11+ support thread 2026

[11plus2026]

Not sure if anyone is around yet but thought I’d open one.

Has anyone started any practice questions yet? Mine will be starting tutoring in September, she’s had an assessment to see where she’s at currently and now just enjoying the sunshine ☀️

Prepping for Quest but using GL material does sound worrying. did the tutor not bother to buy these papers from Exam paper plus?

https://exampapersplus.co.uk/browse/papers/eleven-plus/bexley-11-plus-exam-practice-test-1/

You might have already done this but you could view some free sample papers if you’re up for it.

you could also find more papers (with possibly different sample papers to download) here
under “Bexley: Full Practice Tests” section

https://exampapersplus.co.uk/advice/11-plus-year-6/bexley-grammar-schools-11-plus-11-exam-information/

Thank you for these. With a week to go I think too late for us now. We did do a Bexley style explore learning one and we are on atom
but no the tutor did not seem to note the change in exam provider from Gl to Quest

Sounds like you’re already doing plenty, and with a week to go it’s probably best to keep things calm and relaxed.

Like @Annithebell says others would also be finding it confusing so hopefully they’ll be more lenient this year.

Good luck to all x

Thank you @11plus2026 appreciate your reply

We are also in the deep end of prep here and some days things goes well and some days are a total write off. I am trying to fit in all between balancing 3 kids, holidays and a full time job. I have also come to realise that our tutor wasn't the best suited for our choice schools as her work was a general 11 plus work as opposed to the specific work required for our choices. I left it too late and just trying the best we can at the moment. We had the summer course and it was very underwhelming and we stopped doing the tuition work as it was too basic or didn't meet the exam format for our choices. I am sorry to see that many are in a similar position to us.

We have been averaging on 70% on mocks but nowhere near the level that the likes of Henrietta Barnett would expect so we arent expecting to pass - however im seeing it as good practice for the indies in November which is what we are really wanting.

Sorry to hear about those annoyed with their tutors - we havent gone down that route because there wasnt enough time but it really frustrates me that these tutors may be promising so much at such a high cost.

If you are working on the EPP those are really hard and a score of 70% might be more than enough to pass the stage 1. I know for QE boys the recommend a score of 75%. I agree that it's good practice for your indies and there are loads of time still if your exams are in November. I will start by tackling all the weak areas in September and leave October for practice papers. I won't do the practice papers until those areas have been covered fully. That's how I have worked with my son. Just a small suggestion. Oh yes our tutor didn't come cheap and I feel that it has been such a waste of money and time. I am so upset with her, I don't even want to speak with her. The time waste is the biggest issue for me as we could have covered so much ourselves but I really trusted her.

Still plodding along here with DD. Her weekly hour at tutoring carried on over the summer holidays although we had a week away with a total break from the work which was great. Outside the tutoring she did the seven familiarisation papers that GL provide free and got scores in maths (72% and 74%), English (69% and 81%) and VR (71%, 71% and 80%). Pass mark will be around 70% so results are positive but I'm not entirely confident she's consistent enough and doing three papers consecutively is going to be challenging. Running out of time in VR is a big issue too, and making silly mistakes in the maths and English. I only realised yesterday (and this is my third time!) that the number of questions in the real thing varies year on year, and that there are likely to be more questions than in the familiarisation! DD is pretty fed up with it all now and we just want to get on with it but it's not until 26th September. Keeping it ticking over with tutor homework and the odd ten minute test now. Back to school today as well. Good luck to everyone still hanging in there.

any QEB test parents on here? not much time left so focusing on GL papers now.

These familiarisation papers are very long though. They won’t get 80 questions in the actual paper and I found some of the questions in NVR ridiculously hard.

I'm not sure as DD does three papers...maths 50 minutes, English 45 minutes and VR 50 minutes. No NVR thankfully.

The info from the school states: "We cannot guarantee the number of questions on each paper but generally find there are more questions than are provided in the practice papers."

My son had 80 questions in verbal reasoning at SW herts yesterday so those Gl 80 questions were good practise to avoid questions fatigue!

Hi all - thought I'd join this thread at the last minute (didn't know it existed before but wish I did!). DS will be sitting the Birmingham GL exam on Saturday. Started prepping relatively late (May this year) but bless him he has worked really hard over the Summer. Has some good days some not so good. Trying not to put massive pressure on him. Aiming for Bishop Vesey in Sutton Coldfield. Have done 2 KSOL mocks (got 68% in the first one early Aug, and 73% in the second last week) and on average 65-80+% on the daily tests that KSOL provides.

Any one have any idea if these scores are adequate?

Any last minute advice would be most welcome! Thank you.

Also joing late. DS is doing the Sutton SET next week. He had a tutor for 1 hour per week for past year, but we’ve been away most 😬 of summer holidays and not done anything. Now concerned we should have spent summer practicing a bit! He did okay in the mocks (top 15%), so just hoping he does well on the day!

Hey! My son is also sitting the SET next week. He did okay in the last Sutton PTA mock B top 7% in boys and overall. We have spent summer working on comprehensions as that’s where most marks are lost for him. Also hoping he does okay next week! I gather we will be receiving the timing this week! Good luck to your son! Top 15/20% is a good position to be in for SET.

Top 7% in mock is fantastic. Which school are you hoping for? We are going for SGS as is closer/easier to get to - which I believe is the easiest of the 3.

Are you in catchment for SGS?. I actually like the area of SGS, we had a great time there when we went for the two mocks esp with the high street so close and the massive park. My kids loved it. We are out of catchment so it is either Wilson or Wallington for us. Our target school is actually QE and Wilson or Slough is a back up. QE and Wilson is the same distance for us but transport wise QE is easier as it's a door to door coach service. Slough is also a coach service which is 20 minutes door to door or 15 minutes in the car. We also have the bus and train option for Slough. My son doesn't like the Slough exam though as it has the NVR which is his weak area. Competition is fierce for both QE and Sutton so our only choice might only be Slough at the end.

Good luck to the local Bucks DC this week.
Fingers crossed that they do their best, particularly on Thursday

Only a couple of days for us until the big day. She seems pretty calm about it for now… just need to make sure she doesn’t catch a cold!

Good luck to your DD @11plus2026 and to all DC who are taking the exam in the coming days. Still more than two weeks for us and I think DD is as ready as she'll ever be so we just want it done. Annoyingly in previous years it's been a week earlier. At the start of June I was panicking it was coming around too fast and now time seems to be slowing down...

To you too. DD said the mock today was easy, but I know the mock is much easier than the real thing

@Sunnyhotday yes we are in post code catchment for the first 75 spots of SGS, so hoping that boosts our chances.
Wilsons would be a dream but trying to be realistic. Hopefully we’ll find out test details today or tomorrow….!

does anyone know any good sources for last minute practice papers? I got some from exampapersplus, and he did a couple but is barely dropping a mark so not sure they are stretching him enough, compared to the actual Mocks he did at schools where he got about 70% in both maths and English all 3 times.

How are you all coping this week? I think I’m more nervous than my dd is!

Wishing your DCs (and you!) good luck for the upcoming exams!

Hope the Bucks DC did themselves proud today.

How did everyone find today? (Joining v late!)
my DC was tearful and said there was a new question type in VR which was hard but I think it was ok-ish overall