The 11 Plus exam is important for year 6 students for a chance to study and get admission to the top schools in the UK. Even though it is not so compulsory anymore, children can still take this exam to assess their ability as it will help them in the long run, especially in grammar schools.
But many people might not be familiar with this exam and might not know how many total exams there are that students have to take. Well, then, this article is the perfect place for you to get all the answers related to the 11 Plus exam. Continue reading to find out how many exams there are and how to practice for them to get the desirable score.
What is included in the 11 Plus exam?
Different grammar schools will have different requirements for the 11+ exam. The following varieties of questions will be included in some of the 11+ Exam Papers, and it may be necessary to take 2 or even 3 eleven plus exams.
The tests may be the same or may occasionally be of a different kind, such as a non-verbal reasoning test as well as a verbal reasoning test.
• Test of Verbal Reasoning
This requires the child to analyze words as well as text while also solving puzzles, following directions, and so on. The student must possess a strong command of English grammar and a broad vocabulary. Most schools conduct at least one test of verbal reasoning.
• Tests of nonverbal reasoning
Non-verbal reasoning assessments are also commonly used in independent schools. In addition to requiring the child’s mathematics skills, this requires the child to think about visuals and diagrams as well as solve problems based on them. It does, however, place less of a burden on reading comprehension.
• Math assessments and English Language tests
Some schools employ these, but not as frequently as they do with verbal as well as non-verbal thinking assessments. However, you may anticipate the requirements to be pretty high depending on where they are used.
Will my child have to take more than one test?
The majority of 11 plus exams consist of more than one paper, and the most preferential grammar schools may administer their exams more than once.
Sometimes, these different papers are administered on the same day with a rest period in between, but some schools administer their exams over a few days.
Several grammar schools are a part of a consortium, which means that if your child passes one set of exams, they are qualified to apply to several grammar schools.
Your child will, however, need to take numerous testing sessions if you want to apply to several grammar schools which are not a part of a consortium.
2 types of exam boards
The 11 plus exam is administered by two primary test organizations:
1. GL Assessment
GL Assessment, formerly known as NFER, creates as well as manages 11 Plus tests in most grammar schools in the UK.
2. CEM
In response to concerns from certain grammar schools that the current 11+ test system had grown too predictable, the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring at Durham University established the CEM 11plus exam. To solve issues with question-spotting and “to teach to the test,” the CEM exam was created.
GL assessment exams
English, math, verbal reasoning, as well as non-verbal reasoning are all assessed on GL examinations. All schools or regions don’t need to cover all four subjects, and they are free to mix any of the tests with the questions from their particular exams.
The Local Authority, consortium, as well as the school itself decide on the number of questions and the timings.
Additionally, some schools integrate several disciplines into a single paper. Aside from these differences that are unique to each school, the standard GL forms used in their official practice papers are as follows:
• English: 45 minutes and 56 questions
• Math: 50 problems in 50 minutes
• 80 questions and 50 minutes for verbal reasoning
• 40 questions in 20 minutes for non-verbal reasoning
Make careful to prepare your children with all question types well in advance of the exam to help them feel less anxious. The subtopics that kids typically find the most difficult are broken down into each of the styles below, along with examples.
GL English
The GL English exam includes reading comprehension questions in addition to questions on grammar, punctuation, as well as spelling. The configuration varies; however, the following is the most typical one:
1. A text contained 20 questions for reading comprehension.
2. There are three sections—spelling, punctuation, and grammar—each with 12 questions.
GL Maths
Almost all GL 11+ examinations have a math section with 50 problems to be answered in 50 minutes.
Your children will perform better in this portion if they can quickly recall basic math skills. Key Stage Two national curriculum content is aligned with the math problems on the GL Assessment 11 Plus. They include:
• Number
• Measurement
• Data
• Algebra
• Geometry
GL verbal reasoning
The GL verbal reasoning paper evaluates a child’s talent for manipulating, relating, as well as identifying patterns in verbal data. It depends on having a large vocabulary and knowing how to interpret words both in and outside of context.
There are 21 multiple kinds of verbal reasoning problems on GL tests, and this paper normally consists of 80 questions. For kids who aren’t used to them, verbal reasoning question forms can be challenging and time-consuming.
Early exposure to various kinds of verbal reasoning problems is an excellent idea for your child. It is beneficial in this area to have a solid understanding of synonyms as well as antonyms.
GL non-verbal reasoning
The non-verbal reasoning portion, which is linked to math plus problem-solving abilities, assesses a child’s comprehension of graphic data. It features logic as well as spatial awareness tests, pattern continuation but also rule-finding problems, and more.
GL non-verbal thinking tests normally have two parts of 20 questions each, totaling 40 questions. Students must stop the first segment when instructed before going on to the next area at the same pace as everyone else because these sections are timed individually. The formats for GL non-verbal reasoning questions are as follows:
• Sequences
• Nets and cubes
• 3D shapes
• Rotating 3D shapes
• Odd one out
• Matrices
• Find a code
• Combining 3D shapes
• Match to a group
• Pairing shapes
• Match to a pair
• Rotations and reflections
• Parts within a shape
• Following folds
Conclusion
There you have it, parents, the papers that will be included in your child’s 11 Plus exams. I made sure to include the necessary information regarding the four types of exams your child has to complete. Make sure that you help your children practice at home so they can perform well in the actual exams.