The 11+ comes in three main formats: standard written papers, multiple-choice papers marked by computer, and online multiple-choice tests. Which one your child sits depends on the exam board and the school, not on you. Each format tests the same skills, so the content of your prep stays the same. Only the way answers are recorded changes.
- Three formats: standard written, multiple-choice on a separate sheet, and online.
- The board and school choose the format. You do not get to pick it.
- The content is the same across formats. Only the answering method differs.
- Schools set anything from one combined paper to four separate subject papers.
The three 11+ formats
Standard, multiple-choice and online are the three you will meet. They differ in how a child records answers, which matters more than it sounds.
In a standard paper, children write answers in the booklet. In a multiple-choice paper, they shade a bubble on a separate answer sheet, which a computer marks. An online test puts the whole thing on screen, and some online tests adapt to how the child is doing. The format is part of how the 11+ works, so it is worth pinning down early.
Which format will my child face?
Your exam board is the biggest clue. The two main boards package papers differently, so knowing yours narrows it down fast.
GL and CEM both offer paper and online versions, and CEM in particular is known for adaptive online testing. Whatever the board, the school's admissions page states the exact format, so you never have to guess.
How many papers will my child sit?
Anywhere from one to four, depending on the school. Some squeeze everything into a single combined paper; others set separate papers for each subject.
That choice links to which subjects the school tests and to how long the whole thing runs. A combined paper is shorter overall; four separate papers usually mean a longer morning.
On multiple-choice papers, answers go on a grid, not next to the question. Practise filling a sheet at least once so your child does not lose marks lining up the wrong row under time pressure.
Does the format change how to prepare?
Only at the very end. The skills are identical, so spend almost all your time on maths, English and reasoning, not on format drills.
In the final weeks, do a couple of run-throughs in the real format so the mechanics feel normal. If the test is online, a few sessions of answering questions on screen, which is how Pip works, take away the novelty, so nothing on the day is a surprise.