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CEM 11+: what happened, and what is used now

By ExamKind Editorial TeamFacts checked 19 October 2026Last reviewed 19 October 2026

In short

"CEM" was a familiar name in 11+ preparation, and you may still see it on practice books. Today the CEM website presents Cambridge Insight, whose entrance product is an online test called Cambridge Select Insight, sold to selective independent schools, grammar schools and others. If a book or course is labelled "CEM-style", check which test your target schools actually use for your child's entry year before relying on it.

Who uses Cambridge Insight (CEM), by entry year

Built from each area's and school's checked admissions information. A school is listed when its own record names the test for that year; areas list the schools on their own pages.

September 2027 entry(Year 6 now)

None confirmed yetNo area or school we cover has a checked record of using Cambridge Insight (CEM) for this entry year yet.

For 15 of the areas we cover, the test provider for September 2027 entry is not confirmed yet, so they are not listed here. See every area's test.

September 2028 entry(Year 5 now)

None confirmed yetNo area or school we cover has a checked record of using Cambridge Insight (CEM) for this entry year yet.

For 28 of the areas we cover, the test provider for September 2028 entry is not confirmed yet, so they are not listed here. See every area's test.

The format

What the source says

Does Cambridge Insight (CEM) publish past papers?

No commercially available practice materials, including practice or past papers.Source: Cambridge University Press & Assessment (CEM), checked

What is CEM now?

The website at cem.org now presents Cambridge Insight. Its entrance assessment is described like this: a computer-based entrance assessment from Cambridge InsightCambridge Insight: Select insightChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Cambridge University Press & Assessment (CEM).The source says: Cambridge Select Insight computer assessments are designed for selective independent schools, partially selective state schools, Grammar Schools and schools with fair banding admissions.View the official source. Cambridge says it offers 25% extra-time versionsCambridge Select Insight: extra-time versionsChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Cambridge University Press & Assessment (CEM).The source says: Cambridge Select Insight comes with 25% extra time versions for candidates with special educational needs.View the official source for candidates with special educational needs.

On preparation, Cambridge states that it offers no commercially available practice materials, including practice or past papersCambridge Insight: practice materialsChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Cambridge University Press & Assessment (CEM).The source says: we do not provide any commercially available practice materials (including practice or past papers) nor endorse any other commercially available resources or tuition services.View the official source, and does not endorse commercial resources or tuition.

Do any grammar school areas still use a CEM test?

We check each area's current test against official sources, and our area pages show the provider for each entry year. So far, the grammar school areas whose arrangements we have verified name other providers, such as GL Assessment, Quest Assessments, FSCE or the schools' own tests. Several areas have changed provider in recent years. For example:

  • Slough: Slough changed to GL Assessment in 2024GL Assessment: SloughChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Slough Consortium of Grammar Schools.The source says: Please note that following the change of test provider to GL Assessment in 2024, the previous arrangements where some schools used the same test as the Slough Consortium no longer apply.View the official source.
  • Trafford: FSCE from 2028 entry; Year 5 testing from 2029 entryTrafford: change to FSCE testsChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Altrincham Grammar School for Girls (Trafford).The source says: For entry to Year 7 in 2028, the test provider will be FSCE and the admissions test will be held in September of Year 6.View the official source.

You may read that CEM stopped writing paper 11+ tests for grammar schools a few years ago. We have not yet captured an official statement confirming exactly when this happened, so we don't give a date here. We will add it once we can source it properly.

Why does this matter for preparation?

Practice materials are written to match a particular style of test. Books labelled "CEM" were written for tests that may no longer be used where you live. That does not make them useless for general skills such as vocabulary, comprehension and arithmetic, but they are not a guide to the format, timing or question mix of your child's actual test.

How do you check which test your child will sit?

  1. Find your area on find your 11+ area, or open your target school's page.
  2. Check the provider listed for your child's entry year: 2027 entry for today's Year 6, 2028 entry for today's Year 5.
  3. Use the official familiarisation material for that provider, linked from our exam boards overview.

Sources

Facts on this page come from archived official sources checked on 9 October 2026: Cambridge Insight (cem.org home page and Cambridge Select Insight entrance assessments page), the Slough Consortium of Grammar Schools guide for 2027 entry, and the Trafford Grammar School Consortium's 2028-entry announcement.

ExamKind is independent and is not connected with Cambridge University Press & Assessment or any test provider. How we make our content.

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