers), and the paper length are set locally, so we deliberately don't state one figure here.
Scores are usually reported as a standardised score that adjusts for the child's exact age in months, rather than a raw mark — so two children with different raw scores can end up with the same standardised score if their birth months differ. Each grammar school (or the local authority, where it coordinates admissions) sets its own qualifying score.
What happens after the test
The 11+ result feeds into the normal secondary-school admissions process: families list their preferred schools in order, and offers (including grammar-school places) are made on national offer day, based on the 11+ outcome together with each school's usual admissions criteria. For timed practice once you're familiar with the format, see Stage 2.
Frequently asked questions
Who sits the 11+?
Children in Year 6 (age 10-11) applying for a place at a grammar school or a selective independent school the following September (Year 7 entry). Whether the 11+ applies at all depends on where you live — many areas of England have no grammar schools.
Where does the test take place?
Usually at the child's own primary school, at the grammar school itself, or at a test centre — this varies by local authority and by which exam board administers the test.
Is sitting the 11+ compulsory?
No. It's opt-in: parents register their child for the test (directly with the school, the local authority, or the exam board, depending on the area).
How is the result decided?
Most 11+ papers are marked and reported as a standardised score, which accounts for the child's exact age in months. Grammar schools set their own qualifying score, and it varies by school and by year — there is no single national pass mark.
What does the test cover?
Typically some combination of verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, maths and English, though the exact mix is set locally — not every area tests all four.
What happens after the test?
Families rank their preferred schools through the normal secondary-school admissions process; grammar-school places are offered based on the 11+ result together with the family's preferences, alongside the usual national offer-day timetable.
Should a child be tutored heavily for the 11+?
Views differ, and this varies a great deal by area and by school. A widely shared concern among educators is that heavy, long-running tutoring can create an uneven playing field rather than measuring a child's own reasoning — so treat any specific claim about how much preparation "works" with caution, and check current guidance from your own local authority or grammar school.