When Are 11+ Exams? A Parent’s Guide to Surviving the Timetable of Doom

Let’s be honest, if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re a parent slowly spiraling into the wonderful vortex that is the 11+ exams. One minute your child is perfecting their Minecraft skills, the next you’re Googling when are 11+ exams like it’s a life-or-death question. We get it.

In this guide, we’re going to answer that question properly. Not just with a calendar and a shrug, but with some wit, wisdom, and the kind of practical advice that might just save you from missing a crucial deadline.

What Are 11+ Exams Anyway?

Before we dive into the all-important when, let’s address the what.

The 11+ exam is a selective entrance test taken by Year 6 students across parts of England for admission into grammar schools and selective independent schools. Depending on the borough or consortium, the exam can include verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, English, and mathematics.

Not all areas in the UK use the 11+ system, but in the ones that do, it’s a fiercely competitive process:  equal parts academic, emotional, and logistical challenge.

So… When Are 11+ Exams?

Step 1: Registration Season (April–June)

If you’re looking for a one-word answer to “When are 11+ exams?”—sorry. The journey actually starts months earlier with registration. Without this crucial step, your child won’t even make it to the test room, no matter how many Bond books they’ve devoured.

Here’s when registration typically opens:

• Kent: Opens in June, closes by early July

• Redbridge: Opens in May, closes mid-June

• Warwickshire: Usually starts early May, deadline around end of June

• Buckinghamshire: Often a rolling registration depending on residency

• CSSE (Essex): Deadline is around late June

💡 Top Tip: Set calendar reminders for each school you’re considering. Registration dates are like toddlers—they don’t care about your schedule.

Step 2: The Exam Itself (September)

Most 11+ exams take place in September, soon after children return to school in Year 6. Think of it as the back-to-school buzz but with added anxiety and multiple sharpened HB pencils.

Here’s a taste of typical test dates for 2025:

• Kent Test: 11 September (in-county) & 13–14 (out-of-county)

• Buckinghamshire: 9 and 11 September

• Warwickshire: 13 and 14 September

• Redbridge: 19 September

• CSSE (Essex): 20 September

🧠 Pro Parent Tip: Don’t schedule holidays in early September unless you want to experience the wrath of both exam boards and grandparents.

Step 3: The Waiting Game (October)

After your child has bravely battled the beast that is the 11+, it’s time to sit back, relax… and then frantically refresh your email every 15 seconds.

• Results: Typically land mid-October. For example, Kent releases results around 16 October.

• Application Deadline: Secondary school applications must be in by 31 October.

This is also your final chance to rank your school preferences, reconsider your life decisions, and try to remember where you left the wine opener.

Step 4: National Offer Day (March 1)

Ah, the grand finale. National Offer Day is when you’ll find out if your child has secured a spot at one of their preferred grammar or selective schools.

It typically takes place on 1st March, or the next working day if that’s a weekend.

Prepare for:

• Tears of joy

• Meltdowns over being 0.2 points away

• Parents on Mumsnet in full emotional meltdown mode

What’s Actually in the 11+ Exam?

Because “When are 11+ exams?” is just the start, you also need to know what your child is up against.

Different areas use different test formats, but most include some or all of the following:

• English: Reading comprehension, vocabulary, and in some cases, creative writing.

• Maths: Covers topics up to Year 6 level, but with trickier twists.

• Verbal Reasoning: Puzzles involving words, codes, synonyms, and logic.

• Non-Verbal Reasoning: Think shapes, patterns, and sequences. It’s like if Sudoku had a love child with Lego.

🤯 Some areas, like Kent and Birmingham, use GL Assessment, while others like Buckinghamshire use Durham CEM (though the latter has slowly phased out in some places).   Always check with your local authority or school consortium.

Common 11+ Exam Areas and Dates (2025 Snapshot)

📌 Bookmark this chart. Tattoo it to your fridge. Tattoo it to your spouse. Whatever helps.

But What If You Miss the Deadline?

Well… don’t.

Seriously, missing the registration deadline is like showing up to a wedding without RSVPing. You’re not getting in, no matter how nicely your child smiles or how well they spell “onomatopoeia.”

If you do miss it, your options narrow dramatically. Some independent schools allow late applications. Others might let you join a waiting list, but most grammar school consortia are ruthless. Fair but ruthless.

Bonus: A Word on Practice Papers

If your child hasn’t yet asked what “verbal reasoning” means, that’s your cue to start revising. Early. Preferably without turning your home into a 24/7 pressure cooker.

Use:

• GL & CEM practice books

• Timed practice papers

• Online tools (like Atom Learning, Bond Online, or Exam Ninja)

But also use common sense. A burnt-out 10-year-old will not perform better than a calm and confident one who’s had time to build skills gradually.

Final Thoughts: When Are 11+ Exams? Sooner Than You Think

The 11+ calendar is a strange mix of wait ages, rush everything, panic slightly. If you’re asking when are 11+ exams, the real answer is:

• Registration opens around May–June

• The actual exams happen in September

• Results come in October

• And offers land in March

So while the name “11+” suggests a single test, it’s more like a four-act opera with each act more stressful than the last.

But you’ve got this. And if you don’t, we do. At AcademicSuccess.uk, we specialise in helping families navigate every part of the 11+ maze, from the registration forms to the finish line.

✏️ Want expert tutoring or mock exam practice? Get in touch.

📚 Need help figuring out which grammar schools to target? We’ve got you covered.

Until then, breathe. And circle September on the calendar with a very thick red pen.