English
• Comprehension: Reading a passage and answering questions testing retrieval, inference, language analysis and extended response
• Creative Writing: Narrative, descriptive, or persuasive writing under timed conditions (typically 20–30 minutes)
• SPaG: Spelling, punctuation and grammar — either standalone or embedded in comprehension

Maths
• Arithmetic: The four operations, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio
• Problem Solving: Multi-step word problems requiring careful reading and method
• Reasoning: Some papers include mathematical reasoning (patterns, algebra, logic)

Verbal Reasoning (VR)
• Word patterns, codes, analogies, odd-one-out, letter sequences, hidden words
• Tests the ability to reason using language — not the same as English

Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR)
• Shape patterns, spatial reasoning, figure matrices, odd-one-out, codes
• Tests the ability to reason without words — particularly important for grammar school entry

Interview
• Required by many independent schools (less common for grammars)
• Typically 15–20 minutes with a senior member of staff or Head

GL Assessment (used by most grammar schools)
• Standardised, multiple-choice papers in English, Maths, VR and NVR
• Fixed pass mark set by each school or consortium
• Widely used across Kent, Buckinghamshire, Warwickshire, Birmingham, Lincolnshire and other grammar regions
• Past papers and familiarisation materials are publicly available
• Preparation tip: Practise under strict timed conditions — GL papers are tight on time

CEM / Cambridge Select Insight (no past papers)
• Used in some grammar regions including parts of Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire and the Wirral
• Tests English (comprehension, SPaG) and Maths alongside VR and NVR
• No official past papers are published — this is by design, to test genuine ability rather than rehearsed technique
• Questions are interleaved (VR mixed with English, NVR mixed with Maths) rather than in separate sections
• Preparation tip: Focus on building strong underlying skills rather than drilling specific question types

ISEB Common Pre-Test (online, adaptive)
• Used by over 100 independent schools including Eton, Harrow, Winchester, Westminster, Wycombe Abbey
• Online test that adapts in difficulty — questions get harder or easier based on the child's answers
• Tests English, Maths, VR and NVR in a single sitting (approximately 2.5 hours with breaks)
• Taken in Year 6 or Year 7 depending on the school
• Preparation tip: Children cannot go back to previous questions, so teach them to commit and move on

School-Set Papers (bespoke)
• Written by individual schools and unique to each — hardest to prepare for generically
• Common at highly selective independents (e.g., St Paul's, City of London, Latymer Upper)
• Often include extended writing and more demanding comprehension
• Preparation tip: Request specimen papers from the school and analyse the exact format, mark scheme and timing

Grammar schools (state-funded, selective)
• Free to attend — selection is by exam only
• Typically use GL Assessment or CEM
• Most have a single exam sitting with a hard pass mark
• Extremely competitive in some areas (10:1 or higher in parts of Kent and Buckinghamshire)
• No interview — the exam score is everything

Independent schools (fee-paying, varying selectivity)
• Range from mildly to extremely selective
• May use ISEB Pre-Test, school-set papers, or a combination
• Many include an interview, school visit or taster day as part of the process
• Some offer scholarships and bursaries that can cover up to 100% of fees
• Often consider the whole child: exam results, interview, school report, references

Key difference for parents: Grammar school entry is almost entirely exam-based. Independent school entry considers a broader picture, which can work in your child's favour if they interview well and have strong references — but it also means there are more variables you cannot control.

Start with open days. Visit at least 4–6 schools, ideally in Year 4 or early Year 5. Pay attention to how students behave when teachers aren't watching — this tells you more than any prospectus.

Research the exam format. Every school is different. Before you spend months preparing, confirm exactly which exam board and format your target school uses. Call the admissions office directly if the website is unclear.

Be realistic about targets. Your child should have a realistic chance at their first-choice school. If the average successful candidate scores 95% and your child is consistently scoring 70% in practice, that school may not be the right fit this year. Having a strong backup school is not defeatism — it is good planning.

Consider the commute. A 90-minute commute each way sounds manageable on an open day. It does not sound manageable at 7am on a dark Tuesday in February. Be honest about the daily reality.

Think beyond the league tables. The best school for your child is the one where they will thrive, not necessarily the one with the highest exam results. A child who is confident, engaged and stretched will outperform a child who is anxious and out of their depth at a more selective school.

When to register:
• Registration opens at different times for different schools — some as early as 18 months before the exam
• Many popular schools fill their exam places quickly, so register as early as possible
• Grammar school registration is typically via the local authority or a consortium website
• Independent school registration is usually directly with the school's admissions office

What you typically need:
• Child's full name, date of birth, current school details
• Registration fee (usually £50–£150 for independent schools; grammar schools are usually free)
• A current passport-style photograph (some schools)
• A copy of the child's most recent school report (some independent schools)

Key tip: Create a spreadsheet tracking every school's registration deadline, exam date, and required documents. Parents who miss a registration deadline have no second chance.

It is not just about getting the right answer. Examiners and admissions teams are looking for:

Clear method and working. In Maths, always show your working. A correct answer with no working may score full marks, but a wrong answer with clear working can still earn method marks. An answer with no working earns nothing if it is wrong.

Reading the question carefully. A significant proportion of marks lost in every exam come from children who answered a different question to the one asked. Underlining key words in the question is a simple habit that recovers marks.

Legible handwriting. If the examiner cannot read the answer, they cannot mark it. Handwriting does not need to be beautiful, but it must be clear.

Time management. Spending 10 minutes on a 1-mark question and then running out of time on the 6-mark question at the end is the most common tactical error. Teach your child to allocate time proportionally to marks.

Full sentences in English. One-word answers or sentence fragments will not score on inference or analysis questions, even if the underlying point is correct.

What to expect:
• Typically 15–20 minutes with a Head, Deputy, or senior teacher
• Questions about hobbies, interests, current reading, what excites them about the school
• Sometimes a discussion about a picture, object or short passage to assess thinking
• Occasionally a group activity or task alongside other candidates

How to prepare:
• Practise talking about books they have genuinely read and enjoyed — not books they think the school wants to hear about
• Encourage curiosity about the news, science, history, the world around them
• Practise making eye contact, speaking clearly, and listening to the question before answering
• Visit the school before the interview so the environment feels familiar

What NOT to do:
• Do not over-rehearse scripted answers — experienced interviewers spot this immediately
• Do not coach a child to give answers they think the school wants — authenticity matters
• Do not panic if the interviewer asks something unexpected — they want to see how the child thinks, not whether they know the answer

1. Starting too late. Beginning serious preparation in September of Year 6 — when exams are weeks away — does not leave enough time to build skills. Exam technique can be taught quickly; underlying ability cannot.

2. Doing too many past papers without understanding gaps. Completing paper after paper without analysing why marks were lost is the most common waste of time I see. One paper done slowly with full review is worth more than five papers done quickly with no feedback.

3. Neglecting reading. Reading is the single most important predictor of 11+ success across every subject. Children who read widely and regularly have larger vocabularies, better comprehension, faster processing speed and stronger writing. There is no shortcut.

4. Not researching the specific school's format. Parents who prepare for “the 11+” generically without checking whether their target school uses GL, CEM, ISEB or bespoke papers are wasting preparation time on the wrong material.

5. Comparing their child to others. Every child develops at a different rate. A child who scores 60% in June of Year 5 can absolutely score 85% by October of Year 6 with the right support. Comparing to friends' children creates anxiety and helps nobody.

6. Ignoring the child's wellbeing. A stressed, anxious child will underperform in every exam. If preparation is causing tears, resistance, or loss of sleep, something needs to change. The goal is a confident child who walks into the exam room feeling ready — not one who dreads it.