The short answer
A mock can be worth it, mainly for the experience: sitting a timed test in an unfamiliar room, with an answer sheet and instructions read aloud. It is less useful as a prediction. A mock is written by someone other than the real test provider and taken by a different group of children, so its score is only a rough guide. Choose a mock that matches your test's format, and treat the result as information, not a verdict.
What to do next
Step 1: Decide what you want from a mock
Most of the value is the experience of a real test room, not the score.
Step 2: Choose one that matches your test’s format
A mock in a different format tells you less.
11+ exam boardsStep 3: Read the result as information
Look at the detail, not only the headline score.
How to read mock results
What can a mock tell you?
A good mock can show you:
- how your child copes with exam conditions: timing, nerves, a big room, following spoken instructions;
- practical gaps: running out of time, rushing, misreading questions, or not filling in the answer sheet properly;
- topics to work on, from looking at which questions were missed and why.
What can't a mock tell you?
A mock cannot tell you whether your child will pass, for several reasons:
- Different paper. A mock is written by someone other than your test's provider, and formats vary. GL Assessment itself says 11+ tests vary from area to area, so a local test’s timings, topics and number of questions may differ from GL’s own materialsGL Assessment: tests vary by areaChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School.The source says:
11+ tests vary from area to area so please be aware that the exact timings, the combination of topics covered (for example, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, Maths and English) and the number of questions in your local 11+ test may differ from those in our familiarisation and practice materials.
View the official source. Quest writes tests for individual schools or consortia; Tiffin's, for example, is a bespoke test made with QuestTiffin School: test written with QuestChecked 9 Oct 2026 against Tiffin School.The source says:Each year we work with Quest to create a bespoke test specifically for Tiffin, which also changes annually.
View the official source. 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. - Different children. A mock's scores are compared with the children who sat that mock, who may be more or less prepared than the children sitting the real test.
- Different scale. A mock "standardised score" is not the same scale as your area's real one. See standardised scores explained.
Some test providers also stress that they do not produce practice papers at all. Cambridge Insight, for example, says 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. So no mock is "official" unless the provider or consortium itself says so.
When is a mock most useful?
- For a child who has never sat a formal test, a single mock can take the fear out of the real day.
- A few weeks to a couple of months before the test, close enough to be realistic, but with time to act on what you learn.
- When it matches the format: multiple choice for a multiple-choice test, written answers for a written test, on screen for an online test.
One well-chosen mock is often enough. Several mocks in a row can tire a child out and make confidence swing up and down with each score.
How do you choose a mock?
Ask the organiser:
- Which test format is it modelled on, and for which area or school?
- Is it on paper or on screen, and does it use a separate answer sheet?
- How many children usually take it, and how are scores worked out?
- Will you see which questions were wrong, not just a score?
- What is the cost, and is there any pressure to buy courses afterwards?
Be cautious about any mock that claims to predict a pass, or that is sold with a promise about the real result.
How do you keep the mock calm?
- Tell your child it is practice, and that the score is for you to plan with, not a judgement.
- Treat the day like the real one: a normal breakfast, arriving early, and something nice afterwards.
- Look at the results together later, briefly, and focus on one or two things to work on.
Related pages
- How to read mock results
- Test-day checklist
- Can you pass the 11+ without a tutor?
- Keeping perspective
Sources
Facts on this page come from archived official sources checked on 9 October 2026: GL Assessment (11+ familiarisation page), Tiffin School, FSCE and Cambridge Insight (Cambridge Select Insight).
ExamKind is independent and does not run or recommend any mock provider. How we make our content.
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| GL Assessment: tests vary by area | 11+ tests vary from area to area, so a local test’s timings, topics and number of questions may differ from GL’s own materials | Source: Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, checked |
| Tiffin School: test written with Quest | a bespoke test made with Quest | Source: Tiffin School, checked |
| FSCE: past papers | no past papers; the content changes every year | Source: FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise), checked |
| Cambridge Insight: practice materials | no commercially available practice materials, including practice or past papers | Source: Cambridge University Press & Assessment (CEM), checked |
Written and checked by the ExamKind Editorial Team. Every fact on this page links to its official source. ExamKind is independent: no test provider, school or council owns us, and we have no ads. Spotted a mistake? Report an error on this page, or see every correction we have made.