The 11+ Explained: A Parent’s Guide

By the Success Tutoring team · 4 October 2026

The 11+ (eleven plus) is the entrance test for grammar schools in parts of England and in Northern Ireland. Most children sit it at the start of Year 6 for entry to Year 7 the following September. The papers vary by area and school, but most include some mix of verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, maths and English. The best preparation is finding out exactly which papers your area uses, then practising those skills little and often from Year 4 or 5.

Step one: find out what your area uses

There is no single national 11+. Each grammar school, consortium or local authority decides which test to use, who writes it and how places are offered. Tests may be written by providers such as GL Assessment or Cambridge University Press & Assessment, or by the schools themselves. Before you plan anything, check:

• which papers are included, and whether they are multiple choice or written answers
• how and when to register (registration often closes months before the test)
• the test date, and how results and admissions are handled

Your local council or the grammar school’s website is the place to check. GOV.UK has general information on school admissions.

The four common areas

The skills that matter most

• Vocabulary: it underpins verbal reasoning and comprehension. Daily reading of varied books is the single most useful habit.
• Automatic times tables: quick recall makes 11+ maths far less stressful. The Times Tables Challenge keeps them sharp.
• Careful reading of questions: many errors come from misreading, not from not knowing.
• Spotting rules: for sequences and codes, train your child to ask “what changes each time?” The Thinking Skills game helps here.

A sample weekly plan for Year 5

Adjust the plan to the papers your area uses. If there is no non-verbal reasoning paper, for example, swap that day for more maths or English.

Practising exam timing

11+ papers are timed, and pace is often the hardest part. Once your child is accurate, try the Timed test button on our games: 15 questions in 10 minutes, with answers revealed at the end. It builds the habit of moving on from a tricky question and keeping an eye on the clock. Go through the mistakes together afterwards so each one becomes something to practise.

Written or multiple choice?

Some areas use multiple-choice answer sheets, while others ask children to write answers in the paper. The skills are the same, but the habits differ. For multiple choice, practise ruling out wrong options and marking answers neatly. For written answers, practise showing working in maths and spelling carefully, since a misspelt word may not earn the mark. Your area’s familiarisation materials, if published, will show the format.

Keeping it healthy

The 11+ can feel high-stakes for families. Children do best when preparation is calm and consistent, with plenty of time for play, sport and sleep. Avoid comparing your child with friends, praise effort over scores, and remember that children go on to do well at many different kinds of secondary school.

The 11+ practice page groups our games by paper, and our free worksheets help with screen-free maths. If your child is also working towards Year 6 SATs, see our KS2 SATs guide.

Success Tutoring is not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by GL Assessment, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, or any grammar school, consortium or local authority. The 11+ is named only to describe what our original practice covers. Always check your local grammar school or council for the latest details.

Frequently asked questions