Understanding the 11-plus exam
What is the 11-plus exam and why do schools use it?
It may be an obvious thing to state but it is still worth doing so: one of the reasons high-performing private schools and grammar schools get such good results is because, in addition to good teaching, they hand-pick the brightest children to fill their classrooms. How do they pick? By asking applicants to sit an 11-plus exam or other entrance assessment.
Much of the country abolished grammar schools, and therefore the state school 11-plus, several decades ago, but a few local authorities, such as Buckinghamshire and Kent, retained a large number of grammar schools and continue to run county-wide entrance tests. In some other areas, such as Barnet and Kingston, a few grammar schools exist in tandem with the comprehensive system found in most of the country. These grammar schools set their own entrance exams.
As with grammar schools, many private schools set tests for applicants into year 7 and the umbrella term used for these assessments is the ‘11-plus exam’, or simply, ‘the 11-plus’. Some schools set their own tests, others are part of school consortia that set a single assessment for all applicants, and some independent schools use Common Entrance.
What subjects are covered in the 11-plus exam?
There is no uniformity to the exams. Many selective schools still test applicants’ English and maths, just as their parents and grandparents were tested decades ago. Others test verbal reasoning (VR) and/or non-verbal reasoning (NVR) too - a fairer system, many believe, as this is a better indicator of raw intelligence than English and maths tests which are easier to coach for and which advantage those from private prep schools. Some schools do both.
What are verbal reasoning (VR) and non-verbal reasoning (NVR)?
VR and NVR are a series of questions designed to assess reasoning and problem-solving skills using either words (verbal reasoning) or shapes and patterns (non-verbal reasoning).
VR and NVR are generally regarded as harder to coach for, though practice undoubtedly helps. The raison d’être of preparatory schools is – as their name suggests – to prepare their pupils and help them get into good senior schools – state or independent. Some prep schools will channel time and energy into helping grammar school applicants prepare but state primaries are not allowed to offer special assistance ahead of the grammar school 11-plus.
When do children sit the 11-plus exam?
There is no national timetable for when the 11-plus takes place. State grammar schools now issue initial results before the closing date for secondary school applications at the end of October, allowing parents to make informed preferences. In many cases parents need to sign up during year 5, and exams typically take place in September of year 6, although, from 2027 a handful of grammars will instead hold their 11-plus assessments in the applicants’ summer term of year 5.
Even the independents make little effort to synchronise testing, and exams happen from November to January in general. However, some independent schools, especially in London, have formed consortia so that your child sits one exam which is then used as an application to a handful of schools, and most give out their results at the same time – usually in February.
Does my child need an 11-plus tutor?
With such competition for places it will come as no surprise that, despite the schools’ reassurances, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find children who haven’t received some coaching.
The type and amount of tuition varies: some children receive a little extra help to ensure they understand the way questions are presented; others are carefully coached from a tender age – not just in the three Rs but in the nuances of verbal and non-verbal reasoning and other tests which, ironically, are ostensibly designed because they ‘cannot be coached for’.
Undoubtedly, one-to-one tutoring with an experienced and friendly tutor can help some children build confidence, improve exam technique and address gaps in knowledge. But be warned that such tutoring can be expensive and, in grammar school areas, it is decidedly a seller’s market. Increasingly, small group tuition companies have sprung up and many do a good job at far less cost than individual sessions. They can never be as good, as they exist to impart information and technique rather than to address the needs of your own individual child, but they can often be good enough – especially for a child who enjoys going. The best known of these is Kumon, but there are numerous others, many run by worthy local teachers.
Rely on personal recommendation rather than ads. If a parent whose child is the same age as yours, and therefore a competitor for a place, tells you a company is rubbish, don’t trust them. Trust someone who went through the process the year before. And be warned that there is no statutory regulation of tutoring in the UK, meaning that anyone can call themselves a tutor. (See our guides to tutors and tutoring which tells you all you need to know).
How can I prepare my child for the 11-plus without a tutor?
Many schools set their own practice papers and often publish them on their website. You can also buy a huge range of 11-plus practice papers, familiarisation materials and revision books from bookshops and online. Regular reading, secure maths skills and plenty of practice under timed conditions are often just as valuable as learning question types.
What happens if my child doesn't pass the 11-plus?
Don’t panic. Your local comprehensive may not spill out pristine, quietly spoken, well-mannered children destined for Cambridge and bound for a worthy career as a dentist or noble public servant, but many comprehensive schools do, and do so very well. And the more parents who care about education and who have aspirations for their children and send their children to these schools, the better the schools will get. The breadth of opportunity and the dedication and inspiration of many comprehensive school teachers are impressive and, to many, a revelation once they go and see. So – go and see – and do let us know what you find. It is, after all, the business of state schools to put the independents out of business.
Whatever the picture, before you stride through their doors of a prospective school, why not take a look at the information The Good Schools Guide carries, even for schools that we haven't reviewed.
