When to register for the 11+, when the test is sat, when results arrive, and how the secondary school application and national offer day fit together.
The 11+ sits inside the normal secondary school admissions process in England, with a few extra steps. Exact dates vary from area to area, so use this as a map and check each school’s admissions page for the real dates.
Registration for the 11+ usually opens in the spring or early summer of Year 5 and closes in the summer. It is separate from your secondary school application, and missing the registration deadline can mean your child cannot sit the test, so put the date in your diary as soon as it is published.
Keep practice regular but light. Move from topic practice to full papers, and start introducing timing (see how to use practice papers in Year 5).
Most grammar school 11+ tests are sat in September of Year 6, although some areas test earlier. Your registration confirmation will give the date, time and place.
Results usually arrive in October, before the deadline for the secondary school application. Your application goes to your local council, not to the schools, and the deadline is 31 October. List your schools in your true order of preference.
Secondary school offers are sent out on 1 March (or the next working day if it falls at a weekend). This is when you find out which school your child has been offered.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Year 5, autumn and spring | Choose schools, find out which test they use, start light practice |
| Year 5, spring to summer | Register for the 11+ (dates vary by area) |
| Summer holiday | Full papers, timing introduced gradually |
| Year 6, September | Most 11+ tests are sat |
| Year 6, October | Results; secondary school application deadline 31 October |
| 1 March | National offer day |
Each pack has papers for Years 5 and 6 with an answer key for every paper and online marking that tracks weak topics.