What Is the 11+ Exam? A Parent's Guide to Grammar School Entry

If another parent at the school gate has mentioned "the 11+" and you nodded along without being quite sure what it involves, you are in good company. The 11 plus exam, the grammar school entrance exam taken at the start of Year 6, is one of the most talked-about parts of primary school life in areas with grammar schools, yet the details are rarely explained clearly.

Most of what follows applies anywhere in England, but the examples come from the tests closest to East London: Redbridge, Essex and The Latymer School in Edmonton.

The short answer: the 11+ is a selection test that children sit at the start of Year 6, usually aged 10 or 11, to apply for a place at a grammar school. It is not a national exam. Each area or school decides which subjects to test, who sets the paper and what score is needed.

The 11+ exam explained in plain English

A grammar school is a state secondary school that selects pupils by academic ability. There are no fees, but there is an entrance test, and that test is what people call the 11+ (or eleven plus).

Three points surprise many parents:

• It is optional. Children only sit the 11+ if their parents register them. Most children in England never take it, because most areas have no grammar schools.

• It is local. There is no single 11+ paper. A child applying in Redbridge sits a different test from a child applying in Essex or Kent.

• Passing does not guarantee a place. Popular grammar schools often have more qualified applicants than places, so a "pass" usually means your child can be considered, not that they will be offered a seat.

What age is the 11+?

Children sit the 11+ in the September or October of Year 6, when most are 10 and the oldest have just turned 11. Registration happens earlier, in the summer term of Year 5.

The London Borough of Redbridge, for example, opened registration on 1 May 2026 and closed it at 5pm on 15 June 2026, for a test on Friday 18 September 2026. Children sitting that test are applying to start Year 7 in September 2027. Dates change every year, so always check the admissions page for your area.

11+ subjects: what does the test cover?

The four building blocks are English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. Each area picks its own combination.

Verbal and non-verbal reasoning are not taught as subjects in most primary schools, which is why they tend to need the most targeted practice.

Who sets the test? Three examples near East London

Because there is no national paper, the "exam board" depends on where you apply.

• Redbridge grammar schools (Ilford County High School for boys and Woodford County High School for girls) use a test supplied by GL Assessment. According to Redbridge Council's 11+ page, it has two papers: English with verbal reasoning, and maths with non-verbal reasoning.

• Most Essex grammar schools, in Chelmsford, Colchester, Southend and Westcliff, use the CSSE test, set by the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex. It has an English paper and a maths paper. Chelmsford County High School for Girls is an exception and sets its own test.

• Some schools set their own tests or papers. The Latymer School in Edmonton, for instance, combines a GL Assessment maths and verbal reasoning paper with a written English paper set by the school.

Merit Tutors keeps a list of 11+ schools and key dates across Redbridge, Essex, Bexley, Kent, Enfield and Barnet, which is a useful starting point if you are weighing up several areas.

How 11+ results work

Raw marks are converted into standardised scores. This puts every paper on the same scale. Many tests also adjust for age, so that a child born in August is not disadvantaged against one born the previous September; CSSE, for example, checks its results for age bias every year.

What happens next depends on the school:

• Qualifying score. Many areas set a minimum. Redbridge's admission arrangements for 2027 entry set a threshold of 104; Essex (CSSE) schools do not offer places below a total score of 303.

• Ranking. Children who reach the threshold are then ranked, usually by score within priority groups such as catchment area or pupil premium eligibility.

• Offers. Places are confirmed on National Offer Day, on or around 1 March, through your council, like any other secondary school offer.

One step is easy to miss: registering for the test is not the same as applying for the school. You must also name the grammar school on your council's secondary school application (the common application form), usually by 31 October.

The 11+ year at a glance

1. Year 5, spring and summer: read the admissions arrangements for your chosen schools, check catchment and register for the test.

2. Year 5 summer holiday: final preparation; the test is only weeks into Year 6.

3. Year 6, September: the test.

4. Year 6, mid-October: results arrive. Redbridge and CSSE both email results in mid-October.

5. By 31 October: submit your council's secondary school application, listing schools in your true order of preference.

6. On or about 1 March: National Offer Day.

Is the 11+ right for your child?

There is no single right answer, and a grammar school is not the only route to excellent results. It is worth asking yourself:

• Does your child enjoy a fast pace and being stretched, or would a highly selective environment leave them anxious?

• Is the school realistic to reach every day, for seven years? Some grammar schools are a long journey from parts of East London.

• Do you live within the catchment or priority area? In Redbridge, for example, children outside the catchment are considered only after those inside it, and the council says it cannot offer them a place.

If you are unsure where your child stands, an assessment of their current maths, English and reasoning skills can help you make the decision with real information rather than guesswork. Merit Tutors offers a free assessment at its Forest Gate, Ilford and Plaistow branches or online, and runs small-group 11+ preparation for Years 3 to 5.

Frequently asked questions

Can my child sit more than one 11+ test?

Usually, yes, as long as the dates do not clash and you register for each one separately. Redbridge warns that it cannot offer an alternative date if your child misses its test because of another school's test on the same day.

Are there free practice materials?

Yes. GL Assessment publishes free familiarisation papers for English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, and CSSE publishes free past papers with mark schemes on its website.

What if my child does not get a place?

You may be able to join the waiting list, you have the right to appeal, and your child can take up the place offered at another school on your list. A grammar school is one route to a good education, not the only one.

Your first step

Before buying a single practice book, write down the schools you are seriously considering and read their admission arrangements. You will learn which test your child would sit, when registration opens, what score is needed and whether your address counts. Once you know that, the question of what the 11 plus exam is for your family has a precise answer, and you can plan around it rather than around playground rumours.