There isn't one "11+ exam". Your child sits a specific test, set either by a national provider - GL Assessment, CEM/Cambridge, ISEB or the newer FSCE - or by a regional consortium that brands its own paper, like the Kent Test, the Buckinghamshire Transfer Test or the CSSE in Essex. The good news: nearly all of them test the same small set of skills - English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning - just in different combinations and formats. This guide maps every main type so you know exactly what your child faces and how to prepare.
- Four national boards - GL, CEM/Cambridge, ISEB and FSCE - plus regional tests (Kent, Bucks, CSSE, Trafford, Sutton).
- Almost all test some mix of English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.
- The newer FSCE drops VR/NVR and adds creative writing; CSSE and stage 1 of the Sutton SET are English + maths.
- Find your child's exact test on the school and local-authority admissions pages, then practise in that format.
The four skills behind almost every 11+
Whatever the board, an 11+ is built from up to four skills. Knowing them turns a confusing list of exam names into one clear preparation plan:
- English - reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and grammar, and (in some tests) creative or continuous writing.
- Maths - the Key Stage 2 curriculum, mostly Year 5 and 6, with an emphasis on multi-step problem solving.
- Verbal reasoning - logic with words, letters and numbers: codes, analogies, synonyms and sequences.
- Non-verbal reasoning - visual logic: shapes, rotations, reflections, odd-one-out and patterns.
The national exam boards
GL Assessment
The most widely used board. Paper-based and mostly multiple-choice, with separate timed papers (about 45–60 minutes each). Schools choose which subjects to include from English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, so the exact mix varies by area.
Where: the default in most grammar areas not branded "CEM" - including much of Birmingham, Buckinghamshire, Kent, Warwickshire and Lincolnshire. See how it compares with CEM in our GL vs CEM guide, or read the full GL Assessment 11+ guide.
CEM / CEM Select / Cambridge Insight
Run by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. CEM stopped paper tests in 2023 and is now computer-based (CEM Select / Cambridge Insight). It is famously vocabulary-heavy and time-pressured, delivered as short sections you usually cannot return to. Content still spans verbal ability, numerical reasoning and non-verbal/spatial reasoning.
Where: some grammar consortia and many independent schools. Read the full CEM / Cambridge 11+ guide.
ISEB Common Pre-Test
An adaptive online test (the difficulty adjusts as your child answers) in four multiple-choice sections totalling around two hours, pitched at the National Curriculum up to the end of Year 5. One sitting is shared with all the senior schools a family applies to.
Where: 50+ independent senior schools, often alongside their own later papers or Common Entrance. Read the full ISEB Common Pre-Test guide, or more on independent schools as an option.
FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise)
A newer, school-designed test (a not-for-profit set up by Reading School), not simply a CEM rebrand. It deliberately drops standalone verbal and non-verbal reasoning and adds a dedicated creative-writing paper, with instructions delivered by pre-recorded audio and content up to the end of Year 5.
Where: around eight grammar schools for 2025/26 entry (including Reading, Chelmsford County High for Girls and Colyton), with the seven Gloucestershire grammars joining from 2028. Read the full FSCE 11+ guide.
Regional & consortium tests
In many areas, parents see a local brand name rather than a board. These are usually wrappers around GL or Cambridge content, or papers the consortium writes itself:
- Kent Test - GL content: one English-and-maths paper plus a reasoning paper (VR and NVR), used by Kent's grammar schools. Read the full Kent Test guide.
- Buckinghamshire Transfer Test - GL, run by The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools; heavily weighted to verbal reasoning alongside maths and non-verbal reasoning, with a standardised score of 121 the qualifying mark. Read the full Bucks Transfer Test guide.
- CSSE 11+ (Essex) - the consortium writes its own written papers in English (extended comprehension and continuous writing) and maths, with less emphasis on abstract reasoning. Read the full CSSE 11+ guide.
- Trafford Consortium - GL-style English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning papers for the Trafford grammars. Read the full Trafford 11+ guide.
- Sutton SET - the Sutton "super-selectives" share a first-stage English-and-maths test, with second-stage papers (and sometimes reasoning) added by individual schools. Read the full Sutton SET guide.
Every 11+ test compared
| Test | Board | Subjects tested | Format & emphasis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GL Assessment | GL | English, Maths, VR, NVR | Paper, multiple-choice, separate timed papers |
| CEM / Cambridge | Cambridge | English, Maths, VR, NVR | Computer-based, very vocab- and speed-heavy |
| ISEB Pre-Test | ISEB | English, Maths, VR, NVR | Adaptive online, ~2 hrs, Year 5 level |
| FSCE | Future Stories | English, Creative Writing, Maths | No VR/NVR; audio instructions; Year 5 level |
| Kent Test | GL | English, Maths, VR, NVR | Two papers (English+maths, then reasoning) |
| Bucks Transfer Test | GL | VR (weighted), Maths, NVR | MCQ; 121 standardised score qualifies |
| CSSE (Essex) | CSSE (own) | English, Maths | Two written papers; writing + problem-solving |
| Trafford | GL | English, Maths, VR, NVR | GL-style multiple-choice papers |
| Sutton SET | Consortium (GL-style) | English, Maths (+ reasoning at some schools) | Tough English/maths; two-stage |
Boards update tests, dates and qualifying scores each year. Always confirm the exact details on the school's and local authority's official admissions pages before you apply.
How to find which 11+ test your child will sit
Two places give you the definitive answer. First, the admissions page of each school on your list - selective schools state the test, board, date and any qualifying score. Second, your local authority's secondary admissions pages, which set out the process for the area.
In fully selective counties such as Kent, Buckinghamshire and parts of Essex, one local test usually covers most grammar schools, so you prepare once. In London and mixed areas, schools often run their own tests, so check each one and read our guide on choosing which schools to apply to and whether your child can sit the 11+ for several schools.
How to prepare for any 11+ test
Because almost every board draws on the same four skills, the most efficient approach is to build those skills first, then rehearse the format and timing of your child's specific test. Strong English and maths plus steady reasoning practice transfer across GL, CEM, ISEB and the regional tests alike.
One free app for every 11+ board
GL, CEM, ISEB or a regional test - Pip generates unlimited, exam-style questions across all four skills, adapts as your child improves, and turns practice into five calm minutes a day.
Frequently asked questions
How many types of 11+ exam are there?+
There is no single 11+. Most children sit a test from one of four national providers - GL Assessment, CEM/Cambridge, ISEB or FSCE - or a regional consortium test such as the Kent Test, the Buckinghamshire Transfer Test, the CSSE in Essex, the Trafford test or the Sutton SET. Almost all assess some combination of English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.
What is the difference between GL and CEM?+
GL tests are paper-based and mostly multiple-choice, with separate papers per subject. CEM (now computer-based, run by Cambridge as CEM Select / Cambridge Insight) is very vocabulary-heavy and speed-focused, with short timed sections you usually cannot go back to. Our GL vs CEM guide goes deeper.
Which 11+ tests skip verbal and non-verbal reasoning?+
The newer FSCE test drops standalone VR and NVR and adds a creative-writing paper. The CSSE in Essex and the first stage of the Sutton SET focus on English and maths. Most other tests - GL, CEM, ISEB, the Kent Test, the Bucks Transfer Test and Trafford - do include reasoning.
How do I find out which test my child will sit?+
Check the admissions page of each school you are applying to and your local authority's secondary admissions pages. They state the exact test, board, date and any qualifying score. In fully selective counties, one local test usually covers most grammar schools.
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