11+ Resources for the CEM and GL Assessments
Parents who are considering sending their child to a grammar school will first need to work out what exam board their child will be taking for the 11 plus. There are two main exam boards for the 11+: GL (Granada Learning) and CEM (Cambridge Assessment Centre for Evaluating and Monitoring). Although the exam boards are broadly similar for GL and CEM assessments, some critical differences will affect how your child prepares for the 11+ exam.
Firstly, it’s important to remember that different regions use various exam boards. For example, Dorset, Lincolnshire and Wiltshire tend to use GL for the 11+, whereas Bexley, Birmingham and Gloucestershire often use CEM. Some grammar schools even set their papers, which are a blend of CEM and GL style assessment questions.
Parents should contact the school to confirm which exam board will administer the 11plus exam for their child and then use past papers to familiarise them with the test. Below we have compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions about the CEM and GL exam boards so that parents can feel more confident about preparing their child for the eleven plus
What subjects do the CEM and GL assessments cover?
Both CEM and GL cover maths, non-verbal reasoning and verbal reasoning. The main difference between the exam boards is that GL has a separate English paper, whereas CEM combines English skills and English-related questions into the verbal reasoning paper. CEM also sometimes calls the maths paper numerical reasoning, but it covers the same skills tested in a GL maths exam.
What format do the CEM and GL assessment papers take?
CEM and GL differ in both exam format but also answer sheets. So it’s important to familiarise your child with past papers to be comfortable with the structure particular to their paper.
The first difference is that GL segments exams by subject (English, maths, non-verbal reasoning and verbal reasoning). In contrast, CEM exams consist of just two papers: one that tests maths and non-verbal reasoning and the other testing verbal reasoning (with English questions combined).
As CEM combines verbal reasoning with English style questions, there tend to be more ‘pure’ verbal reasoning questions in the GL exams. So it is perhaps worth revising verbal reasoning more thoroughly if taking a GL paper.
Both CEM and GL tend to consist of multiple-choice and standard answer questions. For CEM, answers are usually written in a separate exam booklet. In contrast, for GL, students either answer in a separate exam booklet or a blank space on the exam paper, and so students must read the instructions very carefully to ensure they write in the correct place.
How long are the CEM and GL exams?
Although it can vary from year to year, the GL exam tends to last 45 minutes, with students answering around 40 questions.
CEM, unfortunately, is much more unpredictable. The exact format varies from year to year quite significantly, and CEM is particularly careful not to publish too many past papers online to make the test fairer for all pupils. However, schools sometimes release information about the format in advance, so it’s well worth parents contacting them to see if they can give some more guidance.
As the number of sections in the CEM exam varies, it is also important that students read the time recommendations in the instructions carefully so that they spend adequate time on each part of the test. The CEM exam is much more time-pressured; for example, one past paper CEM test only gave pupils 15 minutes to answer 25 maths questions and 15 minutes to answer 60 verbal reasoning questions. As a result, on average, far fewer students manage to finish the test than they do for the GL paper.
Where do CEM and GL assessments get their questions from?
GL take their questions from a pre-written question bank of over 18’000 questions. Although these are updated regularly, there has not been much change in the types of questions asked. Therefore, practice is vital in helping students prepare for the exam; the more questions they have answered before, the more familiar they will be with the format.
CEM makes up the questions year-on-year depending on the exam’s content, so it’s harder for students to predict what they will be asked. However, CEM’s questions do tend to align very closely with the KS2 curriculum, and so parents should ensure that their child has mastered the key skills in English and maths first.
Where can I find free practice papers for the CEM and GL assessments?
Below we have created a list of links to 11 plus exam free practice papers, but you can also learn more about the top ten sites for free 11+ resources. Soon, we will be posting 11 plus mock test so stay tuned!
Free GL assessment English papers:
English 1 | English 1 Answer Sheet | English 2 | English 2 Answer Sheet | English Parent Guide
Free GL assessment maths papers:
Free GL assessment verbal reasoning papers:
Free GL assessment non-verbal reasoning papers:
Free GL assessment general practice papers:
Free CEM assessment maths papers:
Free CEM assessment English and verbal reasoning papers:
Free CEM assessment non-verbal reasoning papers:
Free CEM assessment general papers:
What are the registration dates for this year’s 11+ exam?
| Consortium | Deadline |
|---|---|
Berkshire | 1st July 2021 (Midnight) |
Bexley | 2nd July 2021 |
Birmingham | 30th June 2021 (4 pm) |
Bucks (TBGS) | 24th June 2021 (3 pm) |
Dorset | 10th September 2021 (12 pm) |
Essex (CSSE) | 2nd July 2021 (4.30 pm) |
Kent | 1st July 2021 (Midnight) |
Lincolnshire | 13th August 2021 |
Medway | 29th June 2021 (5 pm) |
Redbridge | 23rd June 2021 (5 pm) |
Shropshire, Walsall & Wolverhampton | 8th July 2021 (4 pm) |
Slough | 13th June 2021 (Midnight) |
South West Herts | 18th June 2021 |
Trafford | 26th June (12 pm) |
Warwickshire | 30th June 2021 |
About the author:
Kristina is an Oxford English graduate and qualified English teacher. She trained through the Teach First programme before working at one of the top independent schools in London. She is now a private tutor and freelance writer.
Free Maths Worksheets for Years 1 - 6
Download and print our teacher-approved study packs, for free!
