Grammar 11+ exam papers

You can find details of our top 11 Plus Practice Papers below:

11 plus practice papers

This is a guide for parents of current Year 5 children looking to prepare them for the 11+ Exam in September 2022 to enter their child into Year 7 at a grammar school in September 2023.

11 plus 2022/3 Timelines

Ideally, you will have decided which grammar schools you are considering. It is a good idea to visit each school with your child, to get a better feel and see if it is the right environment for them. (Most schools will be organising virtual tours and virtual open days over the coming year.)

April 2022: Most grammar schools will open their registration in April or May and set a deadline around June or July for parents to register their child for the 11+ exam. There is some variability, so please check these dates with your individual schools. Buckinghamshire automatically enters all primary children for the 11+ exam and operates an opt-out system for parents who must actively choose to withdraw their child from the process.

September 2022: For most grammar schools the 11+ exam will occur during the first two weeks in September 2022. There is some variability, so please check the date with your individual schools.

October 2022: For most grammar schools, 11+ results will be posted in mid-October 2022.

March 2023: School allocations are confirmed on 01 March 2023.

September 2023: New intake begins Year 7 at each of the 164 grammar schools.

Why go to a Grammar School?

As grammar school pupils are all academically selected and of similar high abilities, teachers are arguably able to stretch and challenge their pupils further, making more effective progress in lessons as compared to a comprehensive, mixed-ability school. Grammar schools are some of the highest performing schools listed in national league tables. According to the Sutton Trust Report (2008), grammar school pupils make greater progress throughout Key Stage 3 and 4 and achieve better GCSEs and A levels than pupils from other school types.

Another perceived advantage of attending a grammar school is that of social mobility. Grammar schools have a track record of producing students who go on to have very successful careers and who develop large networks of influential friends. A recent study conducted by the University of Bath, Bristol and the Institute of Education at the University of London concluded that pupils who attend a grammar school end up earning more than those who attend comprehensive schools.

11 plus practice papers

How do I best support my child in preparing for the 11+?

The best time to start preparing your child for the 11+ depends entirely on their current attainment levels and experience. Your son or daughter may only need a few weeks or months of preparation as the 11+ exam approaches, focusing on practising exam papers and developing the exam technique and confidence. Most children benefit from several months of support; often regular weekly tuition, building rigour and polish across core skills, being fully stretched and challenged academically and then shaping their performance towards the demands of the exam. Any support or tuition focused on preparing for the 11+ exam also brings a significant and broader benefit to your child’s, in terms of their general school work and confidence.

Some parents will choose to prepare their child using resources available, such as the series of Bond 11+ books or GL and CEM past papers; other parents will choose to send their child to 11+ group tuition with classes outside of school hours; other parents may choose to enlist the services of a professional tutor or teacher, who specialises in preparing children for the 11+ exam.

Teachers To Your Home provides specialist 11+ Examination tutors who have considerable experience in preparing children for entry into grammar schools. All of our 11+ tutors are qualified and experienced teachers; a significant number working as teachers within the Primary, Prep and Grammar School Sectors and who have thorough knowledge and experience of the 11+ process.

Most parents request 11+ tuition from Year 4 or 5. Initially, our 11+ tutors will provide an assessment of the child’s current levels before then going on to ensure a rich and rigorous foundation across all core skills before then preparing children towards the demands of the exam itself: building confidence and exam technique.

What to do if your child does not pass the 11+?

If your child doesn’t do as well as you expected, parents can submit an appeal to challenge the decision. You can also consider applying again for a later selection, at 12+ or 13+.

Above all, 11+ tuition should be a very positive and enjoyable experience, for both the child and the teacher. It is about each child achieving their personal best, whatever that may be. With many years of experience teaching children on a one-to-one basis, we know that children often make remarkable progress in only a few weeks.

6-Step Guide to 11 Plus Preparation

1) Ask yourself, is now the best time to start using 11+ practice papers for 2021?

2) If so, here are some useful Grammar School application tips.

• You need to consider 11 Plus Exam By UK Region.
• If you are considering those grammar schools in Outer London then we have a useful London Grammar school list.
• Otherwise, England’s other grammar schools are accessed from this regional grammar school list.

3) Are the grammar schools of interest CEM 11+ exam Grammar schools?

If so focus on School Entrance Tests’ 11 plus practice tests of CEM 11 Plus type.

4) Otherwise, it’s likely you are considering Grammars using GL Assessment.

Thus, you should focus on School Entrance Tests’ 11 plus practice tests of GL 11 Plus type.

11 plus practice papers

5) So, select the most relevant 11 plus exams from our comprehensive list of 11 Plus Past Exam Papers.

6) Schedule regular practice with these 11 plus practice papers and free online 11 plus papers.

Here’s School Entrance Tests’ own tips for passing the 11 plus and further 11 plus tests:

• 11 Plus Maths practice: Firstly, our useful mental Maths practice. You may also find these CAT Practice Tips Intro
• Our 11 Plus Verbal Reasoning Practice: In our opinion, these are some of the best 11 plus tips for Verbal Reasoning. Next, the School Entrance Tests 11+ Verbal Reasoning Practice. Here is our book on Passing Verbal Reasoning Tests
• English 11 plus test practice and 11 plus English tips: firstly, to improve your literacy Secondly, practice to improve your spelling and grammar. Thirdly, some general 11 plus English tips.
• 11 Plus non-verbal reasoning tips: We are very proud of our 11 Plus non-verbal reasoning article with the City Kids magazine.

11 plus practice papers

General Intelligence Questions from 11 Plus practice papers

One word in each group of four means the same or nearly the same as the word in capitals. Write this word down.

Example: SMALL: baby, size, little, mouse

Answer: little

1. CUT: knife, sever, canal, wound.
2. TWIN: engine, triplet, brother, duplicate.
3. OFTEN: sometimes, frequently, always, again.
4. POWER: might, strong, cable, electricity.
5. CLOTHES: washing, shut, frock, apparel.

• What do the following letters stand for?
  U.S.A., B.B.C., H.M.S., P.T.O., U.N.O., H.R.H.,M.P.
• One number in each line does not fit properly with the others. Find this number and write it down.

1. 2, 5, 8, 11, 15, 17
2. 29, 26, 21, 17, 13, 9
3. 1, 9, 16, 23, 27, 31, 34
4. 2, 6, 18, 52, 162
5. 144, 120, 96, 75, 48, 24

• Write down the words which describe a collection of: cows, fish, bees, sheep, crows.

Answers for 11 Plus test papers

Arithmetic

1. Albert lost 7 marbles, Bob won 4, Charles lost 9 and Dan won 12
2. 3 seconds per hour
3. 60 miles
4. 134 people

General English

1a) Our cats caught mice
b) Their grocers have no butter
c) These knives are very blunt
d) Women who live in shoes are sure to have troubles with their children
2. Golf course, skating rink, race course, tennis court, bowling alley/green
3. Sister, niece, nun, witch, goose, mermaid, waitress, heroine, vixen, cousin

4a) This is not an Infants’ School.

1. b) I am told that Tom Jones’ brother has won a Scholarship.
2. c) The bishop and another gentleman then entered the hall.
3. d) When the dog recognised me it wagged its tail.
4. e) That matter does not concern you or me.
5. f) While talking to my friend, the bus passed me.

General Intelligence

1. a) sever, b) duplicate, c) frequently, d) might, e) apparel
2. United States of America, British Broadcasting Corporation, Her/His Majesty’s Ship, please turn over, United Nations Organisation, Her/His Royal Highness, Member of Parliament
3. 15, 26, 23, 52, 75
4. herd, shoal, swarm, flock, murder

11 plus practice papers

* * * CONTENT UPDATED sept 2021 * * *