What is the 11+ exam?

The 11+ exam is administered to some students in the last year of primary education. The name originates from the age group of children participating and was introduced in 1944.

It is an entrance exam testing a child’s natural aptitude and suitability to attend a grammar or private school. The exam is taken around the end of Year 5 or the beginning of Year 6.

It can be a stressful experience during the preparation for the exam. Knowing what you need to do in preparation can take away some of the anxiety for both the parent and child.

The 11+ assessment varies but broadly consists of English, maths and verbal and non-verbal reasoning papers.

The English section is usually split into:

· Comprehension: the ability to understand passages and draw inferences

· Writing: the ability to write well by conveying clear meaning and demonstrating originality and imagination

· Vocabulary, sentence structure, spelling and punctuation are also assessed

The maths section is generally split into:

· Multiplication tables

· Application of the four number operations: + - x ÷

· An understanding of measurement, number relationships, mental arithmetic, data handling and geometry

The English and maths tests tend to follow the National Curriculum (the curriculum followed by state primaries) but verbal and non-verbal reasoning and numerical reasoning subjects are not taught as part of the National Curriculum in state primary schools.

Verbal reasoning

For the verbal reasoning part of the exam, there are many different types of question your child may be asked. Verbal reasoning is a form of problem solving based around words and language. These exams are intended to test a child’s ability to understand and reason using words, rather than test learned knowledge.

Non-verbal reasoning

Non-verbal reasoning is a form of problem solving based around pictures, diagrams and shape. Non-verbal reasoning tests are designed to see how a child can use critical-thinking and logic to solve problems.

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