11+ test areas in England

How do I know which 11+ area I am in?

Your 11+ area is set by the schools you want to apply to, not by your postcode. A family can sit more than one test if they are looking at schools in different areas. Three steps help:

1. List the grammar schools you could realistically travel to. Our grammar schools by county and grammar schools near me pages help with this.
2. Find each school's test. Our which test does each school use tool shows it school by school.
3. Open the area guide below for the test, dates and admission rules.

Whatever the test, you still apply for a state secondary place in one way: you apply through your own local council, even for schools in another council areaSource for Who you apply throughWho you apply throughCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against GOV.UK.The source says: You apply through your local council even if you’re applying for schools in another council area or you’ve just moved to England.View the official source.

London

South East

East of England and East Midlands

South West

West Midlands

The West Midlands Grammar Schools group runs one shared test for its member schools in Birmingham, Telford and Wrekin, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Warwickshire. Each area's own guide explains its scores and schools.

North of England

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland does not have an 11+ in the English sense. Children in P7 can sit the SEAG transfer test, and each school decides how to use the result. See the Northern Ireland transfer test, Northern Ireland transfer test dates and grammar schools in Northern Ireland.

Can I apply to a grammar school outside my area?

Yes, in most cases. The law says children must not be treated less favourably simply because they live outside the council area where the school is (the "Greenwich judgment")Source for Fair treatment for children from other areasFair treatment for children from other areasCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Department for Education (GOV.UK).The source says: held that pupils should not be discriminated against in relation to ... admission to the school simply because they reside outside the local authority area in which the ... school is situated.View the official source. But living further away can still matter, because many schools give priority by distance or catchment. By law, catchments must be reasonable and clearly defined; living outside one does not stop you applyingSource for Rules for catchment areasRules for catchment areasCloseChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Department for Education (GOV.UK).The source says: Catchment areas do not prevent parents who live outside the catchment of a particular school from expressing a preference for the school.View the official source. Some areas also run separate test sessions for children at schools outside the area. Our guide to out-of-area applications explains what to check.

What does each area page tell me?

• The area guide: which test is used, who can sit it, how the score is used and the list of schools.
• The dates page: registration, test day, results and the application deadline, each with the date it was checked against the official source.
• The pass-marks page: past qualifying scores or thresholds, where the area publishes them, each linked to its official source. Our national pass-marks table brings these together.

If an area or school you are looking for is not listed, it may set its own test. Check the school's own admissions page, or see the 11+ exam boards for how the main tests work.

Related pages

• What is the 11+?
• 11+ dates by area
• 11+ registration: windows, deadlines and how to register
• 11+ scores explained
• How to choose a grammar school

Sources

General admissions rules on this page come from GOV.UK school admissions guidance and the School Admissions Code 2021, archived and checked on 9 October 2026. Each area's test, dates and scores are sourced and dated on that area's own pages.

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