If you've heard other parents talking about "the 11 plus" and wondered what it actually involves — you're not alone. This guide explains what the 11+ exam is, who takes it, what's tested, how it's scored and what the timeline looks like, in plain English.
What is the 11+?
The 11+ (eleven plus) is a selective entrance exam taken by some children in their final year of primary school, Year 6. It's used by grammar schools — state-funded secondary schools that select pupils by academic ability — to decide who is offered a place in Year 7.
There are around 160 state grammar schools in England, plus grammar schools in Northern Ireland. They're concentrated in certain areas: Kent, Buckinghamshire and Lincolnshire are largely selective, and there are grammar schools in places such as Trafford, Birmingham, Essex, the Wirral, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Reading, Slough and several London boroughs including Sutton and Bexley.
Many independent (private) schools also set their own entrance exams at 11+, which parents often call "the 11+" too, even though the format can be quite different.
Who sits the 11+?
The 11+ is optional. Only children whose families apply for a grammar school place (or a selective independent school) take it. You must register your child for the test with the relevant local authority, consortium or school — usually in the spring or early summer of Year 5. Deadlines are strict, so check your area's dates early.
Children can often sit tests for more than one area or school, provided they're registered for each and the test dates don't clash.
What's tested in the 11+?
Most 11+ exams test some combination of four subjects:
- English — reading comprehension, spelling, punctuation and grammar, and vocabulary. Some schools also set a creative writing task.
- Maths — arithmetic and problem solving, usually at or slightly beyond the Year 6 curriculum.
- Verbal reasoning — problem solving with words and letters: codes, analogies, hidden words and sequences.
- Non-verbal reasoning — problem solving with shapes, patterns and spatial puzzles.
Which subjects appear, and how they're combined, depends on the exam board and the area. Some tests are entirely multiple choice; others include written answers and an essay.
Who writes the 11+?
The main providers are:
- GL Assessment — the most widely used provider for grammar schools. Separate, largely multiple-choice papers.
- CEM (now part of Cambridge University Press & Assessment) — historically known for mixing question types together.
- The Kent Test — Kent's own test, covering English, maths and reasoning, plus a writing sample.
- ISEB Common Pre-Test — an online, adaptive test used by many independent schools.
Some areas and consortiums set their own papers. We explain the differences in detail in GL vs CEM vs Kent vs ISEB.
How is the 11+ scored?
Most grammar school tests use age-standardised scores. A child's raw score is adjusted for their age in years and months, so that a child born in August isn't disadvantaged against one born the previous September. Scores are then compared against the whole cohort taking the test.
There isn't a single national "pass mark". Each area or school sets a qualifying score, and because many grammar schools are oversubscribed, reaching the qualifying score doesn't always guarantee a place — admissions criteria such as distance from the school or catchment area often decide who gets in among qualifying children.
The 11+ timeline
For state grammar schools in England, a typical year looks like this:
- Year 5, spring–summer: registration opens and closes for the 11+.
- Year 6, September (sometimes late summer or October): the test itself.
- Year 6, October: results are released — usually before the secondary school application deadline of 31 October.
- By 31 October: you submit your secondary school preferences to your local authority.
- 1 March, Year 6: National Offer Day — you find out which school your child has been offered.
Independent school exams often take place later, commonly in the autumn or January of Year 6. Dates vary a lot by area and school, so always check your target schools' admissions pages.
How should my child prepare?
The best preparation is steady and long-term, not intensive and last-minute. Most families begin structured preparation around the start of Year 5 — about a year before the exam — with reading and vocabulary building ideally starting earlier.
- Read widely and daily — especially challenging and classic fiction. Try our 11+ reading list.
- Build vocabulary steadily. Start with our 100 essential 11+ vocabulary words.
- Learn each question type before timing it.
- Practise in the right format for your target exam, then add timed mock exams in the final months.
- Keep it calm. A happy, rested child performs far better than an exhausted one.
For a month-by-month plan, read when to start 11+ preparation, and for doing it yourself, how to prepare for the 11+ at home.
Elevenplus FC covers the English and verbal reasoning side of the 11+ — vocabulary, comprehension, SPAG, verbal reasoning, creative writing and timed mock exams — in short daily sessions. It's free to start.
Frequently asked questions
What does 11+ stand for?
The name comes from the age at which children sit it — around 10 or 11, in Year 6 — for entry to secondary school in Year 7.
Is the 11+ compulsory?
No. It is only for children applying to grammar schools or to independent schools that use a selective entrance test. Families opt in by registering their child.
What is a good 11+ score?
It depends on the area and school. Many 11+ tests report age-standardised scores, and each area or school sets its own qualifying score. Popular schools often admit children well above the minimum, so check your target school's recent admissions data.
Can my child sit the 11+ more than once?
Generally no — for state grammar schools, a child usually sits each area's test once, in Year 6. Some families sit tests in more than one area, and there may be separate routes for late entry in later years.