11 Plus Subjects Explained – An At a Glance Guide for Parents

Are you considering grammar school for your child’s secondary school? I understand that preparing your children for entrance exams can be overwhelming and it is hard to know where to even begin.

Today we’ll take a look at the main 11 plus subjects so that you can prepare for the entrance exams and make sure all key topics are covered.

In this post, I share an ‘at-a-glance’ overview of the core 11 plus subjects along with a taste of the main topics within each subject. 

If you are not too sure what the 11 plus is or if it is relevant to you, please take a look at last week’s article, What is the 11 Plus Exam? Parents’ Top Questions Answered

A series of in-depth guides and resources for every 11 plus subject is in the pipeline and will be published in the coming weeks and months.

What are the Main 11 Plus Subjects?

As mentioned in last week’s post, 11 plus exams can contain and or all of the following subjects:

• Maths
• English
• Verbal Reasoning 
• Non-Verbal Reasoning

Most children are likely to be unfamiliar with verbal and non-verbal reasoning because these 11 plus subjects aren’t part of the primary curriculum. This is one of the reasons why parents hire tutors to help their children prepare for the 11 plus exams. However, private primary schools and some state schools, especially those in areas with a high concentration of grammar schools, do teach these subjects in upper key stage 2 (years 5 and 6). 

Are the 11 Plus Subjects the Same for All Grammar School Exams?

No. Individual schools are free to choose their own entry procedures, so it is crucial that you check!

There are two main exam boards – GL and CEM. The content and format of their exams are quite different to each other. In addition to grammar schools being able to choose between exam boards, they also have the option to write their own exams.

Some schools require children to sit exams in all of the 11 plus exam subjects. Others select two or three subjects.

How Much do Children Need to Know? Is School Alone Enough Preparation?

The purpose of the 11 plus exams is for grammar schools to be able to select the most academically able pupils. Because of this, the exams are designed to be challenging and most children will need some additional support outside of school to be successful.

It is important to know that the 11 plus exams tend to contain maths and English topics from the national curriculum up to the end of year 6. But because most 11 plus exams take place early in year 6, exams may contain topics that children haven’t been taught yet. Additionally, as mentioned earlier, many children will be completely unfamiliar with verbal and non-verbal reasoning.

Unless your child is completely secure in all the Maths and English topics in the primary curriculum and has plenty of experience with the reasoning subjects, what they learn in primary school alone will not be enough to prepare them for 11 plus exams. 

The amount of preparation each child needs will depend on them as an individual and how strong they are in different subjects and topics.

Some families begin preparing years before the test. In my experience and opinion, beginning 11 plus preparation work before children are in year 4 is unnecessary. If they need that much additional input to pass the tests, then they may struggle in such an academically challenging environment. I also think it is completely unnecessary to go beyond year 6 topics in most cases.

At a Glance 11 Plus Subject Overview

Here’s an overview of the 11 plus subjects along with some examples of topics for each subject. 

Once again, bear in mind that the exact topics covered in 11 plus exams vary between exam boards and schools. 

English

11 plus English exams have questions about skills and knowledge from the national curriculum up to the end of year 6.

Strong reading skills and a broad vocabulary are essential for success in the English exams. Reading comprehension extracts are often taken from classics and contain challenging language which can be ‘old-fashioned’ and difficult to understand, especially if they are unfamiliar with these types of books. Encourage regular independent reading from a wide range of authors and genres. Reading challenging books together can be very beneficial.

11 plus English exams include questions related to:

• Comprehension
• Punctuation
• Spelling
• Grammar
• Creative writing (if applicable)

Non-Verbal Reasoning

Finally, non-verbal reasoning is the 11 plus subject which is usually the most unfamiliar to children. Non-verbal reasoning involves understanding and processing patterns and shapes. 

To do well, children need good visualisation and problem-solving skills. Although non-verbal reasoning isn’t taught in school, a logical approach and practice give children the confidence to do well in the exams.

In the test, children may need to:

• Spot similarities and differences
• Identify and continue a pattern in a series of images
• Solve various pictorial codes
• Mentally visualise and manipulate 3D shapes in various ways

Enjoying this topic? Here are some related posts:

• How to Choose the Rights Secondary School – Essential Tips
• Comprehensive Schools vs Grammar Schools – What’s the Difference?
• What is the 11 Plus? Parents Top Questions Answered
• An Introduction to 11 Plus Verbal Reasoning for Parents

Reminders and Next Steps

I hope you have found this guide helpful and that you feel confident enough to get started.

Getting your child ready for 11 plus exams is a lot to take on, but many families manage to prepare their children brilliantly. If for any reason you don’t want to go down the DIY 11 plus preparation route, I can help. Visit my tuition page to find out more or book a free consultation for one to one lessons.

Whichever route you choose to take, the first vital step is to confirm the following with each school that you are interested in:

• What date is the exam and where is it held?
• Which 11 plus subjects are included in the exams?
• Which exam board provides the exam or does the school set their own?
• What format are the exams – multiple-choice, short answer, a combination?
• Is there a creative writing element?

If you are applying to a ‘super-selective’ grammar school, you should also find out if there is more than one round of exams and if children are required to attend an interview. 

Next week, I am excited to be kicking off a series of articles focused on verbal reasoning. Along with these articles, I’m busy creating resources to help you support your child learn verbal reasoning at home.

Update: read the first verbal reasoning post here: An Introduction to 11 Plus Verbal Reasoning for Parents