About the 11 Plus

What is the 11 Plus?

The 11 Plus is a selective entry examination for secondary schools that children sit during their school Year 6. For some Local Education Authorities, the 11 Plus is available for all Year 6 children and the exam is taken during the school day in their primary school.

In other parts of the country, the 11 Plus (or matching selective private exams) is taken after school or on a weekend and at the senior school. The exam is a means of testing children from an academic perspective and has no bearing on their SATs or GCSEs. Until the early 1970s, all children took the 11 Plus. It is no longer a compulsory test but it continues to be used by grammar and selective schools.

The 11 Plus exam differs throughout the country in terms of the subjects taken and also the examining board used. Four subjects may be tested:

• Maths
• English
• Verbal Reasoning
• Non-verbal Reasoning

Maths and English tests tend to follow the National Curriculum. Verbal and Non-verbal Reasoning tests are not school-based subjects. Further information can be found by clicking on the subjects above.

The 11 Plus test can be set either as a Standard Format (SF) or Multiple Choice (MC). Standard format asks children to write answers directly on the exam paper. In a multiple choice exam, there is a separate answer sheet consisting of boxes of potential answers for every question. The child makes a mark next to the answer they think is correct. In general, multiple-choice format papers are slightly easier, as a child can always make a guess, and these also tend to be more popular as they are marked automatically by an optical marker.

It is vital that you confirm with your choice of school the exact timing of the exam and the subjects set. Schools and Local Education Authorities do change their arrangements from time to time. This can mean a different time of year, different subjects and different forms of examination.