What is the 11 Plus Test?
The 11 Plus (11+) is an entrance test used by grammar schools and other selective schools to help decide which children to admit. It is usually taken at the beginning of Year 6, although the exact timing, application process and admission criteria vary between schools and areas.
There are around 160 grammar schools in England, but there is no single national 11 Plus exam. Some grammar schools operate independently, while others form part of a consortium, with several schools using the same entrance test and admissions arrangements.
Schools and consortiums can choose which subjects to test and which assessment provider to use. GL Assessment, Quest and FSCE are among the principal providers currently used for grammar-school entrance testing in England, while some schools and areas use other providers or their own testing arrangements.
This means that the 11 Plus can look quite different depending on where your child is applying. Tests may assess Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Spatial Reasoning, in various combinations. Subjects may be tested separately or combined within the same paper, and the number and length of papers also vary considerably.
At Club 11 Plus, we've carried out extensive analysis of the latest tests, familiarisation materials and question styles used by GL Assessment, Quest and FSCE. Our programme covers the core Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning topics and question types used across these assessments, rather than preparing children for just one particular test provider.
What 11 Plus Tests
Will My Child Sit?
There is no standard combination of 11 Plus subjects. The tests your child will sit depend entirely on the grammar school or consortium they are applying to.
Most entrance tests assess some combination of Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, while some also include Spatial Reasoning or Creative Writing. Subjects may be tested in separate papers or combined together, and the number, length and format of the papers vary considerably between different areas.
Before your child starts preparing, it's important to find out exactly what their chosen school requires. In particular, check:
✓ Which test provider does the school or consortium use?
✓ Which subjects will my child be tested on?
✓ Does the test include Spatial Reasoning or Creative Writing?
✓ How many papers will my child sit and how long are they?
✓ When will my child take the test?
✓ When and how do I need to register them?
What is the 11 Plus Test Pass Mark?
Another critical aspect of the 11 Plus test is that the pass mark can differ significantly from one school to another, and from one year to the next. Each school determines its own criteria for what constitutes a passing score, which means that while a child may pass the 11 Plus test at one school, they may not necessarily meet the requirements at another. Some schools might set one pass mark for children who live in catchment, and another for those who don’t. At Club 11 Plus, we set a pass mark of 80% for all of our quizzes, to encourage our students to reach a standard that should ensure success whichever school they are trying to get into.
What Are The 11 Plus Tests Like?
11 Plus tests are designed to challenge children beyond simply recalling what they have learnt at school. Depending on the test provider and subjects being assessed, children may need to solve unfamiliar problems, interpret complex texts, work out patterns and codes, or apply their knowledge quickly and accurately under timed conditions.
At Club 11 Plus, we've carried out extensive analysis of the latest GL Assessment, Quest and FSCE materials, looking closely at the topics tested, the different question types used and the skills children need to answer them successfully.
We've used that research to shape our lessons, quizzes, diagnostics and mock tests, ensuring that children learn the core knowledge and techniques required across all three major providers, while getting plenty of practice with the different ways in which 11 Plus questions can be presented.
So rather than simply learning a collection of facts or practising one particular test format, children develop the knowledge, reasoning skills, speed and confidence they need to tackle the questions they are likely to meet on test day.
Let’s take a closer look at the types of questions your child might encounter in each subject.
The 11 Plus Maths Test
The 11 Plus Maths test consists almost entirely of word problems, covering a wide variety of topics, most of which your child will have covered in school by the end of Year 5, but some of which, such as algebra, or conversion of squared units, may well be new to them. At Club 11 Plus, we have divided the topics into 23 separate modules, each of which has a series of lessons and subject quizzes, full of word problems just like the ones in the real test. We then provide a series of mixed quizzes, so your child will be fully prepared when it comes to test day.
The 11 Plus English Test
English is tested in most 11 Plus examinations, although exactly what is assessed and how the questions are presented varies between schools, areas and test providers.
11 Plus English can draw on a wide range of skills, including reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, grammar and use of English. Children may need to understand and interpret a passage, identify meanings of words, recognise correct spelling and punctuation, or choose the most appropriate words and sentence structures.
At Club 11 Plus, our English programme develops all of these core skills through bite-sized lessons, targeted quizzes and plenty of short and full-length comprehension practice, giving children a strong foundation for the different styles of 11 Plus English questions they may encounter.
The 11 Plus Verbal Reasoning Test
Verbal Reasoning is used in many 11 Plus examinations, although the question types and format vary between schools, areas and test providers. Broadly, it tests a child's ability to reason with words, letters, numbers and codes, rather than simply testing knowledge they have learnt at school.
The questions can seem rather strange at first - particularly to a child who has never encountered Verbal Reasoning before! They might involve cracking codes, spotting number or letter sequences, finding hidden words, identifying relationships between words or solving word and number puzzles.
At Club 11 Plus, we've broken Verbal Reasoning down into 20 different question types, with lessons teaching children how to tackle each type followed by plenty of targeted practice. Our mixed quizzes then challenge children to recognise for themselves which techniques they need to use.
Verbal Reasoning is an area where familiarity and practice can make an enormous difference, helping children develop the speed, accuracy and confidence they'll need on test day.
The 11 Plus Non-Verbal Reasoning Test
Non-Verbal Reasoning is included in many 11 Plus examinations, although the question types and format vary between schools, areas and test providers. It tests a child’s ability to reason using shapes, patterns and visual information, rather than words.
Children may be asked to spot patterns and sequences, identify similarities and differences between shapes, work out which image completes a pattern, or determine how shapes have been changed according to a particular rule. These types of questions can be very unfamiliar to children when they first encounter them.
At Club 11 Plus, our Non-Verbal Reasoning lessons teach children how to recognise the rules and techniques behind these different types of problem, followed by plenty of targeted and mixed practice. Familiarity can make a huge difference, helping children develop the speed, accuracy and confidence they need to tackle unfamiliar visual problems on test day.
Some 11 Plus examinations also include Spatial Reasoning, which involves additional skills such as manipulating and visualising shapes in three dimensions. Spatial Reasoning is not currently included in the Club 11 Plus programme, but we're working on adding it soon.
Be Prepared!
Our Club 11 Plus boffins and geeks weren't all boy scouts, but we do all believe in the power of always being prepared for anything. Our program is designed to adapt to the needs of each student, regardless of the school they want to go to, providing a well-rounded foundation for 11 Plus test success. We feel confident that our comprehensive program of lessons and quizzes will give your child all the tools they need to be fully prepared for anything the 11 Plus test can throw at them, and you can relax in the knowledge that you've done your very best to help them on the path to success!
Constantly Expanding!
At Club 11 Plus, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive preparation for all the 11 Plus assessments, and like the universe, we are expanding daily! We already offer hundreds of lessons and quizzes for Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, but every week we add even more!
We just can't get enough of it!
We just can't get enough of it!
How it works:
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Start your 2-day free trial today, explore our school, and find out what Club 11 Plus can offer you and your child. We don't even request your payment details!
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