Preparing for exams is always a stressful time. I daresay it's less the fear of failure that sends students in a panic than thoughts about the consequences of failure. The standard line goes something to the effect of "Your entire future hangs in the balance!".
Unlike the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) and other life-determining exams, pupils don't have to sit the 11+. This ordeal is only to gain entry into their chosen independent or grammar school. Their performance may gain them acceptance or fall a bit short of expectations. Either way, these learners will have access to secondary-level education.
So maybe these test takers don't feel as anxious about taking this test. Still, they need resources to prepare themselves and they need to know what to expect. For both needs, past papers fit the bill.
Because this exam isn't compulsory, standard study resource outlets like Bitesize and exam boards offer no preparation guides. The college you plan to enrol your child in should provide you with some revision materials. However, as you may very well know, it's better to have a larger catalogue to work through.
Superprof has put this list together to help you diversify your study resources. In this article, you'll discover:
- where to find 11+ practice papers
- how to get your share of 11+ past papers
- what chances you have of downloading 11 plus past paper free
- who you can turn to for more 11 plus exam papers
11 Plus Exam Papers
As you likely well know, this exam comprises four parts: English and Maths, plus verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Depending on how well your child does academically, they may revise for the first two components independently.
The other two present challenges of a different sort. The non-verbal reasoning segment is more rightly called visual thinking. It entails spotting patterns in simple images and proposing how the pattern continues. It's a test of logic and non-verbal thought.
We're all used to thinking about and expressing our ideas. Often, they don't present in a logical sequence. Even public speakers spend days and weeks going over scripts to ensure their smooth transition from one concept to the next.
This portion of the 11+ exam tests your child's potential for such sequential thinking. Over the roughly 20 minutes given to complete this paper, they will study various shapes to find the outlier. Another exercise calls for them to predict the next shape/pattern.
Such challenges abound in cyberspace. Even the high-IQ society, Mensa International, uses such tasks to test potential new members. You can find such exercises on logic puzzle pages and other brain-teaser websites. And, of course, on the Mensa test page.
But first, you have to know what to look for. To get an idea, Coordination Group Publishers gives you a preview. You likely know this company by its shortened name, CGP Books. They've been making exam preparation materials available for nearly 30 years.
You can download a selection of sample papers from their website. Keep in mind that these are not genuine 11+ past papers. As we mentioned in this article's introduction, this exam is voluntary. Students won't have access to official revision materials.
However, CGP does a good job of presenting what type of exercises this exam features. It even makes a distinction between Cambridge's Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) exam and GL Assessment, England's other main 11+ exam provider.
Both of these sites offer a limited selection of papers in each of the exam's components that you may download at no cost. They also sell revision books.
Before buying such manuals, you should know which exam your school will use. Though the purpose of the exams and the areas tested remain the same, the types of exercises are different. Your student should practise the types of exercises they will see on their exams to ensure success.
11+ Practice Papers
Students wonder what type of paper there could be for a verbal reasoning test. After all, isn't 'verbal' the same as 'oral'? To be sure, your child will submit to an oral interview as part of the college or grammar school's application process. However, in this case, 'verbal' refers to the use of English, not being verbal.
This portion of the exam tests candidates' reasoning skills. They challenge children to think about a given situation and explore their understanding of it. The second part of this paper tests students' ability to contextualise and recognise words.
The questions are a lot like word problems in maths but they're not maths-related. Remember that this exam has a maths component which features word problems. These verbal reasoning problems test your child's ability to problem-solve.
One sample question we found reads: "How would you feel about this situation?" You'll find no right answers to these types of questions because no two people would feel the same way.
The examiners want to know how well your child can put themselves into someone else's shoes. Such a question tests students' emotional range and their ability to verbalise their feelings.
Testing for empathy during a supposedly academic exercise might seem strange. However, we must remember that this exam tests your child, not just their memory or knowledge stores. Questions like these mean to test your child's mettle, not what they can recall.
Empathy is a quality essential to leadership. England's 163 remaining grammar schools all boast that they cultivate tomorrow's leaders. They must test whether your child has such potential.
As you and your child prepare for the 11+ exam, you too can pose hypothetical scenarios. Ask them how they'd handle such a situation. And then, ask them how they'd feel about it. That would be just as effective a practice as any question you'll find on 11+ practice papers.
Free 11 Plus Past Papers
To find 11 Plus past papers for free, you only need to type that phrase into your favourite web browser. It will return scores of sites featuring the 'free' keyword. Beware, though, that some are freer than others.
For instance, the two sites we mentioned above, CGP and GL Assessment make a clear distinction between their free and for-a-fee offerings. The free pages are truly free: you may open them, download them and print them without having to create an account.
Other sites insist on users having a login, even to access free content. Many others make one or two question papers available for a sign-up. But then, the site demands a subscription to unlock the answer sheets and other resources.
Exams being school-specific makes finding free revision resources even more challenging. Exam papers for Highgate School are different from The Manchester Grammar School's, as an example.
You're better off with general revision resources than none at all, obviously. However, getting your hands on school-specific resources is your holy grail.
For that quest, you'll do no better than Examberry Papers. This site organises all of their sample papers by school. Whether your child has applied to Kent College or the Latymer School, a quick 'control+F' and the school's name will take you to all of those resources this site has.
Their trove is extensive but by no means complete. Under many of the schools' headers, we found only English sample papers and none for the other exam components. This page distinguishes between grammar schools, independent schools in London and elsewhere in the country. However, they offer the same resource, English papers, across the board.
If you scroll down to the bottom of the Examberry page, you'll note that they highlight CGP and GL Assessment. It also lists the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE) exam-giver.
That suggests you can save yourself the trouble of scrambling around the internet searching for everything-included revision sources. Direct yourself to those pages for the most complete 11+ revision resources. That's one way to minimise your and your student's stress; an essential 11+ coping strategy.
As a final note, beware that CSSE only makes English and Maths practice sheets available. You'll still need to turn to the other two sites to find resources for all of the exam's challenges.
Where Else to Find 11+ Past Papers
We've covered the best outlets in this article. However, you have one more way to secure your share of papers. And one more vital resource to consider.
As you and your child revise for this exam's four facets, you may benefit from a few sessions with a private tutor. Across England, tutors stay busy helping students prepare for SATs, GCSEs and even Advanced-level exams. Their experience, both as a tutor and with the subject material, makes every private tutor an invaluable guide.
The best tutors typically keep a stash of revision materials, including past papers and sample exercises for non-standard exams like the 11+. This makes private tuition an invaluable resource. Not just for the focused attention but also for the expanded resources they present. As this exam contains specialised content, you should seek out a tutor who specialises in 11+ coaching.
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