11 Plus Practice Tests: The Complete Parent Guide
How many practice tests to do, when to start, how to get the most from every session, and a year-by-year schedule that really works.
2–3×
practice tests per week recommended
Year 4
ideal age to begin topic practice
80%+
target score under timed conditions
6–12
months of structured preparation
What Are 11 Plus Practice Tests?
11 plus practice tests are exam-style questions used to prepare children for the 11+ grammar school entrance exam. They cover the same subjects and question formats as the real test — Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning — and are completed under timed or untimed conditions depending on the stage of preparation.
Practice tests differ from mock exams in an important way: a practice test targets a specific subject or topic and is used to build skills and identify gaps. A mock exam simulates the full 11+ experience — all subjects, strict timing, exam conditions — and is used to measure overall readiness. Both have a role in a well-structured preparation plan.
Online practice tests, such as those on Prep4All, add instant auto-marking and detailed worked solutions — making it possible to learn from mistakes immediately rather than waiting for a parent to mark a printed paper.
Why Practice Tests Are Essential for 11+ Preparation
The 11+ exam tests knowledge and speed under pressure. Both elements require practice to develop — and practice tests are the most direct way to build them.
Familiarity with question types
Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning are not part of the school curriculum. Children who have not seen these question types before will lose time on exam day simply working out what is being asked. Regular practice builds familiarity so the format feels natural.
Speed and time management
The 11+ exam is fast-paced. Most papers allow roughly 60–75 seconds per question. Children who have not practised under timed conditions often run out of time, even when they know the answers. Gradual exposure to timed conditions through practice tests builds the pace needed on exam day.
Targeted improvement
Practice tests reveal specific weaknesses — whether that is fractions in Maths, comprehension in English, or code-breaking in Verbal Reasoning. Knowing exactly where a child is losing marks allows preparation to be focused where it matters most.
Exam confidence
Children who have completed many practice tests under conditions similar to the real exam are significantly less anxious on exam day. Confidence comes from having done it before. Familiarity with the format, the timing, and the types of questions reduces exam-day stress.
Learning from mistakes
Every wrong answer is a learning opportunity — but only if the child understands why it was wrong. Online tests with detailed worked solutions make this easy. Going through explanations after each test and reattempting similar questions the next day accelerates improvement faster than simply doing more tests.
Measurable progress
Regular practice tests produce score data over time. Tracking scores across weeks and months confirms whether preparation is working and helps parents adjust the approach. A child scoring 55% in September and 80% in May has clear evidence of readiness — a reassurance that is difficult to get any other way.
View Parent Dashboard →Year-by-Year Practice Test Schedule
The amount and type of practice that is appropriate depends on your child's year group. Here is a practical guide for each stage.
Learn the four 11+ subject areas and what each involves
Introduce Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning question types gently
Build reading habits — daily reading of at least 20 minutes
Keep sessions short (20–30 minutes) and enjoyable
Move from untimed to timed topic practice across all four subjects
Use diagnostic tests to identify weak areas and target them
Begin reviewing mistakes systematically using worked solutions
Aim for 4–5 hours of structured practice per week total
Transition to full-length timed practice papers and mock exams
Refine exam technique — time management, skipping hard questions, checking answers
Do not introduce new topics — focus on consolidating and building confidence
Use short targeted topic tests to patch remaining weak areas
How to Get the Most from Every Practice Test
Completing practice tests is only half the work. How you use the results is what drives real improvement.
Before the test: set the right conditions
Sit the test at a desk, away from distractions, with a timer running. Early in preparation, allow extra time so the child can think carefully. As the exam approaches, switch to exam-standard timing. Keep the environment calm — the goal is learning, not pressure.
During the test: encourage skipping difficult questions
Teach your child to skip a question they cannot answer quickly and return to it at the end. Spending 3 minutes on one hard question while missing 3 easy ones later is a common exam mistake. Regular practice in skipping and returning builds this discipline.
After the test: go through every wrong answer
Read the worked solution for every incorrect answer together. Ask: was this a knowledge gap, a careless error, or a timing issue? Each has a different remedy. A knowledge gap needs targeted revision. A careless error needs a checking habit. A timing issue needs more timed practice.
The next day: attempt similar questions
Revisiting the topic or question type the day after a test — before it fades from memory — reinforces the lesson. This is more effective than moving straight to a different subject. A short 10-minute follow-up session builds the connection between mistake and correction.
Weekly: track progress and adjust the plan
Keep a simple record of scores by subject and by week. If Verbal Reasoning has been stuck at 60% for three weeks despite extra practice, the approach needs to change — more examples of that specific question type, or a different explanation method. If English is now consistently at 85%, reduce the time spent on it and redirect to weaker subjects.
View Performance Dashboard →GL Assessment vs CEM: How Practice Tests Differ
The two main 11+ exam boards — GL Assessment and CEM — use different formats. Understanding which format applies to your target grammar school shapes which practice tests to prioritise.
GL Assessment
Four separate papers — one per subject
Mostly multiple-choice answers
Each paper is 45–60 minutes long
Subjects tested: English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning
Regions: Kent, Birmingham, Buckinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and others
Prepare with: subject-specific timed papers, topic drills
CEM (Durham University)
Two mixed papers — subjects combined in each paper
Multiple-choice and standard written answers
Fast pace — approximately 50 seconds per question
Subjects: English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning — topics mixed within papers
Regions: Durham, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, and others
Prepare with: mixed-subject papers, vocabulary building, reading speed
Online Practice Tests vs PDF Papers: Which Is Better?
Both formats are useful at different stages. Here is how they compare.
| Feature | Online Tests | PDF / Paper Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Marking | Instant, automatic | Manual — parent time required |
| Worked solutions | Every question explained | Answer booklet only (no method) |
| Progress tracking | Automatic score history and trends | Manual record-keeping |
| Exam format | Screen-based (most schools now digital) | Paper-based (close to older formats) |
| Availability | Unlimited access 24/7 | Limited to purchased packs |
| Cost | Low monthly subscription or free | £5–15 per paper book |
| Handwriting practice | Not applicable | Good for written answer formats |
Recommendation: Use online practice tests as your primary preparation tool for their instant feedback and progress tracking. Use PDF papers for occasional full-length paper simulations in the final 2–3 months, particularly if your child's target school uses a paper-based format.
Start Free 11 Plus Practice Tests
1,000+ exam-style questions covering all four 11+ subjects. Instant marking, detailed worked solutions, and no registration required to get started.
Try Practice Tests FreeFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions from parents about 11 plus practice tests.
Most education specialists recommend 2–3 practice tests per week for children in active preparation (typically Year 5 and Year 6). Consistency is more important than volume. Doing two tests a week and reviewing every wrong answer carefully will produce better results than rushing through ten tests without reflection. In the final 4–6 weeks before the exam, increase to 4–5 sessions per week with a mix of topic tests and full-length papers.
Children can begin gentle, topic-based practice from Year 4 (ages 8–9). At this stage the focus should be on familiarity — learning the question types and building subject knowledge — rather than timed performance. Structured timed practice is best introduced in Year 5 (ages 9–10), with full mock exam conditions in the final term before the exam in Year 6.
Both have a role. Online practice tests offer instant auto-marking, detailed worked solutions, and performance tracking — advantages that printed papers cannot provide. They are ideal for daily topic practice and identifying weak areas. PDF papers are useful for handwriting practice and for simulating the physical paper-in-hand exam experience. Most families benefit from using both: online tests for regular revision and printed papers for timed full-length simulations.
A practice test focuses on a specific subject or topic (for example, 11+ Maths or Verbal Reasoning) and is used to build skills and revise weak areas. A mock exam simulates the full 11+ experience — all subjects, strict timing, and exam conditions — and is used to build stamina and measure overall readiness. Children benefit from regular practice tests throughout preparation and mock exams in the final 2–3 months.
Good online platforms provide tests in both formats. GL Assessment tests each of the four 11+ subjects (English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning) as separate papers with multiple-choice answers. CEM exams combine subjects into mixed papers with a faster pace. If you know which exam board your target grammar school uses, prioritise that format. If you are unsure, practise both — the underlying knowledge is the same even though the format differs.
Reviewing results carefully is where the real learning happens. For each wrong answer: read the worked solution together, identify whether the error was a knowledge gap, a careless mistake, or a time pressure issue, and then attempt a similar question the next day to confirm the lesson has been absorbed. Keep a simple log of recurring errors — patterns often point to a specific topic that needs extra attention. Avoid focusing only on the total score; the diagnostic detail is more valuable.
Children are generally exam-ready when they consistently score above 80% on timed practice papers across all four subjects, can complete papers within the time limits without rushing, and have a settled approach to questions they find difficult (skipping and returning, for example). Significant improvement in accuracy under timed conditions — compared to untimed results from 6 months earlier — is a reliable indicator of genuine progress.
There is no universal pass mark for practice tests — performance targets depend on your child's target school and the exam board used. As a general guide, consistently scoring 75–80% or above on timed, exam-standard papers across all four subjects suggests solid preparation. For highly selective schools (such as those in Kent, Bucks or London), children often need to perform in the top 10–15% of test takers, which typically requires scores of 85%+ on well-calibrated papers.