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11+ test providers explained: GL, Quest, FSCE and more

Updated 2026-11-04

Parents often hear the names of the organisations behind 11+ tests long before they see a paper. Knowing who sets your child's test, and what that means for the format, helps you prepare in the right way without worrying about the wrong things.

Why the test provider matters

There is no single national 11+. Each grammar school area, consortium or individual school decides how it selects pupils, and many of them ask an outside organisation to write and mark the papers. Others write their own. The result is a patchwork: two children living thirty miles apart can sit tests that look quite different on the day.

What changes from one test to another is mostly the format rather than the level of difficulty. The skills being tested are broadly similar everywhere: reading carefully, using a good vocabulary, handling numbers confidently and spotting patterns. But how a child records an answer, how long each section lasts and which subjects appear at all can vary a great deal. Practising in the right format means fewer surprises on the day.

Providers also change. A council or consortium may move from one provider to another when a contract ends, and the format can shift with it. Kent County Council, for example, has said its test moves to Quest for the test taken in 2027 while keeping the same format. This is why it is always worth checking the current year's information rather than relying on what an older sibling or a neighbour sat.

GL Assessment

GL Assessment is a long-established educational assessment organisation that has written 11+ tests for many areas over the years. Where an area uses a GL-style test, children typically answer multiple-choice questions and record their answers on a separate answer sheet, which is then machine marked.

A separate answer sheet is a skill in itself. Children need to find the right row, mark it clearly in the way the instructions ask, and keep their place when moving between the question booklet and the sheet. It sounds simple, but under time pressure a child who has never practised it can lose marks by drifting a line out of step.

Subjects vary by area. Some GL-set tests cover English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning; others cover only some of these. The provider writes what the area asks for, so the subject list comes from your council or school, not from the provider's name alone.

Quest

Quest is a newer provider that now sets tests for a number of areas and schools. The tests are generally multiple choice with a separate answer sheet, with papers that mix subjects such as English, verbal reasoning, maths and non-verbal reasoning. The detail differs by area: some use two papers in one session, and each area chooses its own mix and weighting.

Areas that use Quest often publish familiarisation material or a short description of the format. If your area does, read it carefully. It is the best guide to how the answer sheet is marked, how instructions are given and how many papers there will be.

FSCE

Future Stories Community Enterprise, usually shortened to FSCE, provides English and maths papers to some grammar school areas and schools. Its candidate guide describes papers with distinctive names: multiple-choice papers answered by shading ovals, and a short-answer paper where children write one digit or one capital letter in each box.

This mix means children need to be comfortable with two ways of answering in the same test. Short-answer boxes leave no options to choose between, so a careless slip in working cannot be rescued by a sensible guess. Some schools using FSCE papers also include a creative-writing paper, so check whether yours does.

Consortium and school-set tests

Some areas and schools write their own tests or share one through a group of schools. In Essex, for example, the consortium known as CSSE sets written English and maths papers, where children write their answers on the paper and can show working, rather than choosing from options. A number of individual grammar schools also run their own tests, and many independent schools set their own papers.

School-set papers often look more like the tests children take in class: open questions, written comprehension answers and sometimes a piece of extended writing. Preparation here leans more on clear written explanations, careful setting out of maths and steady practice at writing well in a limited time.

How to find out what your child will sit

Start with your council's 11+ or secondary transfer page, then read the admissions page of each school you are considering. Look for the subjects tested, the number of papers, how answers are recorded, whether instructions are given by audio, and the dates for registration and testing. If anything is unclear, contact the school or council directly.

Once you know the format, choose practice materials that match it. Our free samples are a gentle way to see what a paper in your area's style looks like before deciding whether you need anything more. Above all, remember that no provider is better or worse for your child; each is simply a different way of asking similar questions.

Questions parents ask

Is one 11+ provider harder than another?

Not in any simple way. Tests differ mainly in format, subjects and timing, and scores are usually standardised, so it is more useful to focus on the format your child will meet than on the provider's name.

Can my area change provider?

Yes. Areas and schools sometimes change provider, and the format may change too. Always check the current year's information with your council or school.

Do all tests use a separate answer sheet?

No. Many multiple-choice tests do, but written-answer and short-answer papers are completed on the paper itself. Your council or school will say which applies.

Want to see what a paper set out like your child's test looks like? Every pack and handbook has a free sample. Find your test area or try the free flash cards.

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