11+

There is not one set 11+ exam so understanding how the process works is key to preparing effectively and confidently.

The 11+ is an exam taken, typically by children in Year 6 for selective schools (grammar, independent, mixed).

However:

• there is no national 11+ exam
• each school (or group of schools) sets its own papers
• content, format, and difficulty vary significantly

Most 11+ assessments test some combination of:

• English
• Mathematics
• Verbal Reasoning (VR)
• Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR)

But some schools use:

• their own papers
• shared consortium papers
• or a mix of written assessments and interviews

Students may also choose to apply to a variety of different schools.
This is why preparation needs to focus on honing the student’s skills so that they can tackle any question.

Schools may test students on different things, including:

• their depth of reasoning
• their speed and accuracy
• their ability to transfer skills to unfamiliar problems
• their resilience under pressure

As a result, some schools may prioritise speed while others prioritising multi-step thinking. As a result, a child who performs well on one paper may find another much more challenging.

This is why Prep Ed separates age from difficulty.

“My child scores highly, they will pass.”
“My child is performing poorly, they are going to fail.”

Unfortunately, neither are always true! Everything depends on:

• cohort strength
• school competitiveness
• ranking methods
• interview performance (where applicable)

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“Harder papers are always better for preparation”

Practising material that is too difficult, too early can:

• damage confidence
• create gaps in understanding
• encourage guessing over reasoning

It’s essential for students to have secure foundations to then build upon difficulty.

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“More papers mean better preparation!”

Although lots of practise is definitely important. It is pointless unless students are actually:

• understanding mistakes
• identifying weak skills
• refining thinking over time

Otherwise, they’ll just be repeating the same mistakes over and over.
This is why structured practice and clear feedback are essential.

Prep Ed is designed to prepare children for the range and variability of 11+ assessments by focusing on:

• strong foundations in core skills
• progression through increasing difficulty
• familiarity with exam-style thinking without over-reliance on papers
• clarity for parents about progress and readiness