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Academy11+

Maths · English · Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning

11+ practice papers

What 11+ test papers cover, how the formats differ, when to start and how to get the most from each paper. Plus the free papers and practice on Academy11+, by subject, exam board and area.

Practice papers
31
Paper packs
9
Free sample papers
1 per subject
Free worksheets
42
Free 11+ papers and practiceSee paper packs

What's in an 11+ paper?

There is no single national 11+. Each test chooses its own subjects and papers: the Sutton SET is English and Maths only, the CSSE test in Essex is English (with a writing task) and Maths, and GL Assessment tests can include all four subjects, with each area choosing the mix. These are the subjects you'll meet:

Multiple choice or standard format?

Multiple choice

Your child picks each answer from a set of options, usually marking it on a separate answer sheet. GL Assessment papers are usually multiple choice, and so are the Sutton SET papers.

Standard (written) format

Your child works out each answer and writes it in a space on the paper. CSSE papers in Essex need written answers, and FSCE papers mix multiple-choice and written answers.

Online tests

The ISEB Common Pre-Test, used by many independent senior schools, is taken online and adapts to your child's answers, so the number of questions varies.

All 31 of our practice papers are multiple choice. Your child can sit them online, or print them, fill in the answer sheet and upload a photo to be marked.

11+ papers by exam board

The exam board is who writes the papers. The test your school uses decides the board, so start with the school, then open the board for its format and practice.

11+ exam boards: usual subjects, format, tests we have checked and our papers in that style
Exam boardUsual subjectsFormatTests we've checkedOur papers in this style
CSSE (Essex) practice papersEnglish, Maths, creative writingWritten Answers––
FSCE practice papersEnglish, Maths, creative writingMixed Format––
GL Assessment practice papersEnglish, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal ReasoningMultiple Choice––
ISEB (Independent Schools) practice papersEnglish, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal ReasoningMixed Format––
Quest Assessments practice papersVaries by testVaries by area––
SEAG (Northern Ireland) practice papersEnglish, Maths–––
Sutton Selective Eligibility Test practice papersEnglish, MathsMultiple Choice–16 papers
CEM (Durham University) practice papersLegacy styleEnglish, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal ReasoningMixed Format––

11+ exam boards explained

When to start practice papers

A sensible path for a test in September of Year 6. Check your own test's date on its guide.

  1. 1. Ages 8 to 9

    Year 4

    Foundations, not papers: daily reading, quick times tables and a growing vocabulary. A few untimed puzzles are fine if your child enjoys them.

    Year group guide
  2. 2. Ages 9 to 10

    Year 5, autumn and spring

    Learn the question types one at a time, untimed at first. Short practice by topic does more now than full papers.

    Year group guide
  3. 3. A few months before the test

    Year 5, summer term

    Add one timed section a week, building up to a full paper every week or two, and go through every mistake together.

    Year group guide
  4. 4. Before Year 6

    Summer holiday

    One or two full timed papers a week is plenty for many children, with short daily warm-ups, reading and a mock exam.

    Year group guide
  5. 5. The test

    September, Year 6

    Most 11+ tests are sat at the start of Year 6. Keep practice light and familiar in the last week, and protect sleep.

    Year group guide

Getting the most from every paper

  • Time it like the real thing

    Use the time your test allows, and stop when the time is up. Note where your child ran out of time.

  • Practise the right format

    If your test is multiple choice on an answer sheet, print papers and use one. If answers are written, practise writing them.

  • Mark it together, straight away

    Go through every wrong answer. Ask your child to explain their thinking before you show the answer.

  • Keep a list of weak topics

    Practise those topics before the next paper. That review is where much of the learning happens.

  • Fewer papers, done properly

    Ten papers reviewed carefully beat thirty rushed through. More papers without review mostly adds tiredness.

  • Short and regular

    Two or three short sessions a week work better than long weekend marathons. Keep reading for pleasure going.

Free 11+ papers and practice on Academy11+

  • A free sample paper in each subject

    A timed paper in each subject with a free account, marked straight away with every answer explained.

    Create a free account

  • Free 11+ questions

    Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Mental Maths, ten at a time, with answers explained. No sign-up.

    Try free questions

  • 42 free printable worksheets

    Easy, Medium and Hard, with an answers page. Download, print and practise on paper. No sign-up.

    Browse worksheets

  • Free mock exams

    A timed paper sat at home in a set exam window, with results on results day. We announce new dates in our newsletter.

    See free mocks

  • 11+ score calculator

    Turn a practice paper mark into an estimated standardised score, as a guide to what to work on.

    Open the calculator

  • Creative writing prompts

    Story titles, openings to continue, descriptions and persuasive tasks, with tips for planning and writing to time.

    See the prompts

Practice papers by subject

Timed papers, marked straight away with every answer explained, and a report by topic. Buy a pack on its own (from £9.99), or Premium at £9.99 a month opens every pack for all your children.

Paper packs

See every paper pack How our papers work

Practice papers by area

Each area guide says which test families sit, who writes the papers once we've checked, and the practice that matches.

11+ practice papers: questions parents ask

What are 11+ practice papers?

11+ practice papers are timed papers in the style of the 11+ entrance tests that grammar schools and many independent schools use to choose pupils for Year 7. Children use them to learn the question types, build speed and get used to sitting a paper against the clock.

What subjects do 11+ papers cover?

Most 11+ tests cover some mix of English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, and a few add a creative writing task. Each test chooses its own mix: the Sutton SET, for example, is English and Maths only, while the CSSE test in Essex is English (with a writing task) and Maths.

What is the difference between multiple-choice and standard-format 11+ papers?

In a multiple-choice paper your child picks each answer from a set of options, usually on a separate answer sheet; in a standard-format paper they write each answer themselves. GL Assessment papers are usually multiple choice, CSSE papers in Essex need written answers, and FSCE papers mix the two.

When should my child start doing 11+ practice papers?

Most children are ready for full timed papers in the second half of Year 5, once they have learnt the question types. Year 4 is for reading, times tables and vocabulary, and most 11+ tests are sat at the start of Year 6, in September.

How many 11+ practice papers should my child do?

There is no magic number: in the summer before the test, one or two full timed papers a week is enough for many children, as long as you go through the mistakes afterwards. Before that, a full paper every week or two alongside topic practice is plenty.

Are there free 11+ practice papers?

Yes. Academy11+ gives every child a free sample paper in each subject with a free account, our free 11+ questions and 42 printable worksheets need no sign-up at all. Most test organisers also publish free familiarisation material or sample questions, so check your test's official website.

Which exam board's papers should we use?

Use papers in the format of the test your child will actually sit, which depends on the school, not just the area. GL Assessment writes the tests for most grammar schools in England; others are written by Quest Assessments, FSCE, CSSE (Essex) or the schools themselves, and many independent schools use the ISEB Common Pre-Test.

Should my child do papers online or on paper?

Practise the way your child will sit the test: most grammar school tests are sat on paper, often with a separate answer sheet, while the ISEB Common Pre-Test is taken online. On Academy11+ a paper can be done online, or printed and done on paper, with the answer sheet photographed and uploaded to be marked.

What score does my child need in the 11+?

There is no single pass mark. Each test sets its own qualifying score, some schools offer places by rank, and the mark needed can change from year to year, so check the admissions information for each school. Our score calculator turns a practice paper mark into an estimated standardised score, as a guide only.

Is a mock exam the same as a practice paper?

No. A practice paper can be done whenever suits you and is marked straight away; a mock exam is booked for a set exam window, everyone sits the same paper, and results come out on results day, ranked within the group when enough children take part.

How much do Academy11+ practice papers cost?

Every child gets a free sample paper in each subject with a free account. Paper packs can also be bought on their own (from £9.99), and Premium at £9.99 a month opens every pack for all your children.

Start with a free sample paper

Create a free account, add your child, and try a timed paper in each subject, marked straight away.

Create a free accountSee paper packs