Which exam boards are used for the 11+?

Fundamentally, all of the exam boards used for the 11+ test the same things. The 11 plus will contain some if not all of the following four subjects: English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning (VR) and Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR).

The most-common exam board used for the 11+ is GL Assessment. Some schools use CEM, or Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE), and some schools write their entrance exams internally.

Some selective schools such as Eaton, Harrow and Westminster, among others, use the ISEB Common Pre-Test. Private schools tend to do this to make their exams unique, but they will still be testing the core principles of English, Maths, VR and NVR.

It is important to consider that, in Maths for example, pupils may be given a question on a topic which they have never encountered before. They would be expected to apply their knowledge from the subject to this new type of question - this tests their problem solving skills. They should try not to panic and instead focus on what they know which may help them answer the question.

GL Assessment

GL Assessment is the largest provider of 11+ tests to grammar and independent schools in England. GL provides both paper and digital tests. Tests are usually age standardised.

GL provides 10 hours of free familiarisation material so children can become familiar with the test appearance. Other resources such as BOFA11+ can help familiarise your child with the content of a GL test, in particular Verbal Reasoning, Non-verbal Reasoning and Spatial Reasoning which are not taught in primary schools.

The following local authorities use the GL Assessment 11+ exam:

Many grammar schools outside of these three authorities also use GL Assessment for their 11 plus tests. Schools and authorites can choose to use any combination of subjects: Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-verbal & Spatial Reasoning. The English test will include reading comprehension as well as spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPAG). The Maths test is alligned with the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum. Verbal Reasoning tests a child's vocabulary and understanding of words in and out of context. Non-verbal Reasoning which includes Spatial Reasoning is testing a child's ability to think logically and problem solve using shapes and images. NVR skills translate well into STEM subjects.

CEM

The CEM (Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring) exam was developed by the University of Durham's Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring in response to schools perception that the existing 11+ system had become too predictable and children were being coached to pass the test. The CEM exam is heaviliy focused on testing reasoning skills. It tests Verbal Reasoning, Non-verbal Reasoning and Numerical Reasoning. Numerical Reasoning involves core maths skills. Verbal Reasoning will test skills often found in the English exams of other providers including comprehension.

CEM does not provide any practice papers, however the school you are applying to will provide some standard familiarisation materials. If your child is sitting a CEM test developing a wide vocabulary and understanding synonyms and antonyms will be beneficial. General 11+ resources can help your child with a CEM test, especially practising time management skills.

Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE)

The FSCE 11+ exam is a paper based exam that tests English and Maths knowledge from the Key Stage 2 (KS2) Year 5 National Curriculum. Non-verbal Reasoning is not on the KS2 National Curriculum therefore it is not tested in a FSCE test. The test is not about how much your child can remember, but how they use what they have learnt in primary school. The test is designed to find out what your child knows, not catch them out. Your child's score will be age standardised.

There will usually be three test papers:

One multiple choice covering Maths and English
One constrained response paper (where you fill in some boxes with numbers or letters) covering Maths and English
One Creative Writing paper

Or:

One English paper
One Maths paper
One Creative Writing paper

There are no past papers available but your school will provide a familiarisation guide. In preparation children are encouraged to work hard in school and be familiar with the KS2 National Curriculum.

The following schools use the FSCE 11+ exam:

As you can see the aim of all schools using an 11+ selection test is to identify what each child has learnt in primary school and how they are able to apply their knowledge and skills across a range of questions. There aren't huge differences between the exam boards. Some have more familiarisation material than others. The way the tests are taken may be slightly different: some are written while some are taken on a computer. Ultimately though they are all assessing the same things with the same purpose.

How can BOFA help?

BOFA11+ has been supporting children in their preparation for GL, CEM and regional 11+ tests since 2007, and in preparation for ISEB tests since 2018. Over 100,000 children have completed more than 6 million tests with us. On average children demonstrate a 27% topic improvement from the initial stage of our learning process to the final stage.

All exam boards broadly cover the same subject areas but place different emphasis on each of them. To keep things simple we provide general subject tests to help children prepare for any format of 11+ test. Your child will log in, select a subject and start learning, removing the need to find the correct assessment provider and preventing time being wasted on the wrong tests.

Again to keep things simple when you take a subscription to BOFA11+ your child will receive access to all our material in all 4 subject areas of Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. No worrying about which is the right product, which subjects you may or may not need. BOFA 8+ - 12+ tests contain every type of question covered by both GL, CEM and other assessment providers. (You will find Spatial Reasoning questions in our Non-Verbal Reasoning tests.)

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