The short answer
The main 11+ formats differ in what they test, how children answer and what practice material exists. GL Assessment tests are mostly multiple choice and often include verbal and non-verbal reasoning; Quest tests are written for each school; FSCE is curriculum-based with no past papers; CSSE and the Sutton SET focus on English and maths; school-set tests add a second stage; and SEAG covers English and maths in Northern Ireland. Preparation should match your child's actual test.
What to do next
Step 1: Find out which test your child will sit
Check your area or school for your child’s year of entry. Some areas are changing provider.
Find your 11+ areaStep 3: Practise with the official material
Most providers publish some familiarisation material, and some of it is free.
How do the formats compare at a glance?
| Format | What is tested | How children answer | Official practice material |
|---|---|---|---|
| GL Assessment | Varies by area: some mix of English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning | Mostly multiple choice, separate answer sheet | free familiarisation papers to print; practice papers cost moneyGL Assessment: free practice materialChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School.The source says: While familiarisation papers are freely available for download, practice papers are only accessible for purchase.View the official source |
| Quest | Varies by school; for example, Dorset: maths, English and verbal reasoningQuest: what the Dorset test coversChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Quest Assessments.The source says: The Dorset 11+ Assessment covers mathematics, English and verbal reasoning.View the official source | Depends on the school; some include writing | A short familiarisation assessment, linked from Quest's guidance page (Quest does not say whether it is free); check your school or consortium's page for more |
| FSCE | the Key Stage 2 curriculum up to the end of Year 5FSCE: what the tests coverChecked 9 Oct 2026 against FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise).The source says: Content from the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum taught in primary schools up toView the official source | Mix of multiple choice and short written answers | FSCE says there are no past papers; the content changes every yearFSCE: past papersChecked 9 Oct 2026 against FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise).The source says: FSCE does not issue past papers and our test content changes every year;View the official source; familiarisation guides instead |
| CSSE | English (60 minutes plus 10 minutes reading) and maths (60 minutes)CSSE (Essex and Southend): the two test papersChecked 9 Oct 2026 against CSSE (Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex).The source says: Candidates will sit two tests. One in EnglishView the official source | See CSSE's guide | free English and maths familiarisation papers on the CSSE website (practice material is also sold there)CSSE (Essex and Southend): free practice papersChecked 9 Oct 2026 against CSSE (Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex).The source says: FREE ENGLISH AND MATHS FAMILIARISATION PAPERS CAN BE ... DOWNLOADED FROM THE CSSE WEBSITE: www.csse.org.ukView the official source |
| Sutton SET | two multiple-choice papers (maths and English), no reasoning papersSutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET): the test papersChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Sutton SET Consortium (hosted on Nonsuch High School for Girls website).The source says: The test is made up of two papers; a multiple-choice Maths paper and a multiple-choiceView the official source | Multiple choice at Stage 1; second stage set by the schools | no specimen papers; content broadly based on Key Stage 2, with sample questions publishedSutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET): practice papersChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Sutton SET Consortium (hosted on Nonsuch High School for Girls website).The source says: We do not provide specimen papers. The content of the Maths and English tests is broadly ... based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum.View the official source |
| School-set | Usually English and maths, sometimes reasoning, in two stages | Often multiple choice first, then written | Usually little or none for the second stage |
| SEAG (NI) | two papers, English (or Irish) and mathsSEAG (Northern Ireland): the two test papersChecked 9 Oct 2026 against SEAG (Schools' Entrance Assessment Group).The source says: The SEAG Entrance Assessment consists of two Papers: Paper 1 and Paper 2. Both Papers have an identical format and are set at the same level of difficulty.View the official source | On a separate answer sheet | free to download; SEAG sells noneSEAG (Northern Ireland): free practice papersChecked 9 Oct 2026 against SEAG (Schools' Entrance Assessment Group).The source says: No, SEAG do not sell any practice papers.View the official source |
| ISEB Pre-Tests | four online adaptive tests, 2 hours 15 minutes in totalISEB Pre-Tests: formatChecked 9 Oct 2026 against ISEB (Independent Schools Examinations Board).The source says: The tests cover English, mathematics, verbal reasoning (VR) and non-verbal reasoning (NVR) and will take 2 hours 15 minutes to complete.View the official source | On screen, adaptive | Familiarisation from ISEB |
Which differences matter most for preparation?
Reasoning or curriculum? GL tests in many areas include verbal and non-verbal reasoning, which most children don't meet at school, so a little practice with those question types helps. FSCE, CSSE and the Sutton SET focus on curriculum English and maths, so secure school learning matters most.
Multiple choice or written? Written answers (FSCE's Beacon paper, school-set second stages, some Quest tests) need clear setting-out and full-sentence answers. Multiple-choice tests reward careful reading, checking and neat answer-sheet technique.
Paper or screen? Most grammar school tests are on paper. The ISEB Pre-Tests are online and adaptive, so practising on screen helps.
One test or two? Two-stage tests (Sutton, school-set) need stamina across a few weeks.
Is any format "easier"?
No format is easier in itself, because each area sets its standard relative to the children who sit its test. A format may suit a particular child better: a confident writer may enjoy written papers, while a quick, careful reader may do well with multiple choice. That is a reason to understand your test, not to choose schools by format.
What if your area is changing format?
Several areas change provider for 2028 entry, including Gloucestershire and Trafford (to FSCE) and Bournemouth and Poole and The Latymer School (to Quest). Older practice materials may no longer match. Check the entry year on your area page and the exam boards overview.
Related pages
- 11+ exam boards explained
- GL vs Quest: how the two tests differ
- GL vs FSCE: how preparation changes
- CEM vs GL: what changed and why it matters now
- Can you pass the 11+ without a tutor?
Sources
Facts on this page come from archived official sources checked on 9 October 2026: GL Assessment, Quest Assessments, FSCE, the CSSE information guide for 2027 entry, the Sutton SET consortium's information for 2027 entry, SEAG and the ISEB.
ExamKind is independent and is not connected with any test provider. How we make our content.
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| GL Assessment: free practice material | free familiarisation papers to print; practice papers cost money | Source: Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, checked |
| Quest: what the Dorset test covers | maths, English and verbal reasoning | Source: Quest Assessments, checked |
| FSCE: what the tests cover | the Key Stage 2 curriculum up to the end of Year 5 | Source: FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise), checked |
| FSCE: past papers | no past papers; the content changes every year | Source: FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise), checked |
| CSSE (Essex and Southend): the two test papers | English (60 minutes plus 10 minutes reading) and maths (60 minutes) | Source: CSSE (Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex), checked |
| CSSE (Essex and Southend): free practice papers | free English and maths familiarisation papers on the CSSE website (practice material is also sold there) | Source: CSSE (Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex), checked |
| Sutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET): the test papers | two multiple-choice papers (maths and English), no reasoning papers | Source: Sutton SET Consortium (hosted on Nonsuch High School for Girls website), checked |
| Sutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET): practice papers | no specimen papers; content broadly based on Key Stage 2, with sample questions published | Source: Sutton SET Consortium (hosted on Nonsuch High School for Girls website), checked |
| SEAG (Northern Ireland): the two test papers | two papers, English (or Irish) and maths | Source: SEAG (Schools' Entrance Assessment Group), checked |
| SEAG (Northern Ireland): free practice papers | free to download; SEAG sells none | Source: SEAG (Schools' Entrance Assessment Group), checked |
| ISEB Pre-Tests: format | four online adaptive tests, 2 hours 15 minutes in total | Source: ISEB (Independent Schools Examinations Board), checked |
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