Key Stage 3 Ages 11 - 14 years

A brief guide to the 11+

Pupils transfer to secondary schools at the age of 11. Some children will take the 11 plus exam.

The "11+" is a selective examination to determine which children can enter Grammar schools in Year 7. Up until the 1970's, every child in England and Wales had to sit the 11+ examination to determine which type of Secondary school they would go to once they had left their Primary School. Today only a few children will take the exam.

Grammar School places are offered to roughly only one quarter of the year group in areas where the process applies!

What does the 11+ test consist of?

1. Verbal Reasoning Test (50 minutes- an 80 item multiple choice test).
2. Non-verbal Reasoning Test (40 minutes - a 72 item multiple choice test).
3. Maths Test (60 minutes - 50 item test - multiple choice).

Pupils also complete a piece of writing under test conditions.

Can my child transfer to another school later on?

A pupil's assessment at the age of 11 is always open to reconsideration and a later transfer between schools can take place on educational grounds at the age of 12, 13 etc.

Key Stage 3 Sat tests and teacher assessments

The tests for Key Stage 3, which your child will take at the age of 14, cover:

• English (including reading, writing, and studying a Shakespeare play)
• Maths (including Mental Mathematics)
• Science

The tests are on set days in the beginning of May. All the tests added together last between seven and eight hours.

The teacher assessment for 14 year olds covers:

• English
• Maths
• Science
• History
• Geography
• Modern foreign language
• Design and technology
• Information and Communication Technology
• Art and design
• Music
• Physical education
• Citizenship
• Religious education

At the age of 14, most children are expected to achieve level 5.