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Book a Free Consultation11+ exam dates vary significantly depending on whether you're applying to a grammar school or an independent school, and they differ further by region, consortium, and individual school. Missing a registration deadline is almost always fatal to an application — and it's the most common, most avoidable mistake parents make each year.
The 11+ is not a single national exam with a fixed date. It is a collection of different tests, run by different bodies, on different timetables. Understanding this distinction is the first step to building a reliable plan.
Grammar schools are state-funded selective schools. Their admissions are coordinated either by the local authority or by a regional consortium of schools. Most grammar school exams take place in September 2025 — typically the first or second Saturday of the month — for children entering Year 7 in September 2026. These exams usually use GL Assessment or CEM papers, and registration often closes months before the exam itself, sometimes as early as May or June.
Independent schools run their own admissions processes entirely. Many use the ISEB Common Pre-Test (an online assessment taken in Year 6, usually in October or November) as a first-round filter, followed by their own written papers in October or November 2025. Some highly selective London independents run their own bespoke papers from September onwards. Registration deadlines for independent schools typically fall in the summer term of Year 5 or the very start of Year 6.
The key practical difference: grammar school exams tend to cluster on the same weekend across a region, so a child can often sit multiple schools' tests in a single sitting (if they share a consortium). Independent school exams are staggered but can still clash, particularly in London in October and November.
The table below covers the main grammar school consortia and individual grammar schools in England for the 2025–2026 admissions cycle (Year 6 children sitting exams in autumn 2025 for September 2026 entry). Dates marked as approximate reflect typical scheduling patterns; always verify directly with the school or local authority, as dates are confirmed closer to the time.
| School / Consortium | Exam Date (Approx) | Registration Deadline | Exam Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sutton Grammar Schools (inc. Sutton Grammar, Nonsuch, Wallington) | September 2025 (typically first Saturday) | June 2025 | GL Assessment (verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, maths, English) |
| Barnet Grammars — QE Boys and Henrietta Barnett School | October 2025 | September 2025 | School's own exam (English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning) |
| Slough Consortium (inc. Langley, Herschel, St Bernard's) | September 2025 | May 2025 | GL Assessment |
| Kent Grammar Schools (inc. Judd, Tonbridge, Maidstone Grammar) | September 2025 (typically second Saturday) | June 2025 | GL Assessment (Kent Test: English, maths, reasoning) |
| Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (inc. Royal Latin, Dr Challoner's) | September 2025 | June 2025 | GL Assessment (Bucks Test: verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, spatial reasoning) |
A note on Barnet: Queen Elizabeth's Boys' School and Henrietta Barnett School sit outside the typical GL Assessment framework and use their own papers. Both are among the most competitive grammar schools in the country, with thousands of applicants for a small number of places. Their October exam date and September registration deadline mean families applying to both Barnet grammars and Sutton grammars are managing two separate processes simultaneously.
For Buckinghamshire, the county operates a single standardised test for all state grammar schools. A child who passes the Bucks Test is eligible to apply to any Bucks grammar school through the normal secondary transfer process. The registration deadline of June 2025 is firm — late applications are not accepted.
Independent school admissions at 11+ are more varied and, in many cases, more complex. Several London schools use the ISEB Common Pre-Test as a first-round screening tool. This is a 45-minute online test covering English, maths, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning, typically sat at the child's current school in October or November 2025. A strong pre-test result earns an invitation to the school's own written papers, usually held in January 2026 for 13+ entry — but for 11+ entry, many schools hold their own papers in October or November 2025 directly.
| School | Exam Date (Approx) | Registration Opens | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haberdashers' Boys' School and Haberdashers' Girls' School | ISEB Pre-Test: October/November 2025; Main exam: November 2025 | May/June 2025 | ISEB Common Pre-Test, then school's own English and maths papers |
| North London Collegiate School (NLCS) and South Hampstead High School | October/November 2025 | May/June 2025 | School's own papers (English, maths; interview for shortlisted candidates) |
| Latymer Upper School | October 2025 | Summer 2025 | School's own paper (English and maths) |
| St Paul's Girls' School | September 2025 (first round); second round November 2025 | June 2025 | School's own paper; two-stage process with interview |
| Dulwich College, Alleyn's School, and James Allen's Girls' School (JAGS) | November 2025 | Summer/early autumn 2025 | School's own papers (English, maths, reasoning) |
St Paul's Girls' School is notable for its early September first-round exam — earlier than almost any other independent school in London. Families targeting SPGS need to have preparation well underway by the end of Year 5. For Dulwich, Alleyn's, and JAGS, the November 2025 window is slightly later, but registration typically closes in September or October, so the summer before Year 6 is the time to act.
If you are researching specific schools, it is worth consulting school-specific 11+ preparation guides that cover the exact format, marking, and style of questions used at each school — this matters because an NLCS English paper looks quite different from a Dulwich College maths paper.
Registration deadlines are the single most important dates in the entire 11+ process. Missing one almost always means your child cannot sit that school's exam that year. Unlike university applications, there is no clearing system, no appeals route for late registration, and no exceptions for administrative oversight.
Here is a practical summary of when to act:
One important detail: some schools require a separate registration for each sibling. A child with an older brother or sister already at the school is not automatically registered — you must complete the process again in full.
For grammar schools, results and offers typically follow the national secondary school offer date of 1 March 2026. Grammar schools that are part of the state system are bound by the local authority's coordinated admissions scheme. You will receive one offer through the local authority's process, even if your child passed the 11+ for multiple schools.
Independent schools operate on their own timetables. Most London independents issue offers in January or February 2026, following November exams and any interviews held in December 2025. Interviews are common at highly selective schools — NLCS, SPGS, and Haberdashers' Girls' all interview shortlisted candidates. Offers from independent schools typically require acceptance within two to four weeks, and a deposit is usually required to secure the place.
It is worth noting that independent school offer deadlines and state grammar offer dates do not align. A family holding an independent school offer in January 2026 may not yet know their grammar school result, which arrives in March. This is a deliberate feature of the system, not an oversight — and it means families sometimes have to make a decision about an independent school place before knowing whether a grammar school place is available.
Given the complexity above, a personalised calendar is essential. Here is how to build one:
What happens if two 11+ exams are scheduled on the same day?
Clashes are more common than many parents expect, particularly in October and November when independent school exams cluster. If two exams fall on the same date, contact both schools' admissions offices as soon as you are aware of the clash — ideally before the registration deadline. Some schools offer a small number of alternative sitting dates for genuine clashes; others cannot accommodate this. Grammar school consortium exams are harder to reschedule, as they are run centrally. The earlier you flag a clash, the more options you are likely to have.
Are registration deadlines ever extended?
Very rarely, and you should never plan on it. Grammar school consortia in particular — Slough, Sutton, Kent, and Bucks — operate firm deadlines set by the local authority, and late registrations are not accepted. A small number of independent schools may have flexibility if places remain available, but this is the exception rather than the rule. If you have missed a deadline, contact the school directly and explain the circumstances, but be prepared for the answer to be no.
How early should preparation start relative to the exam dates?
For a September 2025 grammar school exam, most children benefit from structured preparation beginning in Year 5 — ideally by January 2025 — with timed practice papers introduced from around Easter 2025. For independent schools with November 2025 exams, a similar timeline applies, though the content focus differs: independent school papers typically place greater emphasis on extended writing and harder maths than GL Assessment papers. Starting earlier is rarely harmful; starting later than June 2025 for a September exam leaves very little time for meaningful improvement.
What should I do if I have missed the registration window?
First, contact the school directly — explain the situation clearly and ask whether any late registration is possible. For grammar schools, also contact the local authority, as they administer the process. If the answer is no for your preferred schools, consider whether any schools with later deadlines are still open. Some independent schools with November exams have registration deadlines in September or October, which may still be reachable. Use the experience to plan more carefully for any future applications, and focus preparation on the schools where registration is still possible.
The 11+ timetable rewards families who plan early and stay organised. The exam itself is only one part of the process — knowing when to register, when to expect results, and how to respond to offers is equally important. A clear calendar, built around verified deadlines from each school directly, is the most reliable tool you have.
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