11+ English Syllabus

The question types in the 11+ English exam can vary depending on which type of exam your child is sitting. Generally speaking, there are five main types of exam:

Generally speaking, there are five main exam types:

  • The GL Assessment/CAT4/NFER exam (multiple choice)

  • The independent school exams (standard paper/written response)

  • The CEM exam (multiple choice)

  • The ISEB exam (online adaptive tests/multiple choice)

  • The CSSE exam (multiple choice)

11+ english syllabus

The following syllabus is based on National Curriculum guidelines as well as feedback from students who’ve successfully passed the 11+.

QUICK TIPS FOR PARENTS

  • Aim to identify which specific topics are the hardest for your child so that you can work on addressing them.

  • Remember that there can be huge variations in the standard of 11+ exam papers (independent school papers can vary vastly from grammar school ones) so always consult with your target school in order to be best prepared.

  • If your child has a written exam, encourage them write neatly and tidily. If their exam is multiple choice based, they should endeavour to fill in the line given in a neat fashion and make answers clear.

  • Competitive schools will often include several questions which go beyond the KS2 National Curriculum. Whilst there's no need to cover much advanced material, it can be useful to teach your child some of the more advanced topics if they are sitting an exam for a highly competitive school.

  • Always research to check if your target schools provide sample papers as these can be one of the best ways to prepare your child for the exam.

RECOMMENDED 11+ ENGLISH BOOKS AND MATERIALS

  • The Cadwaladr Quests by SL Ager

  • For the independent school exams, we recommend the Galore Park books.

  • For the grammar school exams students should familiarise themselves with CEM-style books. There are dozens of suitable books available in Waterstones, WH Smith and on Amazon.

  • Generally, we recommend that all students cover the Bond English books up until age 11. Independent school students should also study the age 11-12 version of these books.