If you're looking for free 11+ practice papers, you're in the right place. This guide covers where to find the best free resources for GL Assessment, CEM, and other 11+ formats — plus what actually works when preparing your child for grammar school entry.
What Is the 11+ Exam?
The 11+ (or eleven-plus) is a selective entrance exam taken by children in Year 5 or 6, typically aged 10–11. Grammar schools and some independent schools use it to assess academic ability before offering a place.
The two main 11+ formats in England are:
- GL Assessment — used by most grammar schools in Kent, Buckinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Wiltshire, and parts of the Midlands
- CEM (Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring) — used by schools in Birmingham, Coventry, Gloucestershire, and other areas
Both formats typically assess four subjects: Mathematics, English, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. The style and timing differs significantly between providers, so knowing which format your target school uses is the first thing to establish.
What to Look for in 11+ Practice Papers
Not all practice papers are equal. When choosing resources, prioritise these four things:
1. Exam board alignment
GL Assessment papers have a distinctive style — structured question formats, clear mark allocations, predictable timing. CEM papers are deliberately harder to predict and often blend subjects together. Make sure the papers your child practises with match what they'll actually sit. Ask the target school directly which format they use — most are happy to confirm.
2. Auto-marking or detailed mark schemes
Practice without feedback is almost useless. If your child doesn't understand why an answer was wrong, they'll make the same mistake again. Look for resources that explain incorrect answers, not just show the correct one. This is the single biggest limitation of PDF practice papers — they require a parent to sit and mark, which creates friction and often means the review step gets skipped.
3. Realistic timing
The 11+ is a timed exam and time pressure is one of the main causes of underperformance — even for children who know the material. Any practice paper should be done under timed conditions from the start, not when your child "feels ready." Starting untimed creates a false sense of security.
4. Progress tracking across multiple papers
One paper tells you very little. A child might get 62% because they had a bad day, or because they genuinely struggle with fractions, or because they ran out of time. Tracking scores across 10–20 papers reveals the real pattern — which topics are consistently weak, and whether scores are improving over time.
Where to Find Free 11+ Practice Papers
1. ExamVerge — Recommended
ExamVerge is a purpose-built platform for 11+ preparation. Free accounts include:
- Timed practice papers — auto-submitted when time runs out, just like the real exam
- Instant marking — results appear immediately after submission
- Explanations for wrong answers — not just the correct answer, but why
- Parent dashboard — see your child's scores, weak topics, and activity without sitting next to them
- Predicted grade — estimates which grammar schools your child is currently on track for, based on recent papers
Papers cover Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning across GL, CEM, and other formats.
Cost: Free to start, no credit card. Premium (£9.99/month) unlocks all papers and features.
2. CGP Books — Free Samples
CGP publishes the most widely used 11+ preparation books in the UK. Their website offers free sample papers from several of their ranges. Quality is high and they're closely aligned with GL Assessment format. The main limitation is that you'll need to mark these yourself using the answer booklet, with no explanations for wrong answers.
3. Bond 11+ Online
Bond (published by Oxford University Press) is the other major 11+ preparation publisher. They offer some free online tests alongside their paid subscription. Their free tier is limited, but the paper quality is strong and their materials are specifically designed for selective school preparation.
4. Individual School Specimen Papers
Many grammar schools publish past papers or specimen papers on their websites — these are invaluable because they show the exact format your child will face. Search for "[school name] 11+ specimen paper" or "[school name] sample entrance exam." The limitation is that each school only provides their own format, so you'll need to find papers from multiple schools if applying to several.
How Many Practice Papers Does My Child Need?
Research on exam preparation consistently shows that quality of practice matters more than quantity. Three papers done properly — with time pressure, review of all wrong answers, and identification of patterns — are worth more than ten papers done casually.
| Timeline to exam | Papers per week | Total papers |
|---|---|---|
| 6 months | 2–3 | 50–70 |
| 3 months | 3–4 | 40–50 |
| 6 weeks | 4–5 | 25–30 |
The most important factor is consistency. A child who does 2 papers every week for 6 months will almost always outperform one who does 8 papers in the final 3 weeks. Regular practice builds speed, reduces anxiety, and creates the habit of working under time pressure.
The 5 Most Common 11+ Preparation Mistakes
1. Waiting until Year 6 to start
Most children who perform strongly in 11+ began preparation in Year 4 or early Year 5. Starting in Year 6 — particularly after Christmas — leaves very little time to address weak areas that take weeks or months to improve.
2. Focusing only on familiar subjects
Parents often let children practice in subjects where they already do well because it's more enjoyable and less frustrating. But the score that matters is your weakest subject — that's what holds candidates back. If your child is brilliant at Maths but struggles with Verbal Reasoning, every extra hour on Maths is almost wasted.
3. Not reviewing wrong answers
This is the single most common mistake, and the most damaging. A child who gets 18/25 and moves straight to the next paper learns very little. A child who spends 20 minutes understanding why they got 7 wrong will improve significantly over the following weeks. Always review every wrong answer before moving on.
4. Practising without time pressure
Eleven-plus papers are short on time by design — the time pressure is part of the assessment. If your child does every practice paper without a timer, they'll be completely unprepared for the real exam. Start timed practice from the first paper, even if early scores are low as a result.
5. Using resources misaligned with the actual exam format
A child preparing for a CEM exam using only GL-format papers is essentially practising a different exam. The question styles, timing structure, and subject blending are different enough that it matters. Always confirm the format and use aligned resources.
How to Use Practice Papers Effectively
Here's the approach used by students who show the biggest improvement over time:
Before the paper
- Set up in a quiet room with no distractions — phone away, TV off
- Set the correct time limit for the paper
- No help during the paper — treat it exactly like the real exam
- Have a pencil, eraser, and ruler ready (as in the actual exam)
During the paper
- If stuck on a question, move on and come back — never waste 3 minutes on one question
- Keep an eye on the remaining time and pace accordingly
- Answer every question even if unsure — there's usually no penalty for wrong answers
After the paper
- Review every wrong answer immediately, not the next day
- For each wrong answer, identify: Did I not know this? Did I rush? Did I misread the question?
- Note the topic (e.g. "fractions", "synonyms", "spatial reasoning") — look for patterns across multiple papers
- If 3+ wrong answers in one session come from the same topic, that topic needs targeted revision before the next paper
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 11+ exam the same across all areas?
No. The format, subjects tested, and difficulty vary significantly by local authority and school. Always confirm the specific format with the target school before choosing preparation materials.
What score is needed to pass the 11+?
Passing scores vary by school and year — most grammar schools don't publish exact cut-off scores because they vary with each cohort. As a general guide, scores above 80% on practice papers typically indicate a strong chance of passing selective entry. 70–80% is borderline depending on the school's selectivity.
Should my child have a private tutor?
Tutors are valuable for explaining concepts a child doesn't understand and for accountability. However, most of the improvement comes from consistent independent practice. One tutor session per week combined with 2–3 independent practice sessions is more effective than 3 tutor sessions and no independent practice. A platform like ExamVerge can handle the independent practice, leaving tutor time for targeted teaching.
When should my child start 11+ preparation?
Most educational advisors recommend starting structured preparation in Year 4 (age 8–9) for September Year 6 exams. This allows time to identify and address weak areas without the pressure of a short timeline. Starting in Year 5 is still manageable with consistent effort. Starting after Christmas in Year 6 is very late for most grammar schools.
How do I know which grammar schools my child can realistically target?
ExamVerge's predicted grade engine estimates which school tiers your child is currently on track for, based on their average scores across recent practice papers. This updates automatically as they complete more papers, giving you a data-driven view of their progress rather than guesswork.
Summary
The best 11+ preparation combines realistic exam conditions, instant marking, and meaningful feedback on wrong answers. Printing PDFs and marking by hand can work, but it creates friction that often means children practice less and review even less.
Whatever resources you use, the principles remain the same: start early, practice consistently, review every wrong answer, and focus effort on weak subjects.
ExamVerge is free to start and covers everything in this guide automatically — timed papers, instant marking, explanations, a parent dashboard, and predicted grades. Create a free account here — no credit card needed.
Good luck to your child 🎓