Schools and Consortia
Parent-friendly overviews of competitive schools, regional grammar routes, and consortium-style 11+ tests.
Tiffin Girls 11+ guide
A practical guide for parents preparing for Tiffin Girls: what the route typically focuses on, where marks are often lost, and how to prepare sensibly.
Tiffin Boys 11+ guide
A parent-friendly Tiffin Boys 11+ guide covering typical focus areas, practical preparation, and common mistakes to avoid.
Henrietta Barnett School 11+ guide
A clear parent guide to Henrietta Barnett School 11+ preparation, including likely strengths tested, mistakes to avoid, and practical next steps.
Sutton SET 11+ guide
A straightforward guide to the Sutton SET: what it commonly tests, how to prepare sensibly, and how to avoid wasting time on the wrong things.
Kent Test 11+ guide
A practical Kent Test guide for parents covering the skills usually needed, common preparation mistakes, and sensible next steps.
CSSE 11+ guide
A parent guide to CSSE 11+ preparation, with practical advice on likely focus areas, timing pressure, and the next steps that usually help most.
Bucks 11+ guide
A clear Bucks 11+ guide for parents: what the test style often demands, how to prepare effectively, and where children commonly come unstuck.
Birmingham / West Midlands grammar 11+ guide
A practical Birmingham and West Midlands grammar guide for parents, with advice on broad preparation, timing pressure and avoiding common traps.
Queen Elizabeth's School Barnet (QE Boys) 11+ guide
A practical guide to Queen Elizabeth's School Barnet (QE Boys) 11+: the two-paper GL Assessment format, why the published qualifying score is not the real bar, and how to prepare sensibly.
St Olave's Grammar School 11+ guide
A clear guide to St Olave's Grammar School 11+ admissions: the two-stage SET and Stage 2 process, how many boys progress at each stage, and how to prepare for both.
Wilson's, Wallington County Grammar & Sutton Grammar 11+ guide
A parent guide to the shared Stage 2 process for Wilson's School, Wallington County Grammar and Sutton Grammar School, including how it differs from the Sutton SET and what each school adds on top.
Exam Boards and Formats
Clear explanations of common 11+ assessment styles, including GL, CEM, Quest and region-specific test structures.
GL Assessment 11+ guide
A useful GL Assessment 11+ guide for parents covering the skills GL-style papers commonly reward and how to prepare with a sensible sequence.
CEM 11+ guide
A parent guide to CEM 11+ preparation, including vocabulary, mixed paper pressure, and how to prepare without turning everything into a speed contest.
Quest Assessment 11+ guide
A straightforward Quest Assessment 11+ guide for parents: what this style of assessment commonly values and how to prepare without overfitting.
What is the 11+?
A clear explanation of what the 11+ is, the four subjects it can cover, who sits it and why, and how the different boards and school-specific tests relate to each other.
Year-Group Planning
Planning guides for Year 4 and Year 5 so families know what to focus on, and when to raise the pace.
Year 4 11+ preparation guide
A realistic Year 4 11+ preparation guide for parents who want to build strong foundations without burning their child out too early.
Year 5 11+ preparation guide
A practical Year 5 11+ preparation guide for parents who need a clearer plan for timing, mocks, consolidation and avoiding panic.
Scores and Readiness
Plain-English answers on 11+ pass marks and standardised scores, when to start preparing, and how to judge whether your child is genuinely ready.
Is my child ready for the 11+?
A practical way to judge whether your child is ready for the 11+, covering reading age, arithmetic, working habits and emotional resilience — not just school reports.
11+ pass mark: what score does your child need?
A clear explanation of 11+ pass marks and standardised scores: why there is no fixed national pass mark, what a “good” score looks like, and how superselective thresholds differ.
When should you start 11+ preparation?
A realistic guide to when to start 11+ preparation, how long it usually takes, and how to build a steady plan without cramming or burning your child out.
Subject and Skills
Practical guides for comprehension, vocabulary, maths timing, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.
11+ comprehension guide
A helpful 11+ comprehension guide for parents, including what strong comprehension really looks like, how to prepare, and common answer-choice traps.
11+ vocabulary guide
A practical 11+ vocabulary guide covering what to learn, how to build word knowledge steadily, and how to avoid shallow memorisation.
11+ maths timing guide
A useful 11+ maths timing guide for parents who want to improve pace without encouraging panic, shortcuts or careless arithmetic.
11+ verbal reasoning guide
A parent-friendly 11+ verbal reasoning guide explaining what verbal reasoning really tests, how to practise it, and where children usually get stuck.
11+ non-verbal reasoning guide
A clear 11+ non-verbal reasoning guide for parents, covering what the questions test, how to practise patterns, and common errors under time pressure.
11+ creative writing guide
A practical 11+ creative writing guide covering which schools actually test it, what examiners look for, and how to prepare without wasting time on the wrong format.
Practice and Mocks
Advice on mock tests, platform comparisons and what to look for when choosing 11+ preparation support.
Atom Learning alternative guide
What parents should look for in an Atom Learning alternative, including diagnostics, progress tracking, question quality and practical day-to-day usability.
11+ mock tests guide
A practical 11+ mock tests guide explaining when mocks help, when they are premature, and how parents can use them without creating noise.
How to choose the best 11+ online platform
How to choose the best 11+ online platform for your child: what to compare, the main types of platform, and how to avoid paying for the wrong one.
Use the guides with a realistic baseline, not guesswork.
The guides are most useful when you know whether your child currently needs stronger arithmetic, richer vocabulary, calmer timing, or a broader Year 5 reset. A baseline makes that easier to judge.