Colyton Grammar School uses Quest Assessments in September of Year 6: English (50 questions, 40 minutes) and maths (60 questions, 40 minutes), multiple choice on a separate answer sheet, plus a 20 minute written task. There is no verbal or non-verbal reasoning.
At a glance
Subjects
Maths and English, plus writing
Answers
Multiple choice, plus a writing task
Usually held
September
Set by
Quest Assessments
Schools
1
The papers
Stage
Paper
How it is answered
Prism practice paper
Test day
English
Multiple choice
50 questions, 40 minutes
Test day
Maths
Multiple choice
60 questions, 40 minutes
Test day
Writing task
Writing task
One task, 20 minutes
Test setters rarely publish how many questions a paper has, so the question counts are the length of Prism’s practice papers; timings follow the setter’s published guidance where there is any. Arrangements change from year to year: always check them with the school or local authority.
How to prepare for the Colyton
The Colyton Grammar School test (Quest) covers maths and English. Most families start steady preparation in Year 4 or early Year 5, building accuracy first and speed later, then sit timed papers through the summer before the test, which usually takes place in September.
For maths, secure the Key Stage 2 arithmetic, fractions, ratio and problem solving before moving to the multi-step questions that separate the strongest candidates.
For English, read widely every day and practise comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and grammar; selective tests reward precise word knowledge.
This test includes a piece of writing, so practise planning and writing a short story or description in a set time.
Grace says that 40% of 420 is 252. What mistake did Grace make?
Show the worked answer
Answer: E, Found the amount left over, not the percentage
How to work it out
40% of 420 is 168.
Grace's 252 is 420 − 168, the part that is left over.
Why the other options are wrong
A (Added the percentage to the amount): That slip would give 460, but Grace wrote 252.
B (Nothing: the answer is right): Grace's answer 252 is not 40% of 420, which is 168.
C (Found 10% and stopped there): That slip would give 42, but Grace wrote 252.
D (Used the percentage as the answer): That slip would give 40, but Grace wrote 252.
Question 2Aim for about 45 seconds
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
Show the worked answer
Answer: D, The dog's bowl was empty.
How to work it out
The correct sentence is: The dog's bowl was empty.
An apostrophe shows missing letters (can’t) or that something belongs to someone (the cat’s).
Why the other options are wrong
A (The dogs's bowl was empty.): This writes “dogs’s”, with an extra s. One dog owns the bowl, so it is “dog’s”.
B (The dogs bowl was empty.): There is no apostrophe, so nothing shows that the bowl belongs to the dog.
C (The dog's bowl, was empty.): The apostrophe is right, but the comma splits the subject “bowl” from its verb “was”.
Questions parents ask
What subjects are in the Colyton?
The Colyton tests maths and English, and includes a piece of writing.
When is the Colyton?
The main test usually takes place in September of Year 6. Dates change each year, so always confirm them with the school or local authority.
How should my child prepare for the Colyton?
Build the core skills in Year 4 and 5, learn each question type, then practise timed papers in the Colyton format. Prism builds this plan automatically from a free starting assessment.
Find out where your child stands today
Practise straight away at your child’s school year in maths and English, with verbal and non-verbal reasoning for the 11 Plus, and every answer explained. A free check, whenever you like, shows what to practise next and builds a weekly plan, for their year or for your target schools. Parents follow progress free.