Parents with Children Taking the 11Plus

Grammar schools have existed in a form similar to now since the 1870’s – when an entrance test was applicable to distinguish a candidate’s suitability. In 1974 grammar schools were abolished in favour of non-selective “Comprehensive” or Secondary schools. However, we still have a grammar school system in the UK, which operates on a selective entry basis, with the top 10% in a particular catchment area being offered places. At the time of writing there are currently 164 state run grammar schools in existence throughout the United Kingdom and 68 in Northern Ireland.

It is estimated that approximately 100,000+ children sit the 11 Plus examination in England each year for around 15,000 – 20,000 places, giving each child a 1 in 6 chance of gaining a place.

The 11 Plus, 11+ or Eleven Plus, is a tool used by state grammar schools. Tests are taken in Year 6 in order to select pupils for entry into schools in Year 7. There is no uniformity to the exams and no synchronicity to when the examinations take place.

The tests usually include Mathematics, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning questions but this varies from school to school and could include Numerical Reasoning, Spatial Reasoning, Applied Reasoning or Continuous Writing for example. Many private/independent schools also use the eleven plus and their own eleven plus style selection tests. In Northern Ireland the 11+ tests are slightly different, taking place at the end of Year 7. The children are tested in English, Math and Science/Technology.

The current economic climate means that fewer people are able to pay for schooling and are more inclined to maximize the chances of getting a place at a state grammar school. This will increase in areas with an increasing child population, as more children are competing for the same number of places.

Many of the LEAs (local education authority) and independent schools invite GL or CEM to construct the tests that they use: 

CEM – often known as the ‘Durham test’ as it was devised by the Centre for Evaluation & Monitoring at Durham University.

GL – GL Assessment administer the exams in the majority of grammar schools.

 The LEA or school will usually have chosen to administer two, three or occasionally more of the following types of test:

• Verbal Reasoning
• Non-Verbal Reasoning
• Mathematics
• English
• Numerical Reasoning
• Spatial Reasoning
• Continuous Writing
• Applied Reasoning

As well as testing a combination of these subject areas, the formats of the tests can be different.  For example some tests will be multiple choice, some not, some may require computer marked forms to be completed and some may have audio instructions for students to follow. Occasionally schools have 2 stage exams, with the first round being multiple choice and the second round written answers.

LEAs and schools have to compromise between extensive testing and the demand this would make of pupils, plus time-tabling, logistic and budgetary considerations. Consequently, pupils usually take two or three tests.

Reasoning tests are used for secondary selection because of their high reliability and their high predictive validity. Reasoning tests are also favoured as they are 'curriculum-free' tests, and hence are unbiased, in the sense of not being affected by the quality of teaching in the pupils' different primary schools. Non-Verbal reasoning tests are examples of 'culture-fair' tests, in the sense of requiring no understanding of written language.

Mathematics and English tests are used by some LEAs and schools, because these are National Curriculum core subjects that will be taken throughout Key Stages 3 and 4. The use of English tests is less, however, possibly because of the time taken to mark this type of test, and because of the lower reliability due to subjective marking. Both of these issues can be overcome by the use of multiple-choice English tests.

The date of selection tests varies from area to area, generally most state grammar schools undertake their entrance tests between September and February.

The examining body's role in a secondary selection procedure is usually restricted to constructing the tests and to standardising the test scores. It is the school or LEA that decides who is to be offered a place at a selective school. In many cases, there is a pre-determined number of selective places, and these are largely filled from an order of merit.

Your location relative to the school can also play a part. If your child is out of the immediate catchment area you may find it harder to obtain a place. Schools have admissions policies relating to over-subscription, which can usually be viewed on their websites.

What are test scores?

Eleven plus test scores are published by the school or education authority in the form of standardised scores. If more than one test is administered, the scores may be given for each test separately, or it may be that only a composite score is given. If a composite is given, it will be either the total standardised score or the average (mean) of the standardised scores.

Sometimes raw scores might also be provided. A pupil’s raw score is simply the number of questions in the test that the pupil has answered correctly.

A standardised test score is the result of translating the number of correct answers in a test (the ‘raw score’) into a more user-friendly score on a completely different scale, that enables account to be taken of the pupil’s age, and that allows scores from more than one test to be meaningfully added together. This process of converting raw scores to standardised scores may be referred to as standardising a test, or simply ‘standardisation’.

Click here for more on standardised testing