11+ / Selection Test Exams
The 11+ or selection test entrance exam will only affect those who live in an area where there are grammar schools and is completely voluntary, although some counties require you to opt-out.
The 11+ or selection test entrance exam will only affect those who live in an area where there are grammar schools and is completely voluntary, although some counties require you to opt-out. The 11+ is an entrance exam for the majority of state-funded and also some fee-paying schools and is used to assess the ability of those students looking to attend. Depending on where you live will depend on how many grammar schools are available and whether they are single sex or co-educational.
Depending on the school in question will depend on the exam set with some grammar schools setting their own exams in English and maths, while others also test verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.
There are two different types of 11+ exams CEM and GL which are two different exam boards.
GL Assessments stands for Granada Learning and covers four subjects, English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning/spatial awareness, although schools can pick and choose which of these exams they set.
CEM was developed by the Centre for Evaluation & Monitoring at the University of Durham and was created in response to fears that the exam could be taught to those taking it and so favoured those pupils whose parents could afford tutors. It covers verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and numerical reasoning.
Depending on where you live will depend which exam board is used and this is worth researching before any practice papers or workbooks are purchased.
When is the exam?
This will vary depending on the school, but it is often set in the September for the current Year 6 intake, with results being given out in the October ready to apply for their secondary school place. Where the exam takes place will depend on where your child currently goes to schools. If your child attends a local authority school, then they may take their 11+ entrance exam at their current school, if they attend another type of school then they will be asked to take the exam in a central location which may be a local grammar school. In some counties all children are automatically entered to do their 11+ exam and it is up to the parent to opt-out their child, where other countries require you to enter your child by June or July before they enter Year 6 -- please check with your local authority.
Can a tutor help?
The change in 11+ exams (CEM) which is adopted by a number of grammar schools, has been designed to try and reduce the need to tutor your child through the entrance exam to make it fairer. Tutoring as a general rule can have a positive result on your child's academic ability and will help improve their performance overall at school. Tutors can also help prepare your child for the exam in terms of practicing papers, getting use to the answer sheets and also tackling questions similar to what they may see in the exam. There are plenty of pass papers and workbooks available for the 11+ entrance exams and whether you get a tutor or not, if your child is sitting the exam, it is worth familiarising them with the style of questions and also getting them use to the answer sheet.
The 11+ process can be gruelling on both the child and parent and so it is important to do your research into whether the school is right for the child in the first place. You also need to consider what happens if your child doesn't get a place, particularly if their friends do. Visit both grammar and comprehensive schools prior to putting your child down for the 11+, ideally visit the schools at the beginning of Year 5. Talk to others who have been through the process and to tutors, whether you want to go down that route or not as they have plenty of experience that may help you make the decision whether the school is right for your child and make sure you have a plan B -- good luck!