What is the 11 plus?

The following questions are answered on this page:

(1) What is the 11 plus?

(2) Why is it called the "11 plus?"

(3) Is the eleven plus the same all over the Country?

(4) Will my child automatically take the 11 plus if I live in an area with grammar schools?

(5) How do I apply for my child to take the 11 plus?

(6) When is the 11 plus taken?

(7) When will I get the results of the 11 plus?

(8) What is the pass mark for the 11 plus?

(9) Does my child need a tutor to pass the eleven plus?

(1) What is the 11 plus?

The 11 plus (or eleven plus) is a test taken by children in some parts of the country during Year 6 (the final year of primary school education). The 11 plus is an exam designed to assess a child's suitability for a grammar school education. In Buckinghamshire the test is known as the "transfer test" because the results determine whether or not a child will be able to transfer to a grammar school for their secondary education. The 11 plus test was introduced throughout England and Wales in 1944 and dependent on their results in the test, children were given the opportunity to attend a grammar school where the focus was on academic subjects, a technical school where the emphasis was on mechanical, scientific and engineering skills or a secondary modern school where basic academic and practical skills were taught; this was known as the tripartite system.

(2) Why is it called the 11 plus?

Lots of people ask "why is it called the 11 plus when my child is only going to be 10 when they take it". In fact the name 'eleven plus' does not refer to the age of the child when they take the test, but to the age of the child when he/she starts secondary school in what is called Year 7. Which school year a child is in, is determined by their age on 1st September. Children in Year 7 reach 12 years of age between 1st September and 31st August, thus most children will be aged 11 when they start secondary school in the first week of September apart from those whose 12th birthday falls on one of the first few days of September. Hence the 11 plus is called the 11 plus because it is a test to determine which school a child will attend when they are aged '11 plus'.

(3) Is the eleven plus the same all over the Country?

No, there is a significant amount of variation in the format of the eleven plus between different local authority areas and even within areas, such as Kent where a child gaining a Year 7 place at a grammar school might have taken any one of four different tests: The Kent Test, Dover Test, Highsted Test or Shepway Test; there is also a separate test for Cranbrook School which admits pupils directly into Year 9. The CEM test is currently used in 16 of the 36 local authorities which have grammar schools as well as by one of the schools in Essex, Chelmsford County High School for Girls. Some of these authorities use the CEM test on its own, others use it in combination with a writing test. Many schools use tests produced by GL Assessment, some write sections of the tests themselves.

(4) Will my child automatically take the 11 plus if I live in an area with grammar schools?

No, you will normally have to APPLY to the secondary school which you would like your child to attend, for them to take the 11 plus there. Some local authorities have test centres where the 11 plus is taken. The exception is Buckinghamshire where all children attending primary school in the County take the 11 plus (known as the 'transfer test') at their own primary school unless their parents opt out of the test by informing their child's headteacher.

(5) How do I apply for my child to take the 11 plus?

All local authorities have admissions departments which can advise you on this. Usually you would apply directly to the grammar school where you would like your child to take the test. This website has links to the websites and email addresses of all 163 grammar schools in England and the schools will always be pleased to help you; there are also links to all local authorities in which grammar schools are situated.

(6) When is the 11 plus taken?

The 11 plus is normally taken on a Saturday in September at a grammar school or test centre, but in Buckinghamshire children take the eleven plus on a week day in September as they take it in their own primary school. Sometimes the 11 plus is in two parts with a second test taken later in the year by children who reach a certain standard in the first test. St Olave's Grammar School in Bromley holds a Selective Eligibility Test (SET) in September, comprising verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning; boys who are successful in this test, take a further test in English and Mathematics in November.

(7) When will I get the results of the 11 plus?

In mid-October you will receive a letter or email from your local authority or the school where your child took the 11 plus. The exact date will vary from one area to another, but it must give you time to apply for your child's secondary school place which must be done by October 31st.

(8) What is the pass mark for the 11 plus?

The information you are given in your child's 11 plus results letter will vary between different local authorities. In Torbay you will not be given a score, but will be told whether or not your child is 'likely to gain a place' at a particular grammar school. In Buckinghamshire you will be given your child's Standardised Secondary Transfer Test Score (SSTTS) rather than being told if your child has 'passed' or 'failed'; a SSTTS of 121 or above is considered to be grammar school standard, but does not guarantee a grammar school place for your child. In Kent, children are given three standardised scores, one for English, one for maths and one for reasoning. Children are deemed suitable for grammar school if they get a total score (out of a possible 423) of 320 or more with no single score lower than 106. A score of 320 does not guarantee a grammar school place. Other local authorities have different systems, for example the 'traffic light' system in Essex; grammar schools and local authority admissions officers will always be pleased to advise on their systems.

(9) Does my child need a tutor to pass the eleven plus?

The eleven plus is designed so that children should be able to pass without any specific preparation. However, as the 11 plus is a competitive process, many children will have spent a year, two years or even more, preparing for the test. It is not a good idea to enter your child for the exam without a significant amount of preparation. This can be done without a tutor, for example by using the resources provided on this website. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like advice about how to help your child prepare for the 11 plus.

If you have any other questions, please get in touch!