Our papers, particularly our Open Answer selection are designed to improve and encourage revision for independent school entrance exams and 11+ assessments.

With hundreds of independent secondary schools in the UK, we have not (yet – maybe one day) been able to compile school-by-school data on every entrance exam structure and style. However, there are trends in the independent sector that can be observed, along with steps you can take to ensure you are purchasing the right material.

Many independent schools buy their exam papers from the same test providers as most grammar schools. The top two entrance test providers are GL (Granada Learning, prev. NFER) and CEM (The Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring). Also, as a general rule, an independent school is more likely to have a greater volume of open answer questions, rather than multiple choice. Maths and English are almost always covered, whilst Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning are very much dependent upon the school in question.

One of the most valuable steps you can take will be to find out, where possible:

- The subjects covered
- Some detail around the question styles (open answer or multiple choice)

Whilst it is true that the majority of independents favour open answer question structures, multiple choice sections are common and familiarisation with this structure of paper could be important for some schools.

Recommended Papers

For most independent schools our Open Answer papers, combined with Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning where applicable, will be the best choice.

- Open Answer – English & Grammar
- Open Answer – Maths & Numeracy
- Verbal Reasoning
- Non-Verbal Reasoning