The mathematics component will test understanding of the Year 5 and Year 6 curriculum. There will be a mixture of long and short questions, some easy, and some more challenging! Candidates should expect there to be worded questions to test your problem-solving skills. There will also be extension questions that test the ability to apply known material in unfamiliar situations. There will be no trick questions.

The mathematics test takes as a basic minimum Level 5 of the National Curriculum, but will extend many topic areas beyond that point. 

The following topics may all be tested in the examination:- 

• Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers, fractions and decimals, including long multiplication and division.
• Conversions between fractions, decimals and simple percentages.
• The concepts of factors, multiples and prime numbers. 
• Negative numbers will only be in context. 
• Extending number sequences. 
• Fractional or simple percentage parts.
• The construction of simple formulae involving one or two operations.
• Simple problems involving ratio and direct proportion.
• Simple language associated with angles will be assumed and the angle sum of a triangle and that of angles at a point.
• The symmetries of 2D shapes.
• Converting from one metric unit to another.
• Co-ordinates in the First Quadrant.
• Constructing reflections in horizontal or vertical lines.
• Formulas for the perimeter and areas of rectangles and triangles. 
• Problems involving the 24-hour clock.
• The mean, median, mode and range of discrete data and very simple examples of probability.

The test lasts for 1 hour and calculators are not allowed. The test is designed so that only the most outstanding candidates will finish, with the last few questions being designed to make them think in increasingly original situations. A typical able candidate will complete about 85% of the paper. Candidates are advised not to rush, but to take their time and work steadily; they should show what they can do rather than worry about what they cannot do.

NB: the test is now 1 hour and the sample paper is 45 minutes which will give you an idea of the type of questions and format.

The English Entrance Paper consists of two sections: comprehension and essay with each section lasting 30 minutes. The candidates are asked to answer shorter questions on a prose passage for the comprehension and are given a follow on task for the essay. The paper is not designed to test any prior knowledge of specific terms but should be accessible to all applicants. The comprehension questions test vocabulary, inference, empathy and the ability to select appropriate information. The essay title is designed to elicit an imaginative response and it will be marked for spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Our ability test is an online assessment that includes mathematics, English, non-verbal reasoning and verbal reasoning questions, and boys are given 1 hour to complete the test.

The test has been introduced to measure verbal, numerical and non-verbal skills and designed to enable all children to demonstrate their academic potential without excessive preparation.

For the ability test, there is a familiarisation website for parents and candidates to provide an introduction to the look and feel of this assessment, and we would encourage all candidates to look at this prior to the entrance examination. https://plus.cem.org/cemselectfam/

About two weeks after the examination all candidates are invited for a short interview. However, where performance in the entrance examination is deemed worthy of consideration for a scholarship, this will take the form of a scholarship interview for which a separate invite will be issued.

11+ English Sample Paper (Comprehension Extract)

11+ English Sample Paper (Essay)

11+ English Sample Paper (Comprehension Questions)

11+ Mathematics Sample Paper