Why is the 11+ the most challenging exam?

Florianne Humphrey

Tutor and Author, Birchwood Tutors

As a private tutor who teaches different age groups, from early primary to University admissions, I truly believe one of the most challenging exams is the 11+. I’ve stood on both sides of the 11+ process - as a tutor supporting students, but also as a student who was tutored and accepted into an all-girls grammar in North London. Although the 11+ preparation and the exams themselves were stressful at the time, I’m grateful for the opportunity to do them. Now as a tutor, I can pass down my first-hand knowledge and experience to the next generation, and hopefully help them get into their secondary school of choice.

...but why is the 11+ particularly difficult?

Unlike other compulsory exams, students and their parents must often navigate the optional 11+ without direction from their current school. This can leave them scrabbling around in the dark, looking for a helping hand to guide them. When should my child start preparing for the 11+? How often should they study? What’s the best way to prepare? How are the papers and the exam structured? These are common questions that parents ask me in lieu of teacher support. 

To put minds at ease I answer any practical questions about the 11+ when I first meet the parent and student...

Understanding the 11+ process can immediately boost a student’s confidence, and give them a stable foundation for the preparation ahead. 

There are also key questions I need to ask to best support the student – most importantly, what schools they’re applying for. Understanding each school’s 11+ approach is almost as difficult as the exams themselves. While GCSE and A-Level papers are set by exam boards, the format of the 11+ is decided by individual schools. Some use papers from external companies, others write their own. 

When I did the 11+ as a student, one school split the exam into two different stages...

Starting with Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning, if I passed these papers I could move onto English and Verbal Reasoning. The answers here were long form, while another school was multiple choice, with all the papers completed in one day, and an average mark taken. Confused? I certainly was, until my tutor, with her experience of individual schools’ admission tests, stepped in to clarify everything.

This variation in the 11+ papers means lessons should focus on exam technique almost as much as content. If a child is taking their 11+, they’re clearly academically capable. They’re often among the top pupils in their class, achieving high grades in their homework, their SATs, and internal tests. Yet, they often lack exam technique, such as planning their answers, understanding the mark scheme, covering the key points in the question and, the biggest challenge, finishing the paper on time. 

Lack of exam technique can erode confidence and increase stress.

Students who are consistently succeeding at school can find themselves falling short in 11+ practice, which can be frustrating for both them and their families. Exposure to different past papers can help sharpen exam technique – the more, the better.

The 11+ can also be the most emotionally challenging exam. I remember bursting into stress-fuelled tears a few times during my 11+ preparation, and I’ve had to comfort many of my own students.

 These high emotions are inevitable. The 11+ is often the first major exam in a child’s life with a seemingly huge impact on their future. While it’s of course possible to not gain a GCSE or A-Level, the grading system means the majority of students succeed, and there are always resit options. With the 11+, secondary schools can only offer places to a certain number of students. So, like a driving test, the exam is a more brutal pass-or-fail format. Whether or not this is a fair system, students have one opportunity to get into their chosen secondary school. 

This immense pressure to succeed, and to make both themselves and their families’ proud, is often the greatest source of stress.

... but how can small children manage these big feelings?

As with any exam, studying should go hand-in-hand with wellbeing. The night before my 11+, while my peers were cramming in last-minute practice papers, my parents encouraged me to take part in a netball match to help me unwind. We won the match, and I passed my exam the next day. I’m not saying the key to 11+ success is netball – but it’s certainly good for a student’s motivation to find time for the hobbies and activities they love.

Aside from vital downtime, simple pep talks can also lessen pressure and increase confidence. For example, reminding the student that, while it’s important to work hard, the world won’t end if they don’t pass the 11+. They need to go to a secondary school that is best suited to their abilities, their ways of thinking, and their preferred learning method. The 11+ assesses that suitability – it’s not a reflection of their capability, their intelligence, or their potential - which means they’re more likely to thrive at a different school. 

Most importantly, no one knows how the student will perform on the day of the exam. External factors exist outside of their, their family, and their tutor’s control. The student might feel tired, or ill, or stressed; they might have a brain blank from the pressure of the exam set-up. Kids are humans, not robots. Remembering this from the get-go of 11+ preparation will better set them up for success.

The 11+ might be challenging for a student, but it can also be fulfilling...

regardless of whether they pass the admissions test. The 11+ is a great opportunity for them to learn new skills and expand their knowledge of core subjects that will give them a head start at secondary school. Practicing revision techniques and doing exams this early on is also helpful for GCSEs and A-Levels. Most of all, students should be proud of achieving something impressive – not necessarily passing the 11+, but being brave enough to take on the challenge.

Warm regards,

Florianne

Tutor and Author