FSCE 11+ for September 2027 Entry
Which schools use it, and what each one publishes
Book a Free ConsultationWhich schools use it, and what each one publishes
Book a Free ConsultationThe FSCE 11+ is an entrance test provided by Future Stories Community Enterprise Ltd, whose own site describes its tests as written by grammar schools, for grammar schools. Chelmsford County High School for Girls, Reading School, Ermysted’s Grammar School, Heckmondwike Grammar School, Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School, Clitheroe Royal Grammar School and, on The Crossley Heath School’s admissions page, the Halifax Grammar Schools, name FSCE on admissions pages for September 2027 entry.
Checked October 2026
The schools’ own admissions pages and CSSE show the main registration for September 2027 entry has closed everywhere listed, though Ermysted’s reviews late registrations only after March 2027. Dated test sittings, from 16 July to 26 September 2026, are past. Results are next: Ermysted’s in the week commencing 12 October 2026, Lancaster Girls’ on 17 October 2026.
The table below carries only what each school publishes about itself on its own admissions pages.
| School | Provider for September 2027 entry | Registration | Test date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelmsford County High School for Girls | FSCE, confirmed on the school’s own 2027-entry page | Opened 9am 13 April 2026, closed 4pm 3 June 2026 | Thursday 3 September 2026 (took place) |
| Reading School | FSCE, named on the school’s Year 7 entry page | Closed at midnight on 17 May 2026 | Thursday 16 July 2026 for day and boarding applicants; Friday 25 September 2026 for day applicants outside the catchment |
| Ermysted’s Grammar School | FSCE, confirmed on the school’s Year 7 admissions page | Closed 12:00pm on 31 August 2026 | Saturday 26 September 2026 |
| Kendrick School | GL Assessment, which marks and standardises the tests | Opened 1 May 2026, closed at midnight on 1 July 2026 | Friday 18 September 2026 (candidates outside the designated area sit on a later date, to be advised) |
| King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford | CSSE (Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex) | Through CSSE; closed for 2027 entry | Saturday 19 September 2026 |
Source: the schools' own admissions pages and the CSSE 2027 information guide, retrieved 3 October 2026 — Chelmsford County High School for Girls, Reading School, Ermysted's Grammar School, Kendrick School, King Edward VI Grammar School and CSSE.
More schools name FSCE on their own admissions pages for September 2027 entry; the dates each one gives are in the next section.
These schools name FSCE as their provider on their own admissions pages. The dates are as each school gives them.
King Edward VI Grammar School in Chelmsford registers candidates for its 11+ through the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex, which manages the 11+ process in Essex, rather than through FSCE.
CSSE lists ten member schools, and King Edward VI is the first of them. Chelmsford County High School for Girls is not on that list. The two selective schools in Chelmsford therefore sat different tests on different dates, 16 days apart: the CCHS entrance test took place on 3 September 2026 and the CSSE examination on 19 September 2026. A family applying to both manages two registrations, two providers and two formats; registration for the CCHS test closed on 3 June 2026 and CSSE registration for 2027 entry has also closed.
For the Essex route specifically, our King Edward VI Grammar School 11+ preparation page works from the CSSE format rather than the FSCE one.
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Book a Free ConsultationThe FSCE tests described on schools’ own admissions pages differ from school to school. Ermysted’s Grammar School states that its test has no creative writing element, while Heckmondwike Grammar School states that its exam includes a creative writing task. The description to rely on for a child’s own paper is the one on their school’s admissions page.
| Topic | What the schools publish |
|---|---|
| Creative writing | Ermysted’s states there is no creative writing element in its test; Heckmondwike Grammar School and the Halifax Grammar Schools describe a creative writing element in theirs |
| Non-verbal reasoning | Ermysted’s states that non-verbal reasoning is not included in its test |
| Format | Two papers at Ermysted’s, each typically 45 to 60 minutes, with a break between |
| Past papers | FSCE states that it creates new test content every year; Reading School states there are no commercially available practice test papers for the FSCE Ltd tests |
| Pass mark | Ermysted’s standardises each paper to an average score of 100 and its Admissions Committee determines the required standard each year |
Source: the schools' and the provider's own pages, retrieved 3 October 2026 — Ermysted's Grammar School, Heckmondwike Grammar School, The Crossley Heath School, Reading School, Chelmsford County High School for Girls and Future Stories Community Enterprise Ltd.
Ermysted’s is the clearest example. Its Year 7 admissions page states directly that non-verbal reasoning is not included in the test and that there is no creative writing element. A child who has spent the summer on extended creative writing has prepared for something its test does not include.
Reading School states that there are no commercially available practice test papers for the FSCE Ltd tests, and Ermysted’s Grammar School states that no commercial 11+ books or past papers are endorsed by FSCE. FSCE says it creates new test content every year, content that encourages original critical thinking, and that it supports tutor-free summers. Reading School adds that the entrance test content changes each year, so its familiarisation guide is not definitive.
The main registration has closed at every school in the table above, and every dated test sitting listed in it is past. Heckmondwike Grammar School gives 17 October 2026 (target date) for results online, CSSE emails results after the close of business on Monday 12 October 2026, Reading School, Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School and CSSE each give 31 October 2026 as the local authority application deadline, and Ermysted’s gives Friday 27 November 2026 for its Supplementary Information Form.
Ermysted’s Grammar School closed registration at 12:00pm on Monday 31 August 2026; it treats registrations received after that deadline as late and reviews them only after March 2027, when initial offers are made; its main entrance test was on Saturday 26 September 2026 and test outcomes are released in the week commencing 12 October 2026. Reading School closed registration at midnight on 17 May 2026; its day and boarding test was on Thursday 16 July 2026, its sitting for day applicants outside the catchment was on Friday 25 September 2026, and results are online by mid-October 2026. Chelmsford County High School for Girls closed registration at 4pm on 3 June 2026, states that late registrations will not be accepted, and held its entrance test on Thursday 3 September 2026.
If your child’s target school is not listed here, the deadline is the school’s own and it is worth reading rather than inferring. Our Reading School 11+ preparation and Kendrick School 11+ preparation pages carry each school’s own arrangements.
FSCE states its purpose on its own site: to help improve social mobility and equalise opportunities for all children, and to be part of regional and national impact on student demographics.
FSCE describes its tests as bespoke and written by grammar schools, for grammar schools. The provider says it adapts to the needs of its schools, and the schools’ own pages differ: Ermysted’s states that its test contains no non-verbal reasoning and no creative writing, while Heckmondwike Grammar School and the Halifax Grammar Schools describe a creative writing element in theirs. Ermysted’s describes two papers, each typically 45 to 60 minutes, with no creative writing, whereas at Heckmondwike Grammar School children with an eligible score on the English and maths papers also have a creative writing task assessed, even though both are FSCE.
The access side comes with it. Chelmsford County High School for Girls pairs its FSCE adoption with a stated commitment that students from all backgrounds can access its admissions process, and a dedicated Pupil Premium page setting out the support available for eligible families. Its 180 places are allocated on a test the school describes as needing no specialist tutoring at all.
Knowing that a school uses FSCE is a starting point, because the format differs between schools. The school’s own description of its papers is the one to read before preparing.
Chelmsford County High School for Girls states that the FSCE test does not require specialist tutoring, that no specific preparation is necessary, and that no teacher, tutor or parent will have knowledge of the test that others lack.
Read that carefully, because it is narrower than it first sounds. It is a statement that no specific preparation is necessary; the school asks children to work well at primary school, to read widely and deeply, and to practise the fluency of their maths and problem-solving skills. It is not a statement that a child’s reading, written fluency and mathematical confidence stop mattering. Ermysted’s says its English questions assess understanding of texts and appropriate use of language, and its mathematics questions assess problem-solving, logical reasoning and application of numeracy.
Practically, the schools’ own advice is the ordinary work: reading widely and deeply, practising the fluency of maths and problem-solving through real-life examples, and discussing ideas around the dinner table. Ermysted’s standardises each of its two papers to an average score of 100 and determines the required standard from the performance of the main entrance test cohort, so there is no target number to aim at.
The one piece of genuine familiarisation worth doing is the school’s own familiarisation guide. Reading School, Chelmsford County High School for Girls and Ermysted’s each publish one on their own websites.
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Reviewed October 2026: dates, figures and rules checked against the admissions pages of Chelmsford County High School for Girls, Reading School, Ermysted's Grammar School, Heckmondwike Grammar School, Lancaster Girls' Grammar School, Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, The Crossley Heath School and Kendrick School, the CSSE 2027 information guide, King Edward VI Grammar School and FSCE Ltd.
Chelmsford County High School for Girls, Reading School, Ermysted’s Grammar School, Heckmondwike Grammar School, Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School, Clitheroe Royal Grammar School and, on The Crossley Heath School’s admissions page, the Halifax Grammar Schools, name FSCE on admissions pages for September 2027 entry, and the main registration has closed at each of them. Check your target school’s own admissions page rather than any list, including this one.
No. KEGS registers candidates through the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex, which manages the 11+ process in Essex, and CSSE lists King Edward VI as a member school. The CSSE examination for September 2027 entry was on Saturday 19 September 2026 and registration for it has closed. CSSE emails results after the close of business on Monday 12 October 2026. Chelmsford County High School for Girls, by contrast, uses FSCE and is not on the CSSE member list.
Reading School states that there are no commercially available practice test papers for the FSCE Ltd tests, and Ermysted’s Grammar School states that no commercial 11+ books or past papers are endorsed by FSCE. Future Stories Community Enterprise states that it creates new test content every year, content designed to encourage original critical thinking, and that it supports tutor-free summers. What the schools do publish is a familiarisation guide: Reading School, Chelmsford County High School for Girls and Ermysted’s Grammar School each provide one on their own websites. Reading School adds that the test content changes each year, so its familiarisation guide is not definitive.
No. Ermysted’s Grammar School states on its own Year 7 admissions page that non-verbal reasoning is not included in its test and that there is no creative writing element. Its test is two papers, each typically 45 to 60 minutes, with a break between them. Heckmondwike Grammar School and the Halifax Grammar Schools each describe a creative writing element in their exams, while Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School says it will test only maths and English. The format differs school by school, so read the school’s own description rather than a general account.
For the schools named here, the main registration for September 2027 entry has closed. Reading School closed at midnight on 17 May 2026, and Chelmsford County High School for Girls closed at 4pm on 3 June 2026 and states that late registrations will not be accepted. Ermysted’s Grammar School closed registration at 12:00pm on Monday 31 August 2026; it treats registrations received after that deadline as late and reviews them only after March 2027, when initial offers are made; its main entrance test was on Saturday 26 September 2026 and outcomes are released in the week commencing 12 October 2026. Its usual Common Application Form closing date is 31 October 2026.
Chelmsford County High School for Girls states that no specific preparation is necessary and that no teacher, tutor or parent will have knowledge of the test that others lack. It asks children to work well at primary school, to read widely and deeply, to practise the fluency of their maths and problem-solving skills through real-life examples, and to discuss ideas around the dinner table. Ermysted’s standardises each paper to an average of 100 and determines the required standard from the main entrance test cohort, so there is no score to aim at.
We start by confirming which test your child’s target school uses, because the format differs between schools: Ermysted’s, for example, states that its test has no non-verbal reasoning and no creative writing element. From there the work follows the preparation the schools themselves describe, wide reading and fluent maths and problem-solving, taught over months rather than drilled over weeks. 91 per cent of our students achieve their desired grades.
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