What is the 11+ exam?
6 min read · updated 2026-08-31
The 11+ is the entrance exam taken by children in their final year of UK primary school (Year 6, age 10-11) for places at grammar schools and many independent schools. Here is what it involves, in plain English.
What is tested
Papers draw from four skill areas: verbal reasoning (word and language puzzles), non-verbal reasoning (shape and pattern problems), maths based on the primary curriculum, and English comprehension and writing. Not every school tests all four; some run two papers combining areas.
Who writes the exams
Most grammar schools use papers from GL Assessment. Other schools and regions use CEM-style questions, which present the same skills in a more time-pressed, less predictable format. Independent schools set their own papers and usually add an interview.
How scores work
Scores are age-standardised: results are adjusted so that younger children in the year group are not penalised for having had less time to develop. Each school or region then sets its own qualifying standard, and oversubscribed schools allocate places by distance, priority rules or a further round. There is no single national pass mark.
When it happens
Testing windows run mainly from early September of Year 6 into January, depending on the school and region. Registration typically opens in spring or summer of Year 5 and closes well before the test date, so missing the registration deadline is the most expensive mistake a family can make. Check each target school's website and diarise the dates.
FAQs
Is the 11+ compulsory?＋
No. It only applies if you are applying to a school that uses entrance testing. Every child otherwise moves to their normal secondary school.
Can my child retake the 11+?＋
Generally no for grammar school rounds in the same year, though late testing or appeal routes exist in some areas. Independent schools run their own schedules. Plan as if there is one shot.
What is a good 11+ score?＋
It depends entirely on the school and the year group's results. Work with your target school's historic guidance and use mock data rather than national guesses.
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