What is the 11+?

The 11+ is a test for admission into UK secondary schools taken by children in Year 6 (autumn or spring term), and usually includes an English (reading comprehension, creative writing), Maths, and Science component. Many schools use the ISEB Common Entrance exam papers, but some use their own modified papers too. This is common for students applying to independent boarding schools from outside of the UK, and students applying may do the assessments at the British Council or at a registered learning centre in Hong Kong (e.g. Brandon Learning Centre). The timings for non-CEs vary across schools, ranging from 40 minutes to 1 hour per exam and breaks in between.

What makes the 11+ so challenging?

The 11+ ultimately tests holistic analytical and critical thinking skills. While consolidating content is important, what sets students apart for 11+ examiners is whether and how students apply their knowledge creatively. Consolidating these crucial skills is not a straightforward task, especially since there is no standardised method. What this means for revision is that numerous 11+ past papers and exercises are not the only factors in a strong showing.

The right way to study for the 11+ is to focus on building skills through content, rather than simply training exam technique. Importantly, candidates can only genuinely develop these skills in an engaging and thought-provoking environment. This makes studying for the tests a challenge as students rarely know the best way to build these skills independently. To do well in the 11+, studying should be approached with a critical mindset, and this is often difficult without external guidance from an experienced mentor.

Understanding the 11+ English component

There are two components in the English 11+ exam: comprehension and writing. Students who sit the exam need to be prepared to complete a 20-30 minute comprehension exercise for 20-25 marks, as well as an independent creative writing response. At the 11+ level, it is very rare for discursive or descriptive writing to be set (i.e. an argumentative essay or a piece of writing that describes a limited focus in great detail). Instead, students should be able to independently produce a story with a clear structure usually from personal experience.

When revising for reading comprehension, students should focus on aspects of language such as word association, semantic awareness, spelling, and vocabulary. Then, try to consolidate their analysis of basic literary and structural devices, and practice producing answers that show an advanced level of critical thinking.

Understanding the 11+ Math and Science component

The 11+ Math component is usually one paper of an hour long, without calculators. Students are tested on mathematical knowledge up to Year 6, through a combination of multiple-choice, simple and multi-step calculation, graph questions, and more. This section tests mathematical fluency, which means a strong conceptual foundation is necessary. Students must also have a strong mathematical reasoning ability, and show this through their problem-solving skills.

The 11+ Science exam is similarly taken in a single 60-minute sitting, and covers questions on Biology, Chemistry and Physics up to Year 6 level. This means that a strong grasp on topics such as physical and chemical changes, forces, nutrition, and electricity is needed. Students are mainly assessed on their understanding and application of knowledge, as well as problem solving abilities. With both exams, candidates must be confident in deductive reasoning, making connections between different representations or concepts, interpreting questions, and expressing answers formally.

How does 11+ mentoring help?

Even the most capable learner struggles with studying independently for the 11+. Working with a BartyED 11+ mentor will make all the difference, because we coach structured, individualised programmes intended to maximise students’ performance for the exams, whether in the ones set by schools themselves or by the ISEB. BartyED 11+ mentors guide students with a smart studying approach, which hinges on our emphasis on individualised holistic support. The Assessment Feedback Report (AFR) is the first step in how BartyED helps students secure placements in UK boarding schools. Based on an initial assessment session, the BartyED AFR presents an overview of a student’s strengths and weaknesses as well as how our tutors take into account personal attributes to structure a teaching programme. After our assessment tests, we design customised revision materials to target the individual’s weaknesses along the lines of our tried and tested teaching and mentoring techniques. Above all, it is our results that speak for themselves. Through our carefully tailored teaching programmes, we have helped candidates gain admission to prestigious UK boarding schools including Wellington, Uppingham, Winchester, and Dulwich.

Find out more about our 11+ and Common Entrance admissions support on our website here, or reach out today at (852) 2882 1017 or enquiries@bartyed.com to find out more about our 11+ mentoring programmes.