11 Plus Tuition for Grammar School Entrance Exams

The 11 Plus (11+) is an entrance examination used by grammar schools and some other selective schools when assessing children for secondary-school admission.

There is no single national 11+ examination. The subjects, format and admissions arrangements depend upon the grammar school or area.

Depending upon the examination, children may be assessed in English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal or Spatial Reasoning.

Some tests assess all four areas, while others use different combinations.

Always check the current requirements for your child’s target schools.

Grammar-school entrance examinations are designed to select pupils and can therefore be demanding.

Children may face unfamiliar question types, advanced vocabulary, complex mathematical problems and considerable time pressure.

Good preparation develops both underlying academic knowledge and examination technique.

There is no single correct starting age for every child.

Many families begin structured 11+ preparation during Year 1 or Year 2, giving children time to strengthen their underlying English and Mathematics before concentrating heavily on examination technique.

A child who already has very strong foundations may require a different programme from a child who needs to strengthen vocabulary, comprehension or mathematical knowledge before beginning intensive examination practice.

Starting earlier can allow preparation to be gradual rather than relying upon excessive last-minute practice.

One of the most important things for parents to understand is that there is no single national 11 Plus examination.

The entrance examination your child takes depends upon the grammar schools and areas to which you are applying.

Different selective areas and schools can use different examination providers, subjects, question formats, scoring systems and admissions arrangements.

Cherry Hill Tuition can therefore tailor preparation according to the appropriate examination where required.

No.

Achieving a qualifying score does not necessarily guarantee admission.

Grammar schools can be oversubscribed and may apply admissions criteria involving factors such as distance, catchment or priority areas and other published criteria.

Parents should always read the current admissions policy for every school they intend to include on their application.

Yes.

However, because schools and areas can use different tests, it is important to identify the target schools early.

Preparation can then concentrate on the relevant skills while avoiding unnecessary work.

Verbal Reasoning primarily involves reasoning using words, letters and language.

Non-Verbal Reasoning primarily involves shapes, diagrams, patterns and spatial relationships.

Both are designed to assess how children recognise relationships and solve unfamiliar problems.

No.

This is one of the most important things for parents to understand.

Different schools and regions can use different examination providers, papers, subjects, scoring systems and admissions arrangements.

Always prepare for the examination your child will actually take.

Yes. Mathematics is a core part of our 11+ preparation where relevant to the child’s target examination.

Preparation can include arithmetic, fractions, percentages, ratio, geometry, measurement, data and multi-step problem solving alongside examination technique.

Yes.

Our English preparation can include comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, spelling, punctuation, cloze exercises and other skills relevant to selective entrance examinations.

Yes. When applying for a grammar school, it will normally use one of the preferences on your local authority’s secondary school application form, whether the grammar school is in your local area or in another borough or county.

You normally submit one secondary school application through your home local authority and include the grammar schools and other state-funded secondary schools you wish to apply for in your genuine order of preference. If you apply to a grammar school outside your local authority area, your home authority will coordinate the application with the authority where the school is located. GOV.UK

Registering for and sitting an 11 Plus (11+) entrance exam is a separate process and does not itself use one of your secondary school choices. However, registering for or passing the 11 Plus does not normally constitute an application for a grammar school place. You will usually also need to name the grammar school as one of the preferences on your secondary school application. Kent County Council

You should list schools in your genuine order of preference. Under the equal-preference system, each school considers the application according to its published admissions criteria rather than giving priority simply because you listed it first. If more than one school can offer your child a place, your local authority will normally offer the highest-ranked school on your list for which your child qualifies. Bexley Borough Council

The number of school preferences available varies between local authorities. Parents should also check each grammar school’s admissions policy carefully, as catchment areas, priority areas, distance rules, residency requirements and separate 11 Plus registration deadlines may apply.

Not always. Grammar school catchment area rules vary between schools, and some grammar schools have no traditional catchment area at all.

Some grammar schools give priority to children who live within a defined catchment area or priority area, within a specified distance of the school, or who meet particular residency requirements. Therefore, passing the 11 Plus (11+) does not necessarily guarantee a grammar school place, particularly if your child lives outside the school’s priority area.

A grammar school’s catchment area does not necessarily follow borough or local authority boundaries. Some schools accept applications from children living outside their borough, while others give significant admissions priority to children living within a particular geographical area.

It is also important to check the school’s address and residency rules. Some grammar schools specify when a child must be living at the qualifying address and may require evidence that it is the child’s permanent home address.

Parents should therefore check the individual school’s current 11 Plus admissions policy, catchment area, priority area, distance criteria and residency requirements before applying. If you are considering a grammar school outside your local area, do not assume that passing its entrance test automatically makes your child equally eligible for a place.