CEM 11 Plus

Buckinghamshire 11+  -  Children's Educational Material 11+ TM

The Buckinghamshire11plus.co.uk website provides advice and information about Buckinghamshire 11+ exams for the Bucks 11+ and Children's Educational Material for the 11+. The Bucks website includes advice on how to prepare for the Bucks eleven plus exams and material suitable for preparation.

Buckinghamshire has 13 selective grammar schools (4 boys, 4 girls and 5 mixed gender) and all children in the area take the 11+ test unless they opt out. It is not a super-selective region as it operates a distance based criteria for grammar school admission, subject to a regional automatic qualifying score of 121. The schools are backward as they still believe in catchment areas, with Dr Challoner`s Grammar School admissions policy being bizarre.

From 2018 the  schools will use tests from GL Assessment. Complete solutions are available using WordBuilder.co.uk and CoolCleverKids.co.uk.


The Buckinghamshire11plus website provides advice and information about 11 plus exams and Children's Educational Material (CEM) for the 11+.

2025 Year 7 Entry for Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools

Registration.

3rd May 2024 to 14 June 2024.
Bucks children in state schools need not register as they are automatically opted in. Out of area and private school children need to register.

Test Dates

Thursday 12th September 2024

A preparation test is held on Tuesday 10th September 2024 comprising of two tests lasting 25-30 minutes each, containing questions that are similar to the actual test. These preparation tests will not be marked.

Results

11th October 2024 4pm

Test Supplier

GL Assessment
Weighting is 50% for verbal ability,
30% for numerical ability
20% for non-verbal ability.

There will be a mix of different questions in each of the two test papers and the questions will be divided into timed sections. The invigilator will play a CD with complete instructions and timings for children sitting the tests. Each test lasts one hour including an introduction and worked examples, with 50 minutes for answering the questions. The questions will be multiple choice with answers marked on a separate answer sheet. There is a 30-minute break between papers.

The two Bucks eleven plus tests will be machine-marked. The tests will be in a multiple-choice format and the pupils will complete machine-readable answer sheets. Scores in both papers are added together and age standardised. The qualifying score is 121.

Two days before the test Buckinghamshire children sit two preparation papers each lasting about 25-30 minutes containing test items that mirror what they will find in the full tests. The purpose of this exercise is to give the pupils experience of test-taking conditions as well as giving them the opportunity to work through example test material. The preparation papers will not be marked or taken away from the school and will be destroyed after completion.

Qualifying Mark 121

Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools

School

Gender

PAN (Year 7)

Aylesbury Grammar School

Boys

186

Aylesbury High School

Girls

180

Beaconsfield High School

Girls

180

Burnham Grammar School 

Mixed

150

Chesham Grammar School

Mixed

180

Dr Challoners Grammar School

Boys

180

Dr Challoners High School

Girls

180

John Hampden Grammar School

Boys

150

Royal Grammar School

Boys

192 ( 182 + 10 boarders)

Royal Latin Grammar School

Mixed

174

Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School

Mixed

150

Sir William Borlase School

Mixed

120

Wycombe High School

Girls

192

            

11+ Preparation


Areas tested include English (Vocabulary: synonyms & antonyms; Comprehension; Cloze passages/text; Jumbled sentences); Mathematics including data processing, and Non-verbal reasoning.

There is no evidence any 11+ tests are tutor proof, nor tuition and preparation does not confer an advantage – the opposite is true.

Recommended Preparation Material.


1. English and Verbal Reasoning is covered at WordBuilder.co.uk

  PDF downloads from the shop.

Booklet

Price

a. Ultimate Verbal Reasoning. 1,800 questions.Book 1

£5.99


b. Ultimate Verbal Reasoning. 800 questions.Book 2 for GL Assessment (Same Missing Letter in Pairs of Words,  Synonym Pairs &  Hidden Words)
 
£5.49

c. Ultimate Verbal Reasoning. 741 questions.Book 3 for GL Assessment (Spelling, Punctuation & Conjugation)
 
£5.49

d. Common Synonyms and Antonyms for 11+ & KS2 Sats (over 1,000 entries).

£4.99

e. Common Words With Multiple Meanings for 11+ & KS2 Sats (350 entries).

£1.99

f. Common Misspelled Words at Year 6 - KS2 & 11+ (over 250 words).

£1.49


2. Maths is covered at CoolCleverKids.co.uk

PDF downloads from the shop.

Lesson Notes

Price

a: Ratio and Proportion Unit Method (Lesson Notes).

99p

b: Percentages (simple percentages) Lesson Notes.

99p

c: Percentage Multipliers Lesson Notes.

99p

d: Rules for Multiples of Numbers (Lesson Notes).

99p


3. NVR (Non-verbal Reasoning) is covered at CoolCleverKids.co.uk

Non-verbal Reasoning (NVR) Booklet

Price

Ultimate NVR: over 30 different types of NVR familiarisation questions.

£9.95


4. Mock Tests: Use Mocks in the Shop and SatsBooks.com

Mock Test (CEM style tests are still useful as the content is similar to GL Assessment)

Price

1. 11+ Progress Mock Pack 1. MF Test A & B. (Use as first test during Year 5).

£6.95

2. 11+ Progress Mock Pack 2. MF Test A & B. (Use as second test during Year 5).

£6.95

3. 11+ Progress Mock Pack 3. MF Test A & B. (Use as third test during Year 5).

£6.95

4. 11+ Practice Mock Test Pack 1. MF Test A & B. Multi-format (MF).

£6.95

5. 11+ Practice Mock Test Pack 2. MF Test A & B. Multi-format (MF).

£6.95

6. 11+ Practice Mock Test Pack 3. MF Test A & B. Similar to SWW 2 Jul 13.

£6.95

7. 11+ Practice Mock Test Pack 4. MF Test A & B. Multi-format (MF). 

£6.95


8.  Letts GL Assessment Practice Mock Test Pack 1 [4 physical books]. Maths, English, VR & NVR {Click here to purchase with FREE P&P}
 
£36.95

9.  Letts GL Assessment Practice Mock Test Pack 2 [4 physical books]. Maths, English, VR & NVR {Click here to purchase with FREE P&P}
 
£36.95

Dr Challoner`s Grammar School Address Requirement


In order to qualify for admission under rules referring to the school’s catchment area, the applicant must have been resident at their home address continuously since 1 April of the year preceding proposed admission. b) If a family still owns a property within 20 miles of the school which has been the main family home, a property closer to the school will not be accepted as the basis for a legitimate residence qualification even if the former property is leased to a third party.

We believe this is unreasonable as it discriminates against out children who have moved in to the area and amounts local apartheid. Schools are funded by national taxation and not local taxation, so catchment areas are nothing more than a form of discrimination and backward.

Buckinghamshire Transfer Test

There will be two test papers containing a mixture of questions on verbal reasoning and comprehension, non-verbal reasoning and mathematical reasoning.

Each paper is approximately 50 minutes in duration and will be divided into timed sections, and instructions will be given on an audio soundtrack.

Most questions are multiple choice and all answers are marked on a separate machine-readable answer sheet. There will be a short break between the two test papers.

Free familiarisation booklets are available from this site and practice mocks are available from the shop.
 
CEM Centre for Evaluation
& Monitoring® CEM 11+ ® Tests
  • No official practice papers available
  • Short familiarisation material provided
  • Computer based tests only using CEM Select
  • Paper tests withdrawn from 2023 by new owners, Cambridge University
  • Mostly used by private schools and small schools
  • Similar tests to GL Assessments®
  • Prepare using WordBuilder & CoolCleverKids
  • Practice mock papers from the shop
GL Assessments®
(NFER®) 11+ Selection Tests
  • Practice papers available
  • Kent County Council provides a long familiarisation paper
  • Multiple choice format.
  • No claim that children do not need to prepare or practice or claim test is tutor-proof
  • Similar to tests from CEM Centre for Evaluation & Monitoring®
  • Prepare using WordBuilder & CoolCleverKids
  • Practice mock papers from the shop
11+ Children's Educational Material Recommendation

English and Verbal Reasoning:
WordBuilder
www.WordBuilder.co.uk

Maths &
Non-verbal Reasoning (NVR):

CoolCleverKids
www.CoolCleverKids.co.uk

11+ Practice Papers from
Children’s Educational Material for the 11+
are available from the shop.
Word lists, lesson notes and `Ultimate NVR` questions are available from the shop.

Free material on this website.

11+ Tourism: Free Mock Tests

Under the Greenwich ruling all children, of the appropriate age, have a legal right to take any 11+ exam set by any authority and cannot be denied the opportunity to sit an exam solely on the basis of their address.
 
The Office of the School Adjudicator (OSA) confirmed the right to use tests as free mocks and the right to take tests late. A Head Teacher of a grammar school has confirmed in writing: `Legally I cannot stop you entering your child for our test.'  Late testing is also a legal right.
 
Many regions do not have catchment areas. Taking 11+ exams outside home catchments does not prejudice the balance and fairness of the testing, as tests are different. To make such a claim would imply a defunct testing process.

Note: Taking a "free mock" will cost the school money. But one would expect financially astute schools to consider the financial implications of setting an early test date. Common sense dictates an earlier test is likely to be used as a "free mock" and this has been well known to occur for many years. . The University of Durham® object to this strategy when it is a legal right. We cannot image why, as if the test is resistant to prepping, what difference would free mocks make? We believe there is no evidence that any 11+ test is resistant to prepping and practise will simply improve performance.

 
 
 
 
CoolCleverKids
11+ Maths and NVR
CoolCleverKids.co.uk

The Maths site with NVR (Non-verbal reasoning) for Sats and 11+ preparation. Ideal for primary school education and selective school exams. Maths lesson notes; worksheets; presentations; games, & tests auto marked with explanations.

WordBuilder
11+ English & VR
www.WordBuilder.co.uk

Verbal reasoning and English for the 11+, Sats and private/independent school entrance exams as well as primary school. Spellings; definitions; meanings; synonyms; antonyms; cloze passages; jumbled sentences & comprehension.

Sats Papers
Year 2-6 & 11+
www.SatsPapers.org.uk


Information relating to Sats Tests. Free downloads of Sats papers covering Year 2 to 6 with no registration. Prepare for Year 6 level 3-5, level 6 & 11+ tests. Download the latest phonics tests.
ATA React
Free Android App
Google Play


Fun FREE Android App to test your thinking and reaction speed. Four fun games: colours; shapes; numbers and next letter. Stores score history. Ideal for Sats & 11+ fun whilst you prepare. Download from Google Play.

 

 

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Download FREE SATs papers. No registration & no annoying popup adverts.
 
 
11+ English (Verbal Reasoning)
online preparation with


Spellings; Vocabulary; Synonyms; Antomyms; Conundrums; Cloze Passages; Comprehension, and Jumbled up sentences. Ideal for 11+ tests set at the CEM Centre, at Durham University®.
www.WordBuilder.co.uk
 
 
11+ Maths (Numerical Reasoning)
and NVR online preparation with


Free maths question generator
Lesson notes; presentations (videos); worksheets; games; Sats style tests from Year 2 to 6 including mental maths audio tests; private school 11+ tests, and CEM style past questions.
Now includes Non-verbal Reasoning.
Ideal for 11+ tests set at the CEM Centre, at Durham University®.
www.CoolCleverKids.co.uk
 
 

The 11+ information site
Helping children pass the 11+
Free advice and resources with
recommendations for preparation.
 

Children’s Educational Material 11+
Tel: +44 (0) 24 7641 6970 
Email: [email protected]
© 2013-2023. CEM11plus.com group of websites. All rights reserved. Children's Educational Material for the 11+. CEM11plus.com group websites provide information helping children pass the eleven plus. CEM Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring® is an independent not-for-profit research group now owned by Cambridge Assessment and Cambridge University Press® and neither are associated with CEM11plus.com group websites. GL Assessment ® has no connection with CEM11plus.com group websites. The views expressed are those of CEM11plus.com. All trade names and trade marks are acknowledged. This website is secured with a SSL certificate provided to the parent group website, CEM11plus.com, and data is encrypted using 256 bit keys & TLS 1.2.