Ilford County High and Woodford County High share one Redbridge test in September of Year 6, provided by GL Assessment: one paper of English and verbal reasoning and one of maths and non-verbal reasoning, multiple choice on separate answer sheets.
At a glance
Subjects
Maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning
Answers
Multiple choice
Usually held
September
Set by
GL Assessment
Schools
2
The papers
Stage
Paper
How it is answered
Prism practice paper
Test day
Paper 1: English & Verbal
Multiple choice
50 questions, 50 minutes
Test day
Paper 2: Maths & Non-verbal
Multiple choice
50 questions, 50 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 Redbridge
The Redbridge 11+ test covers maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. 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.
Verbal reasoning is a set of learnable question types, such as letter codes, hidden words and word analogies. Learning each type, then practising it against the clock, lifts scores quickly.
Non-verbal reasoning is about spotting patterns in shapes: rotations, reflections, sequences and matrices. Short, regular sessions work better than long ones.
B (5): Some are hidden at the back: they still count.
C (7): This is 1 more than the right answer. No common slip leads to it, so recheck the working.
D (12): This is the number of edges, not faces.
Question 2Aim for about 45 seconds
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
Show the worked answer
Answer: B, 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 dog's bowl, was empty.): The apostrophe is right, but the comma splits the subject “bowl” from its verb “was”.
C (The dogs bowl was empty.): There is no apostrophe, so nothing shows that the bowl belongs to the dog.
D (The dogs's bowl was empty.): This writes “dogs’s”, with an extra s. One dog owns the bowl, so it is “dog’s”.
Question 3Aim for about 35 seconds
Find the next number in this series.
11, 44, 18, 41, 25, 38, ?
Show the worked answer
Answer: B, 32
How to work it out
Two series take turns: 11, 18, 25 (add 7) and 44, 41, 38 (take away 3).
The next number continues the first: 32.
Why the other options are wrong
A (31): 31 is 1 too small. The series that goes up by 7 reaches 25 and then 32: add exactly 7 to 25.
C (42): 42 is 10 too big. The series that goes up by 7 reaches 25 and then 32: add exactly 7 to 25.
D (39): Adds 7 twice to 25. Only one step of 7 is needed to get from 25 to the next number of this series.
E (35): This is the next number of the other series (take away 3 from 38), but it is the turn of the series that goes up by 7, from 25.
Question 4Aim for about 45 seconds
The first figure changes into the second. Which option changes the third figure in the same way?
?
Show the worked answer
Answer: C
How to work it out
The figure becomes shaded solid, and then turns 180°.
Apply both changes to the third figure.
Why the other options are wrong
A: This only makes the first change (the figure becomes shaded solid) and misses the second (it turns 180°).
B: This reflects the third figure first, but the rule has no reflection, so the result is flipped.
D: This is the third figure unchanged, so neither of the two changes has been made.
E: This only makes the second change (the figure turns 180°) and misses the first (it becomes shaded solid).
Questions parents ask
What subjects are in the Redbridge?
The Redbridge tests maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.
When is the Redbridge?
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 Redbridge?
Build the core skills in Year 4 and 5, learn each question type, then practise timed papers in the Redbridge 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.