What is the 11+?
The 11+ is a selective entrance examination for secondary school, used by both state-funded grammar schools and many private schools to identify the most academically-able children.
The exam is taken at the beginning of Year 6 in Lincolnshire and is used as an entry requirement for these local Grammar schools:
Does my child have to take the 11+?
No. The 11+ is not a compulsory test and it is completely up to you to decide if you want your child to apply to a grammar school.
Is it an expectation at Ingoldsby to take the 11+?
No. We are lucky in Lincolnshire to have some very good secondary schools. We believe that the 11+ is a matter of choice; we want to support our families to have the support and information to access all choices and opportunities available to them.
How do I know if the 11+ is right for my child?
The 11+ is designed to identify the most academically-able children for entry to grammar schools.
If you’re unsure whether grammar school is right for your child, it’s worth considering the following questions:
- Is your child able academically?
- Are their school reports always well above average?
- Are your child’s results above average in their school tests/ SATs?
- Does your child’s teacher feel that passing the 11+ is achievable for your child?
Will my child have to sit more than one exam?
The assessment is made up of two tests; a non-verbal reasoning test and a verbal reasoning test. neither of these are explicitly taught in the national curriculum.
Verbal Reasoning
Reading and spelling are skills that are pre-requisites to accessing the verbal reasoning paper.
I cannot emphasise enough the importance of reading. Your child should be reading as broad a range of material as possible, so try tempting them with some different genres and format types (reading a factual piece on a website still counts!). Do also continue to listen to them read, helping them with vocabulary they don’t know and asking them questions around the text to explore their understanding.
There are various resources out there to aid practice. Remember that in Lincolnshire, the tests taken are verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
There are lots of books and even structured courses out there to support home practice and plenty of advice.
Should I get a tutor?
Tutoring is fairly common locally and ranges from about £20 an hour to £45 per hour and can take place online or face to face. Some tutors or companies such as Kip McGrath offer summer boot camps the summer prior to taking the tests. This is not affordable for many so we run an 11+ club and supporting with resources to take home. This is for familiarisation with question types- not formal preparation.
11+ Club at Ingoldsby
At school, we recognise that tutoring is not an option for everybody who might like to consider grammar school, so we run an 11+ club after school for years 4 and 5 using our programme, Atom Learning.
We use a mix of video, teacher modelling and practice questions to help familiarise pupils with the question styles.
Expectations of children attending club:
- Homework must be completed both for 11+ club and for class- this includes spellings and times tables. Homework goes beyond just the task itself; it helps children take control of their workload and increase their time management skills. Homework is set with a deadline and taking ownership of this deadline helps them think independently and develop problem-solving skills
- Children should read for 30 minutes a day.
- Attendance should be consistent where possible.
What if my child has special educational needs?
If your child has special educational needs, they might be entitled to special arrangements when they sit the test. This could include extra time, a quiet room or papers in larger fonts.
Will it be too stressful for my child?
Taking the 11+ can be a really stressful time for both you and your child. Even if you try to stay low-key about the process, chances are they’ll pick up on anxieties of other classmates. It might seem like there’s a lot riding on the exam, but try to keep your sense of perspective – and do all you can to reassure them that they’re bound to enjoy, and do well at, whichever school they end up going to next year.