Important update from TheSchoolRun
For the past 13 years, TheSchoolRun has been run by a small team of mums working from home, dedicated to providing quality educational resources to primary school parents. Unfortunately, rising supplier costs and falling revenue have made it impossible for us to continue operating, and we’ve had to make the difficult decision to close. The good news: We’ve arranged for another educational provider to take over many of our resources. These will be hosted on a new portal, where the content will be updated and expanded to support your child’s learning.
What this means for subscribers:
- Your subscription is still active, and for now, you can keep using the website as normal — just log in with your usual details to access all our articles and resources*.
- In a few months, all resources will move to the new portal. You’ll continue to have access there until your subscription ends. We’ll send you full details nearer the time.
- As a thank you for your support, we’ll also be sending you 16 primary school eBooks (worth £108.84) to download and keep.
A few changes to be aware of:
- The Learning Journey weekly email has ended, but your child’s plan will still be updated on your dashboard each Monday. Just log in to see the recommended worksheets.
- The 11+ weekly emails have now ended. We sent you all the remaining emails in the series at the end of March — please check your inbox (and spam folder) if you haven’t seen them. You can also follow the full programme here: 11+ Learning Journey.
If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]. Thank you for being part of our journey it’s been a privilege to support your family’s learning.
*If you need to reset your password, it will still work as usual. Please check your spam folder if the reset email doesn’t appear in your inbox.
Taking the 11+ in Redbridge (Essex)
Which schools require an 11+ pass?
There are two grammar schools in the London Borough of Redbridge:
Their catchment areas include all of the Boroughs of Redbridge and Waltham Forest, along with parts of Essex, Newham and Barking and Dagenham. The competition for both schools is fierce, with as many as 850 applicants for 120 places at each school.
What do the tests involve?
Children are required to take two papers, each lasting about an hour. Each paper is made up of several individually timed sections, with a separate answer sheet. Both papers test three areas:
- Verbal ability (including reading comprehension and vocabulary)
- Numerical ability
- Non-verbal ability
Prepare Your Child For The 11+ Exam
- Essential 11+ English and maths skills
- Verbal and non-verbal reasoning questions
- Reading comprehension worksheets
- CLOZE test worksheets
What version of the test is used?
Previously, CEM tests were used for the 11+ in this area. However, CEM will no longer be providing 11+ tests from September 2023. It has been reported that the schools will now use GL assessment.
Exam Papers Plus & TheSchoolRun.com
If you're looking for practice papers for your child's 11+, our partners at Exam Papers Plus have papers for specific schools, as well as courses and mock exams for each area.
And their Pretest Plus offers online tests and video courses to help your child succeed at CAT, ISEB PRETEST, CEM SELECT and UKISET examinations.
How do you arrange for your child to take the test?
Admission for both schools is organised by Redbridge Council (0208 708 3562/3140). You'll need to register your child online, and provide proof of their date of birth and three proofs of residence.
Where are the tests held?
The tests are held at each of the two grammar schools. Boys will take their test at Ilford, and girls at Woodford.
What is the pass mark?
There is no set pass mark, as schools offer their places to the 120 boys and girls who achieve the highest scores. These scores will vary from year to year, depending on the range of ability of the children applying. The scores are adjusted to take account of your child's age at the time of taking the test. If there is more than one child with the same score, proximity to the school will be used to decide their priority. If your child’s test performance indicates they have a realistic chance of gaining a place at the Redbridge grammar schools, you are advised to list that school as one of your six preferences on your Local Authority application form for secondary school transfer, but this is not a guarantee of a place.
How can I help prepare my child?
Redbridge Council discourage tutoring, as they feel that children who have had extensive coaching may struggle with the academic demands of grammar school. You can download a familiarisation booklet to help give your child a flavour of what they might expect from the test; the question types on the day may not be the same, but it illustrates the kind of skills needed and the way in which questions should be answered.
Please note that, although we do our best to provide the most accurate information, the admissions arrangements for Year 7 entry change regularly and it is essential to check for the most up-to-date advice on schools' own websites.
NB: TheSchoolRun receives a small commission from sales made through Exam Paper Plus.
