Entrance exams

Selective schools and entrance exam guides

Find published parent guides on 11 plus, grammar-school tutoring, common entrance and selective-school preparation.

Guide directory

Guides in Selective schools and entrance exam guides

Selective-school preparation raises questions most parents meet only once: how the 11 plus works in your area, what Common Entrance involves for independent schools, when preparation should start, and whether a tutor is necessary at all. This section is for families considering grammar schools or independent schools, from the first look at what the tests involve through to choosing support in the final year. The 11 plus exam guide is the best starting point: it explains the subjects tested, how the process differs between regions and test providers, registration and testing timelines, and how results and appeals work. The tutor-focused guides then deal with the decision most families wrestle with: what good 11 plus, grammar school or Common Entrance support looks like, what to ask before booking, how group courses compare with one-to-one lessons, and how to prepare without putting a ten-year-old under unreasonable pressure. Every guide is written to be useful whether or not you use a tutor, and none assumes selective school is the right answer; the aim is a well-informed decision either way. Use the search box to jump to a specific exam or preparation stage.