How to Pass The 11 Plus Exam

Last updated: 6 June 2026

What Is the 11 Plus Exam?

The 11 plus (11+) is a selective entrance exam used by grammar schools across England to assess pupils at the end of Year 5 or the start of Year 6. Children typically sit the exam in September of Year 6, with results arriving in October — in time for the secondary school application deadline on 31 October.

Grammar school places are highly competitive. In areas like Sutton, where five grammar schools share a common test, there can be more than 12 applicants for every place. That makes thorough preparation essential — but it doesn’t have to be stressful.

Which Exam Board Will Your Child Sit?

The two main 11+ exam providers in England are:

GL Assessment — used by most grammar schools in London, Kent, Buckinghamshire and other areas. Tests four subjects separately with published question types.
CEM (Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring) — used in Birmingham, Buckinghamshire (some schools), and parts of the South West. CEM papers blend subjects into mixed sections with unpublished question formats, making the test harder to prepare for through rote learning alone.

In South London and Surrey, the Sutton SET (Selective Eligibility Test) is used by Wilson’s School, Wallington High School for Girls, Nonsuch High School for Girls, and Wallington County Grammar School. Sutton Grammar School sets its own separate exam. All five use GL Assessment-style papers.

Top tip: Check your target school’s admissions page early in Year 4 to confirm the exam board, registration dates and any catchment area requirements.

What Subjects Are Tested in the 11 Plus?

Most 11+ exams assess four core areas:

English

Reading comprehension — fiction, non-fiction and poetry passages
Vocabulary and spelling
Grammar and punctuation
Sentence structure and writing skills (some schools)

Maths

Arithmetic — the four operations, fractions, decimals and percentages
Problem solving and word problems
Geometry — area, perimeter, angles, symmetry
Data handling — tables, charts, averages
Algebra basics — sequences, missing number problems

Verbal Reasoning (VR)

Verbal reasoning tests logical thinking using words and language. GL Assessment uses 21 published question types including:

Code words and letter sequences
Word analogies and synonyms
Hidden words and compound words
Sentence completion

Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR)

Non-verbal reasoning tests pattern recognition and spatial awareness using shapes and diagrams. Question types include:

Odd one out
Matrices and series
Reflection and rotation
Spatial folding — nets of 3D shapes

CEM exams blend VR and NVR into mixed papers alongside English and maths, so children must switch between question types quickly.

When Should 11 Plus Preparation Start?

Most education experts recommend starting preparation 12 to 18 months before the exam — ideally at the beginning of Year 5. This gives your child enough time to build skills gradually without cramming.

A realistic preparation timeline looks like this:

Start of Year 5 (September): Baseline assessment to identify strengths and gaps. Begin regular reading and maths practice.
January–April (Year 5): Introduce verbal and non-verbal reasoning with workbooks. Focus on one question type at a time.
May–July (Year 5): Start timed practice papers. Work on speed and accuracy under exam conditions.
Summer holidays: Increase to 3–4 practice sessions per week. Complete full-length mock exams.
September (Year 6): Final revision, exam technique and confidence building in the days before the test.

10 Top Tips for Passing the 11 Plus

1. Know your target school’s exam format

Different schools use different exam boards and question styles. Download past papers or sample papers from your school’s website and make sure your child practises the right format.

2. Build a consistent study routine

Short, regular sessions work better than long weekend marathons. Aim for 20–30 minutes of focused practice on school nights, with longer sessions at weekends. At age 10–11, children struggle to concentrate for more than 30 minutes at a stretch.

3. Use spaced repetition

Don’t cram the same topic for days in a row. Space out revisits to tricky topics over days and weeks — this is proven to improve long-term retention far more than massing practice.

4. Practise under timed conditions

Time pressure is one of the biggest challenges in the 11+. Once your child is comfortable with question types, start timing practice papers. Teach them to move on from questions they’re stuck on and come back to them at the end.

5. Read widely and often

Strong readers have a massive advantage in the 11+. Encourage your child to read a mix of fiction, non-fiction, newspapers and magazines. This builds vocabulary, comprehension speed and general knowledge — all tested in the exam.

6. Focus on weak areas, not just strengths

It’s tempting to practise subjects your child already enjoys. But the 11+ rewards balanced performance across all papers. Use practice test scores to identify gaps and target them deliberately.

7. Learn exam technique

Teach your child to:

Read questions carefully before answering
Eliminate obviously wrong answers in multiple-choice questions
Show working in maths (some papers award method marks)
Check answers if time allows

8. Use high-quality practice materials

Stick to reputable publishers like Bond, CGP, and Letts for workbooks. For GL-style tests, use official GL Assessment practice papers. Avoid relying solely on free online resources, which may not match the actual exam standard.

9. Don’t neglect wellbeing

An anxious, exhausted child won’t perform at their best. Make sure your child:

Gets enough sleep (10–11 hours for this age group)
Has downtime for play, hobbies and friends
Eats well, especially on exam day
Knows that one exam doesn’t define their future

10. Consider professional tuition

A qualified tutor can identify gaps you might miss, teach exam techniques, and keep your child motivated. Group tuition is also a great option — children often learn better alongside peers, and it normalises the preparation process.

Grammar Schools Near Sutton, Wallington and Croydon

If you live in South London or Surrey, these are the main grammar schools your child may apply to:

Wilson’s School (Wallington) — boys, Sutton SET + individual test, UK Rank #2
Wallington High School for Girls — Sutton SET + individual test
Wallington County Grammar School — mixed, Sutton SET + individual test
Nonsuch High School for Girls (Cheam) — Sutton SET + individual test
Sutton Grammar School — boys, individual test

Registration for the Sutton SET typically opens in spring and closes in early summer, with the test in September. Check each school’s website for exact dates.

How StudyBox Can Help

At StudyBox, we offer expert 11 plus tuition at our centres in Wallington, Sutton and Croydon. Our experienced tutors:

Assess your child’s current level and create a personalised study plan
Cover all four 11+ subjects — English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning
Provide regular timed mock exams under realistic conditions
Build confidence and reduce exam anxiety

Book a free trial session to see how we can help your child prepare for the 11 plus with confidence.