The beginner's guide to the 11+
Is your child due to take the 11+ exam at the beginning of Year 6? Find out more about grammar school selection exams, how they differ across the country and the literacy and numeracy topics children are tested on.
What is the 11+?
The 11+ is a test taken by some Year 6 pupils in primary schools in England. It’s a way of selecting who’s academically suited to attend a grammar school or selective school for Year 7 onwards, and is sometimes also known as the ‘Transfer Test’. As Wales and Scotland no longer have grammar schools, the 11+ is only taken in certain parts of England. The test has officially been phased out in Northern Ireland (although some schools still use the test in a different form, called the Northern Ireland Transfer Test, in order to select the most academically able children).
Where and when does the 11+ take place?
If your child goes to a local authority primary school, they’ll sit the 11+ in one of their classrooms. If they go to another type of school, they’ll be asked to take it at a central location like a local grammar school. Testing day depends on where you live, although it’s often early on in the autumn term in September. There’s usually a chance to take a practice 11+ a few days before at school.
