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Book a Free ConsultationLeading Tuition provides specialist 11+ preparation for the most competitive grammar schools across England. Whether your child is sitting the Kingston Grammar Test for Tiffin, the Sutton SET, the Slough consortium exam, the Kent Test, or the Bucks SET, our tutors know these specific exams in depth — not just the 11+ in general.
Select your target school or consortium below to find detailed preparation guidance, exam format information, and how we can help.
The 11+ is a selective entrance examination taken in Year 6 (aged 10–11) for entry into grammar schools and selective independent schools. There is no single national format: tests are set by the school, by a regional consortium, or by a specialist provider — most commonly GL Assessment or CEM (Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring). Independent schools in London and the South East predominantly set their own papers. Understanding which test your child will sit is the essential first step, because the question styles, timing, and weighting differ significantly between providers.
Across England, roughly 163 grammar schools still select pupils by academic ability, concentrated in areas that retained selective education — including Kent, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, parts of Essex, Berkshire, Lincolnshire, and several London boroughs. The number of applications for grammar school places has risen year on year, making the 2026 cycle more competitive than ever for most of the schools in this guide.
Most grammar school consortiums use one of three approaches for the 2025–26 academic year (September 2026 entry). Understanding which applies to your target school determines everything from the practice materials you buy to the skills your child prioritises.
| Test Type | Subjects Tested | Key Examples |
|---|---|---|
| GL Assessment | VR, NVR, Maths, English (separate sections) | Kent Test, Sutton SET, Bucks SET, Slough SET |
| CEM | Mixed format — VR, NVR, Maths, English combined | Birmingham, parts of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire |
| School-set paper | Varies — chosen mix of Maths, English, VR, NVR | Tiffin, QE Barnet, Henrietta Barnett, Manchester Grammar |
| ISEB Common Pre-Test | English, Maths, VR, NVR (adaptive, online) | Haberdashers', Dame Alice Owen's, Chigwell |
GL Assessment papers have a predictable, section-by-section structure and extensive published practice materials. CEM papers combine subjects within a single sitting with less predictable question styles, making format familiarity especially important. School-set papers vary enormously: Tiffin's Kingston Grammar Test is entirely different in style and difficulty from the Manchester Grammar School entrance exam. Preparation must always be tailored to the specific target school rather than the 11+ in general.
For the 2026 testing cycle, most grammar school registration windows open between April and July 2026. Children sitting these exams will be in Year 6 from September 2025. Most specialist tutors recommend starting structured preparation in Year 4 or early Year 5 — approximately 12 to 18 months before the exam date. This timeline allows enough time to:
Children aiming for the most competitive schools — Tiffin, QE Barnet, Henrietta Barnett, or Manchester Grammar — typically need a longer preparation window and a higher baseline ability than those targeting less oversubscribed grammar schools. Our specialist tutors assess each child’s starting point and build a preparation plan that is realistic for the timeline available.
Preparing for the 11+ in 2026?
Our specialist tutors are experienced with every major 11+ format — GL Assessment, CEM, and school-set papers for grammar and independent schools across England. We build personalised preparation plans based on your child’s current level and target school.
Rated 4.8/5 on Trustpilot. Hundreds of families have trusted Leading Tuition for grammar and independent school preparation.
Book a Free Consultation Message us on WhatsAppGrammar school 11+ tests for September 2027 entry take place in autumn 2026. The largest consortium tests — including the Sutton SET, Slough SET, Bucks SET, and Kent Test — typically sit on a shared Saturday in September 2026. Registration for these tests usually closes in June or July 2026, so families should register early in the summer term.
Independent schools (such as Latymer Upper, St Paul’s Girls’, Highgate, and City of London School for Girls) hold their own entrance exams, many in November 2026 or January 2027, with registration deadlines in October or November. Schools using the ISEB Common Pre-Test (such as Haberdashers’ and Dame Alice Owen’s) may assess children as early as October or November of Year 6. We recommend checking the admissions page of each target school directly — dates shift year on year, and a missed registration deadline cannot be recovered. Every school-specific guide in this hub links to the official admissions source.
Leading Tuition’s specialist tutors do not offer generic 11+ tuition. Every programme is built around the specific exam your child will sit. Our tutors begin with a diagnostic session to establish baseline performance in verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, mathematics, and English, then design a week-by-week preparation plan aligned to the target school’s format and the time available before the registration deadline.
Progress is tracked through regular timed mock exams that replicate real exam conditions — same question count, same time pressure, same paper format as the target school. This builds both competence and confidence, reducing the anxiety that affects many children on exam day. Our introduction to the 11+ exam and 11+ exam dates guide are free resources available on our blog. Parents can also explore our 11+ tuition service page for an overview of how sessions are structured, or browse the school guides above to find preparation guidance for a specific school or consortium.
Alongside our school-by-school guides below, these are the 11+ resources families find most useful when working out what score they actually need and how the scoring system works:
Official Resources
Book a free consultation and we’ll help you find the right support for your child.
Book a Free ConsultationThe 11+ is a selective entrance examination taken by children in Year 6 (aged 10–11) to gain entry to grammar schools and selective independent schools. There is no single national format: tests are set by the school, a regional consortium, or a provider such as GL Assessment or CEM. Most 11+ exams assess verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, mathematics, and English comprehension. The level of competition varies by school — some grammar schools receive five or more applications per place. Choosing the right target schools and understanding the specific test format are essential first steps in any preparation plan.
Most 11+ examinations test four core areas: verbal reasoning (word patterns, analogies, vocabulary), non-verbal reasoning (shapes, sequences, spatial patterns), mathematics (number, algebra, data and geometry), and English comprehension. Some independent schools also include a creative writing component. The balance between subjects differs by school and consortium — GL Assessment papers are split into discrete timed sections, while CEM papers combine subjects within a single sitting. Independent schools in London frequently set bespoke papers that may omit non-verbal reasoning entirely in favour of a more extended maths or English paper.
GL Assessment uses a traditional section-by-section format with separate papers for each subject. Question types are predictable and extensive practice materials are published. CEM (Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring) papers combine subjects within a single sitting, with less predictable question styles and a faster pace. CEM is used in areas such as Birmingham and parts of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Many grammar schools and London independent schools set bespoke papers — Tiffin School’s Kingston Grammar Test, for example, is a different challenge from the Manchester Grammar School entrance exam. Our school-specific guides cover each format in detail.
Most children benefit from starting structured 11+ preparation in Year 4 or early Year 5, approximately 12 to 18 months before the examination. This allows time to cover all question types, build stamina for timed papers, and complete at least six full mock exams before the real sitting. For the most competitive grammar schools — Tiffin, QE Barnet, Henrietta Barnett, and Manchester Grammar — a higher baseline ability is required and preparation typically begins earlier. Starting too late, in the final term before the exam, rarely allows enough time to address genuine weaknesses in reasoning or mathematical ability.
Grammar school 11+ tests for September 2027 entry take place in autumn 2026. Most consortium exams — including the Sutton SET, Slough SET, Bucks SET, and Kent Test — sit on a shared date in September 2026. Registration deadlines are typically in June or July 2026. Independent schools including Latymer Upper, Highgate, and City of London School for Girls hold their own exams, usually in November 2026 or January 2027. Schools using the ISEB Common Pre-Test may assess children in October or November. Always verify dates and deadlines on the official admissions page of your target school.
Leading Tuition provides specialist 11+ tuition tailored to the exact format of your target school or consortium. Our tutors are experienced with GL Assessment, CEM, and school-set papers across grammar and independent schools throughout England. We start with a diagnostic assessment, build a personalised preparation plan based on your child’s current level and available timeline, and run regular timed mock exams under real exam conditions. Rated 4.8/5 on Trustpilot, we have helped hundreds of families secure places at grammar and selective independent schools. Book a free consultation to discuss your child’s preparation strategy.
Book a free consultation and we’ll help you find the right support for your child.
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