ElevenPlus.org.uk
The Eleven Plus (11+ or 11 plus) is a selective entrance examination for entry in to state secondary grammar schools and some private secondary schools, aimed to identify children with academic potential, but more often the most academically able children at the time of the test.
The exam is taken during October of year 6 of primary school for admission in to free state secondary schools and often in January of year 6 for private secondary schools.
The following English counties still have state-funded grammar schools: Berkshire, Bexley, Birmingham, Buckinghamshire, Cumbria, Devon, Dorset, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Medway, Shropshire, Trafford, Wiltshire, Walsall, Warwickshire, Wirral, Wolverhampton and Yorkshire. Northern Irish grammar schools use the Northern Ireland Transfer Test.
There are two major suppliers of eleven plus exams: CEM (owned by Cambridge University) and GL Assessment, which is a private organisation. Neither supplier releases past eleven plus papers. GL Assessment publishes preparation material, whereas CEM do not. All is not lost as CEM preparation material is available from the
shop on this website.
A FREE CEM 11 plus practice test paper is available from Children's Educational Material for 11+. Click here.
The content of the English and Maths sections of tests follow the KS2 National Curriculum up to the end of year 5 or beginning of year 6 - effectively the entire of KS2 (thus, year 6).
Verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning is not covered in state primary schools, but may be in private/independent primary schools, although many areas run an outreach programme for pupil premium qualified children, which is effectively free tuition under a different name.
Absolutely not. No child can be forced to sit the eleven plus test. In most areas parents have to explicitly apply for their child to sit the eleven plus. Children are permitted to sit eleven plus exams in any area, not only close to where they live. This means children can sit multiple tests in various areas. Some children sit 11+ tests as free mock exams (11+ tourism). It is important to remember an application to sit a test is not an application to the school. Applications to grammar schools are made on a CAF.
Some areas, such as Buckinghamshire automatically enrol children to sit the eleven plus test used in the local authority. But, any child can be withdrawn from the selective test, which bars them from gaining a place at a grammar school in the area.
Should my child sit the Eleven Plus?
The aim of the eleven plus is claimed to be to identify child with academic potential or innate ability. In reality it often identifies ability on the test date, elevated by preparation.
Many parents view a grammar school education as a free alternative to a fee-paying school - a substantial saving.