The 11 Plus in Your Area
The 11+ differs vastly, based on the region you reside in. These pages will provide you an overview to how it works, but it’s no alternative for doing your own research.
The 11+ is Different in Each Area:
In certain regions each child who wishes to go to a grammar school sits a similar test which is conducted by the LA. Your child may be enrolled for this test automatically. In other regions you’ll have to apply to every grammar school separately and your child will do a separate test for every school you’ve applied to.
Even in regions where the LA deals with entrance for the most of grammar schools, there might still be certain schools which must be applied for individually. These schools may also arrange an independent test.
You’ll have to inquire about every school you will apply to for latest information about admissions. Schools must distribute their admissions criteria on their website or you can get information from your local authority about the schools in your vicinity. Check the application cut-off times cautiously for every school you apply to as they can differ broadly.
Tests Conducted by Local Authorities
In the following areas, the LA sorts out the 11+ test for most or all of the grammar schools in the region. You can get information about the material and date of the test, cut-off times and other admission criteria from the LA’s website or by reaching them directly.
| Local Authority | How to enter | Test Date | Content of Test | Test Provider |
| Bexley | You’ll need to apply | September | Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths | CEM |
| Buckinghamshire | Children are entered for the test unless you opt out | September | Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Spatial Reasoning, English and Maths | GL Assessment (Secondary Transfer Test) |
| Essex (Redbridge) | You’ll need to apply | September | Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths | CEM |
| Gloucestershire | You’ll need to apply to the school where you want to sit the test | September | Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths | CEM |
| Kent | You’ll need to apply | September | Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Spatial Reasoning, Maths, English and Writing | GL Assessment / NFER |
| Medway | You’ll need to apply | September | Extended Writing, Verbal Reasoning and Maths | Ext Writing — Unknown VR & Maths — CEM |
| Warwickshire | You’ll need to apply | September | Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths | CEM |
| Wirral | You’ll need to apply | September | Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths | CEM |
| Liverpool | You’ll need to apply | September | Non-Verbal Reasoning, Maths and English | Unknown — this is not made public |
| Yorkshire (Calderdale) | You’ll need to apply | September | Verbal Reasoning, Maths and English | Verbal Reasoning — GL Assessment or University of Edinburgh Maths — the school |
| Yorkshire (North Yorkshire) | Children in Skipton and Ripon will be entered automatically | September | Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning | GL Assessment / NFER |
If you reside outside these regions but desire your child to take the 11 plus contact the LA to enter the test.
*VR = Verbal Reasoning, NVR = Non-Verbal Reasoning, Spatial Reasoning is a subcategory of NVR focusing on 3D shapes, nets, rotations and folding.
Tests Conducted by a Consortium of Schools
In these regions, there is a consortium of schools which arranges one common entrance test.
| Area | Test date | Content of test | Test Provider |
| Berkshire | September | Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths | CEM |
| Birmingham | September | Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths | CEM |
| Essex | September | Maths and English | Tests written by the consortium |
| Hertfordshire (South-West) | September | Maths and Verbal Reasoning | GL Assessment / NFER |
| Lincolnshire | September | Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning | GL Assessment / NFER |
| Northern Ireland (Post Primary Transfer Consortium) | September | Maths and English | GL Assessment / NFER |
| Northern Ireland (Association for Quality Education) | November/ December | Maths and English | CEA (Common Entrance Assessment) |
| Shropshire, Walsall and Wolverhampton | September | Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths | CEM |
| Sutton | Stage 1: September, Stage 2: September / October | Maths and English | Unknown — this information is not made public |
There might also be other schools in these regions which develop their own 11+ test.
All of these tests will have to be applied for. If you reside in one of these regions contact every school you’re applying to, to know how the consortium works. You’ll normally just have to send one application form to the consortium and then apply independently to any other schools in your region which aren’t part of the consortium.
Tests Conducted by Individual Schools (Individual Schools)
All of the following regions have at least one grammar school that has its own entrances standards and its own test.
| Berkshire (Reading) | Dorset | Lincolnshire |
| Bromley | Essex | Yorkshire |
| Cranbrook (in Kent) | Hertfordshire | Sutton |
| Cumbria | Kingston-upon-Thames | Trafford |
| Devon | Lancashire | Wiltshire |
Schools in these regions normally have their own Supplementary Form that you have to fill in to apply for their 11+ test. You’ll have to approach every school individually to find out how to get a form and when the deadlines for applications are.
