Practice papers test what your child knows. They show what the real thing feels like and where the gaps are, but they don’t teach much on their own. They work best once the basics are quick and the question types are familiar, usually from the spring of Year 5.
Start with the free ones
- GL Assessment gives away familiarisation papers for verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, English and maths.
- Your area’s own booklet. Kent, Buckinghamshire and Northern Ireland publish their own, and the Essex grammar schools (CSSE) publish real past papers.
- The ISEB Pre-Test has a free online walkthrough of the on-screen test.
These show the real layout and answer sheet, so use them first.
Then buy one series made for your test
For GL-style tests, which most grammar school areas use:
- GL’s own practice papers. The closest to the real thing. Save them for the last few weeks.
- CGP 11+ GL Practice Papers. Clear, with explanations, and there are packs made for Kent and Buckinghamshire.
- Bond 11+ Test Papers. Pick the multiple-choice versions.
- Schofield & Sims Progress Papers. Good for building up step by step.
For Essex, use the CSSE past papers plus ordinary Year 5 and 6 maths and English, because the answers are written, not multiple choice. And skip papers labelled CEM unless your school says otherwise: CEM no longer sets grammar school tests.
Check the format before you buy
A multiple-choice test needs practice with the separate answer sheet. A written test needs practice writing answers out. Bond sells both versions of some subjects, and the covers look alike, so check before you buy.
How to use them
- Untimed first. Work through a question type slowly until the method makes sense.
- Then add the clock. Short timed sections first, then full papers.
- Mark together the same day.
- Keep a mistakes book, and try the wrong ones again a week later.
- Save the most realistic papers for the last six weeks.
What a mistakes book looks like
Keep it simple: one line per wrong answer.
| Date | Paper and question | Type | What went wrong | Try again on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 May | Paper 2, Q14 | Letter codes | Counted the letters, not the jumps | 10 May |
| 3 May | Paper 2, Q31 | Fractions | Didn’t know how | 10 May |
| 3 May | Paper 2, Q38 | Cube nets | Ran out of time | 10 May |
After three or four papers, look down the “type” column. Whatever shows up most is what to practise next.
How many is enough?
Ten to fifteen full papers in the last few months is plenty for most children. If the scores stop going up, another paper won’t fix it. The mistakes book will tell you what will.
Often it’s the basics. A child who loses a few seconds on times tables or word meanings in every question runs out of time on every paper. That needs quick daily practice, not more papers, and it’s exactly the gap Rush is built for.
Questions parents also ask
Can I get real 11+ past papers?
Mostly no. The Essex grammar schools publish some, and most other areas offer familiarisation papers instead.
Are the free papers enough on their own?
For some children, yes. Buy more if your child needs extra timed practice, and buy for the right test and format.
What score on a practice paper means a pass?
None. Real 11+ scores are adjusted for age and each area sets its own bar, so a percentage on a practice paper doesn’t convert. Watch the trend across papers instead.
