📚 SECTION 2: Types of Grammar Schools & What They Test

“Don’t just prepare — prepare smart.”

🧭 Why This Section Matters

Not all grammar schools are the same.
Some only take local kids. Others only take the best of the best.
Some test using one exam board. Others do their own thing entirely.

If you don’t know which test your child is sitting, you can waste months preparing for the wrong thing.
This section is here to help you focus your firepower.

🏫 Two Main Types of Grammar Schools

1️⃣ Local Grammar Schools (Catchment-Based)

These schools prioritise students who live nearby.

✅ Easier access if you’re in the right area
✅ Still competitive, but more achievable with a local advantage
🔍 Examples: Kent, Buckinghamshire, some Essex schools

2️⃣ Super-Selective Grammar Schools (Top Score Wins)

These schools don’t care where you live — they care about how high you score.

⚠️ Your child might need to be in the top 1–5% to get a place
🎯 Only the highest scorers across the region get offers
💪 These are the schools that expect excellence from Day 1

🔍 Examples:

  • Queen Elizabeth’s School (QE Boys), Barnet

  • The Tiffin Girls’ School, Kingston

  • Henrietta Barnett School, Hampstead

  • Wilson’s & Wallington Grammar, Sutton

🧪 What Exam Will Your Child Take?

Most grammar schools use one of two big exam boards. Some set their own.
Knowing which one applies to your target schools is non-negotiable.

🧠 Exam Board Breakdown

🟦 GL Assessment (Most Common)

🔍 Areas: Kent, Bucks, parts of London, Lincolnshire
📋 Subjects: English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning
✅ Mostly multiple choice
✅ Consistent format — easy to find past papers

🟧 CEM (Retired but Still Relevant in Some Areas)

🔍 Areas: Formerly Birmingham, Warwickshire, some London schools
📋 Subjects: Vocabulary, Comprehension, Maths, VR, NVR
⚠️ Format: Mixed — some written, some multiple choice
⚠️ Designed to be “tutor-proof” — unpredictable question styles
📌 Note: CEM has been retired, but some schools still follow its style — check school websites carefully.

🧾 Other Types of Tests

Some schools create their own unique formats. Here's what that might look like:

  • SET (Sutton) – Used for Stage 1 at Wilson’s, Wallington, etc.

  • Stage 2 Tests – Extra written exams (used by schools like Henrietta Barnett or Tiffin)

  • CSSE (Essex) – Written English + Maths — no multiple choice

  • Independent Schools – Custom exams, sometimes with interviews or pre-tests in Year 5

🎯 So What Should You Do?

Before you open a single practice paper, ask:

✅ What schools are we applying to?
✅ Which exam board or format do they use?
✅ Do they have one test or two stages?
✅ What subjects will my child need to prepare for?

📌 Pro tip: Check each school’s admissions page. Make a spreadsheet. It’ll save you weeks of confusion.

💬 The Common School Approach

We reverse-engineer the 11+ for you.

  • We map your child’s target schools

  • Diagnose their current level

  • Create a plan with the right material, right format, right intensity

Because it’s not just about working hard — it’s about working right.