Maths 11+ Tuition
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11+ Maths Overview
The 11+ Maths exam assesses a student’s mathematical ability. It is part of the entry process into grammar or selective independent schools.
It follows the National Curriculum, covering key topics like arithmetic, fractions, decimals, percentages, algebra, and geometry. However, what makes the 11+ particularly challenging is how the questions are worded. They often require students to apply their knowledge to complex, unfamiliar problems, testing their logical reasoning and problem-solving skills beyond standard classroom exercises.
The exam may include both multiple-choice and written responses, depending on the specific test format. Tests are either online or paper-based.
11+ Maths Topics to Revise
You want to make sure that your child feels confident with all of these topics before sitting their 11+ exam.
Number
Number place and value:
Understanding large numbers, decimals, and the value of digits in different positions.
- Read, write, order, compare and round numbers up to 1,000,000
- Count in 10s, 25s, 50s and 100s
- Understand negative numbers
- Read Roman Numerals
Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division:
- Performing calculations with whole numbers, fractions, and decimals, including multi-step problems.
- Recognise square, cube, prime and composite numbers.
- Determine the multiples of a number, find all the factor pairs of a number, and identify the common factors of two numbers.
Fractions:
- Comparing, ordering, and converting between fractions, decimals, and percentages.
- Simplifying fractions
- Add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions and mixed numbers.
- Multiply proper fractions and mixed numbers by whole numbers.
- Identify, name, and express equivalent fractions.
- Compare numbers with up to three decimal places and round numbers with two decimal places to the nearest whole number.
- Recognise mixed numbers and improper fractions and convert between the two forms.
Measurement
- Understanding units of measurement for length, weight, capacity, and time, as well as calculating perimeter and area.
- Convert between different units of metric measure (such as centimetres and metres, or litres and millilitres)
- Recognise that shapes with the same areas can have different perimeters and vice versa
- Calculate perimeter, area and volume
- Be able to calculate area of parallelogram and triangles
- Estimate the area of irregular shapes
Geometry
Shapes:
- Recognising shapes, understanding properties of 2D and 3D shapes, and identifying lines of symmetry.
- Illustrate parts of a circle – circumference, diameter and radius.
- Know that angles in a straight line and in a triangle add up to 180 degrees
- Learn how to compare and estimate acute, obtuse and reflex angles
- Understand the properties of rectangles to deduce information and determine missing lengths and angles.
- Differentiate between regular and irregular polygons.
Position and direction:
- Describe locations on the complete coordinate grid, covering all four quadrants.
- Draw and translate simple shapes on the coordinate plane and reflect them across the axes.
Algebra
- Solve two step equations.
- Substitution.
- Generate and describe linear number sequences.
- Represent missing number problems using algebra.
- Identify pairs of numbers that meet the requirements of an equation with two unknowns.
- Explore all possible combinations of two variables.
Ratio and Proportion
- Understanding the relationship between numbers, including solving problems involving ratios.
- Solve problems involving the calculation of percentages.
- Work with similar shapes where the scale factor is given or can be determined.
- Tackle problems with unequal sharing and grouping using an understanding of fractions and multiples.
Statistics
- Complete, read, and interpret data presented in tables, including schedules and timetables.
- Solve problems involving comparison, addition, and subtraction using data from a line graph.
Which exam board will my child be sitting for the 11+?
Schools decide which exam board they’d like applicants to take. The exam boards mentioned below are the four main exam boards in Surrey and South London. If you want to find out which exam board(s) your child will be sitting, please click here and find the schools they are applying for.
What are the different 11+ exam boards?
See the typical structure of 11+ Maths exams from popular exam providers below. As well as the standard exam boards, schools also set their own independent school assessments.
GL format is usually a multiple-choice assessment with 50 questions. You are given 50 minutes to answer the questions. They are mainly based around the curriculum content covered during the early part of Year 6.
The questions cover:
- Number – Place value, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, fractions, decimals, and percentages.
- Measurement.
- Geometry.
- Algebra.
- Ratio and proportion.
- Data / statistics.
GL Assessments 11+ are paper-based and not adaptive.
Majority of grammar schools in the UK use GL assessments, and some independent schools.
Your child will be given a question booklet and an answer booklet. They must shade in the correct answer in the answer booklet. The answer booklet is then marked electronically.
Number questions tend to appear most often.
CEM assessments are online and are non-adaptive, meaning that all students will be asked the same questions in the same order. They are able to go back and change or fill in questions they missed out. The questions are usually in a multiple-choice format with some drag and drop questions.
CEM Select is 60 minutes long and is split into 6 sections. The Maths section usually consists of 30 questions.
CEM is used at some independent schools and Grammar schools for late-transfer tests.
ISEB Common Pre-Test is an online and adaptive assessment. The Maths assessment is 40 minutes long. SEND students who have extra time approved by the school get given 25% extra time.
Questions are based on Year 5 curriculum, but Year 6 students still find it challenging.
The test focuses on:
- Number and place value.
- Calculations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)
- Fractions, decimals and percentages.
- Measurement.
- Geometry.
- Statistics.
CAT4 is a Cognitive Abilities Test created by GL assessments. It is non-adaptive, contains multiple-choice questions and measures the child’s natural ability, not what they have learnt in school. It can be paper-based or online, depending on the school.
It is used by some independent schools. State secondary schools often use the CAT4 assessment to group pupils into ability sets in Year 7.
The assessment is 72 minutes long and has 4 sections:
- Verbal reasoning
- Quantitative reasoning
- Non-verbal reasoning
- Spatial reasoning
The maths section falls under the quantitative reasoning section called ‘number series’, which is usually 8 minutes long.
Questions will consist of number patterns that your child will have to find the rule for in order to fill in the missing number.
Most Common 11+ Maths Questions
The most common topics in 11+ maths examinations are number-based questions. These typically include areas such as basic arithmetic (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division), fractions, decimals, and percentages. Candidates are often required to solve problems involving place value, rounding, and number sequences.
Word problems also feature heavily, testing a student’s ability to apply mathematical concepts to real-life scenarios. Questions might involve calculating time, money, or measurements, as well as solving problems involving ratios and proportions.
Additionally, mental maths questions and quick calculations are common, requiring speed and accuracy under timed conditions. It’s essential for students to master foundational skills and practice applying them to a variety of contexts to succeed in this part of the exam.
How is the 11 Plus Maths Exam Structured?
The structure of the 11+ exam varies depending on the exam board the school is using. In order to find out which exam boards your child will be sitting exams for, please explore our 11+ school guides to learn more about your local admissions process.
