Grammar Schools Adjust 11-Plus Exams to Reduce Student Stress
Grammar schools in the UK are making a significant change to their 11-plus entrance exams by moving them from September to July. This shift aims to reduce the stress and pressure on students during the summer months, which have traditionally been filled with last-minute cramming sessions. So far, eight schools have adopted this new approach, with more expected to follow if the initiative proves successful.
The decision is not only about preserving children’s summer holidays but also about supporting families who may not be able to afford intensive tutoring during the break. By moving the exams earlier, schools hope to create a more balanced academic schedule for students, allowing them to enjoy their summers without the burden of preparation.
Another key reason for this change is to address the issue of summer learning loss. Research has shown that children can lose some of their academic skills during the six weeks they are away from school. By holding the 11-plus exams in July, schools aim to ensure that students remain in a consistent learning groove throughout the year.
Historically, grammar schools have held their entrance tests for Year 7 at the start of Year 6, which is the final year of primary school. However, this year, Reading School, a state grammar school for boys in Berkshire, will hold its test for the September 2027 intake in July—right at the end of Year 5. This move marks a significant shift in how these exams are scheduled.
In Gloucestershire, seven grammar schools will also move their exams to the summer, starting next year. These schools use a single test that covers all the schools in the area. The move is part of a broader effort to streamline the admissions process and reduce the stress associated with multiple exams.
James Richardson, the head teacher at Pate’s Grammar School in Cheltenham, explained the benefits of this change. He said: ‘Moving the 11-Plus test to the end of the summer term of Year 5 means every child will be in that groove of learning. You get your 11-plus done and out of the way and then you can have a summer holiday like all ten-year-olds should have.’
Pate’s Grammar School is one of the most successful schools in the country, having sent 13 students to Cambridge and 12 to Oxford last year. Chris Evans, the head teacher at Reading School, which was founded in 1125, described the move as an opportunity to be a ‘guinea pig’ for a July test. He hopes that this initiative will encourage more schools to follow suit.
Evans shared his thoughts with the Sunday Times, saying: ‘If you’ve got a home without much literacy and access to resources, then you’re going to find that, in August, you don’t sustain your vocabulary. You don’t carry on learning and growing in the same way as a child who’s being taken to the library to get books out all the time.’
This change comes after a 2020 study on US primary children found that, on average, they lost between 17 and 28 per cent of the English knowledge they had gained in the previous nine months over a three-month summer break. For maths, the loss ranged from 25 per cent to 34 per cent.
To ensure fairness and consistency, the Gloucestershire schools have appointed a test provider, run by Reading School, to ‘tutor-proof’ their 11-plus exam. Reading School has an 11-plus test offshoot called Future Stories Community Enterprise, which runs an exam based solely on national curriculum content. This approach contrasts with most grammar schools, which typically test skills such as verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
Mr. Evans added: ‘We suspect over time there will be a gradual move to test in July once the data shows that children still flourish.’
