The 11+ timeline starts earlier than many parents expect. Registration usually opens while your child is still in Year 5, and the test is often sat in the first few weeks of Year 6. Dates are set locally, so always check your local authority website and the admissions pages of the grammar schools you are interested in. The pattern below holds for most areas.
The typical timeline
- Spring to early summer of Year 5: Registration opens. Many areas open between March and May and close in June or July.
- Summer term of Year 5: Grammar schools and local authorities hold open events and publish familiarisation materials, so your child can see the style of the test.
- September of Year 6: Most tests take place in early to mid September. A few areas test a little later.
- Mid October of Year 6: Results are usually sent out before the secondary school application deadline, so you know where your child stands before you rank your schools.
- 31 October of Year 6: National closing date for secondary school applications, made through your home local authority.
- 1 March of Year 6: National Offer Day, when secondary school places are confirmed. If 1 March falls at a weekend, offers go out on the next working day.
Practical points
- Registering for the test is not the same as applying for a school place. You register your child for the 11+ with whoever runs the test locally (the local authority, a group of schools or the school itself), and you also name the grammar school on your local authority's secondary school application. Missing either step can cost a place.
- Registration for state grammar schools is usually free. Have your child's details, proof of address if asked for it and your current school's details ready.
- Some grammar schools also ask for a supplementary information form. Check each school's admissions policy.
- If your child needs access arrangements, such as extra time, a separate room or modified papers, raise it at registration. Most areas ask for supporting evidence from the school or a professional, with its own deadline.
- If you are applying to schools in more than one area, you may need to register for more than one test, each with its own dates.
Put every deadline in your calendar as soon as you know it. Late registrations are not always accepted, and when they are, they often come with conditions.
