Where to start
What is an 11+ test area?
A “test area” is a group of grammar schools, usually within one local authority or consortium, that share a single admissions test on a single date. Each area sets its own format, its own subjects, and its own qualifying score. There is no single nationwide 11+ exam; instead, more than twenty distinct regional tests run across England every September and October.
21+
Test areas across England
From Buckinghamshire and Kent to Trafford, Birmingham, and Lincolnshire. Each runs its own admissions process.
5
Major exam providers
GL Assessment is most common, with CEM, CSSE (Essex), and several bespoke joint tests run by individual consortia.
Sept
Of Year 6, when most tests are sat
Children can sit multiple tests on different dates; scores rarely transfer between regions.
Exam providers at a glance
- GL Assessment
- The most widely used provider. It is multiple-choice, age-standardised, covering English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Used by Kent, Buckinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Trafford, Wirral, Birmingham, and most other areas.
- CEM
- Designed by Durham University and marketed as “tutor‑proof.” Mostly replaced by GL Assessment since 2022 but still used in pockets, including Gloucestershire’s non‑Pate’s schools.
- CSSE
- The Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex runs its own bespoke English & Maths papers. Style differs significantly from GL. It includes longer written answers and creative writing.
- Bespoke / In-house
- Some super-selective schools (Pate’s, the King Edward VI Consortium, Sutton & Kingston grammars in London) write their own tests, often with a two‑stage process and a higher bar than the surrounding area’s standard test.
How to choose which test(s) to prepare for
- 1.Start with the target school. Pick the school(s) you want your child to attend, then look up which test admits to them. Most schools list their test in their admissions policy.
- 2.Check geographic eligibility. Many areas (Kent, Bucks, Essex) admit out‑of‑area children but apply distance criteria once thresholds are met. Some London grammars draw nationally.
- 3.Multiple tests are common. Because dates rarely clash, children frequently sit two or three: e.g., Bucks + Slough Consortium + a London super‑selective.
- 4.Match preparation to provider. GL papers reward speed and pattern recognition; CSSE rewards written fluency; bespoke tests vary. Mock papers in the right style are the single most useful prep step.
Pick a test area on the left to see its exam format, subjects, and full school list.