11+ prep, by official source.
The 11+ market is full of paid courses promising "the secret to passing." There isn’t one — there’s the test board your specific grammar uses, and the official material it publishes for free. Start there.
GL Assessment (most LEA grammars)
Official familiarisation booklets for English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Free PDFs.
Open →CEM (now retired — context only)
CEM ran 11+ until 2022. Many areas have moved to GL or bespoke local tests. Check your specific grammar before using legacy CEM material.
Open →ISEB Common Pre-Test
Used by leading independent senior schools. Online, adaptive. Official sample materials and FAQs from the board itself.
Open →CSSE (Essex)
Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex. Their own consortium-specific 11+ test with free familiarisation booklets.
Open →Bond 11+ (free samples)
Long-standing publisher. Free sample papers across English, Maths, VR, NVR. Paper books are widely used by tutors.
Open →Atom Learning (free demo)
Adaptive online practice for 11+ and SATs. Free trial; full access subscription. Used by many independent schools.
Open →Which 11+ does your area use?
Test boards vary by region and by school. Always confirm directly with the specific grammar — these are the typical patterns.
| Area | Test board | Test sections |
|---|---|---|
| Buckinghamshire | GL | VR, Maths, English (single combined paper) |
| Kent (Kent Test) | GL-style + bespoke | English, Maths, Reasoning + writing task |
| Birmingham, Warwickshire | CEM legacy → GL | VR, NVR, Maths, English (multiple short timed sections) |
| Essex (CSSE) | CSSE consortium | English (incl. essay), Maths |
| North London grammars (Henrietta Barnett, QE Boys, Latymer) | Bespoke + FSCE consortium | Two-stage; verbal, quantitative, English |
| Sutton, Wallington, Wilson’s | SET (consortium) | Two-stage; English, Maths, NVR |
| Lincolnshire, Trafford, Wirral, Yorkshire | GL Assessment | VR, NVR, Maths, English |
| Independent senior schools (top tier) | ISEB Common Pre-Test | Online adaptive: English, Maths, VR, NVR |
What each test type actually feels like
- GL Assessment — multiple-choice, separate-answer-sheet, short timed sections. Pace and accuracy matter as much as content. Practice with the answer-sheet format until it’s automatic.
- CEM (legacy) — fewer practice papers existed by design. Now largely replaced. If your area still references CEM, check whether they’ve switched to GL.
- ISEB Common Pre-Test — online, adaptive (questions get harder when you get them right). Sat in Year 6 or Year 7 depending on the school. Time-pressured.
- CSSE / SET / FSCE — consortium tests with their own format and past papers. Always practice with consortium-specific material, not generic GL packs.
The four 11+ skills
- Maths — KS2 curriculum plus speed. The test rewards fast, accurate arithmetic and basic problem-solving. Times-tables fluency matters more than people think.
- English — comprehension, vocabulary, basic grammar. For consortium tests, also a written piece (story / persuasive / descriptive). Reading widely is the highest-yield prep.
- Verbal Reasoning (VR) — pattern recognition with words: codes, analogies, odd-one-out. Highly practice-responsive — children improve fast with structured exposure.
- Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR) — pattern recognition with shapes. Same pattern: structured practice gives big gains over 8–12 weeks.
A sensible 11+ timeline
- 12 months out — confirm which board your target school uses (GL, ISEB, CSSE or bespoke). Order the official familiarisation pack.
- 9 months out — focus on closing maths and English gaps. The test rewards fundamentals, not advanced content.
- 6 months out — start timed VR/NVR practice. These are pattern-recognition skills that improve fast with structured exposure.
- 3 months out — full mock papers under exam conditions. Once a fortnight, not weekly. Recovery time matters.
- The week before — stop. Sleep, eat normally, walk in calm. Cramming the last week reliably loses marks.
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