Question 1Aim for about 60 seconds
Calculate 5 + 2 × 4.
Show the worked answer
Answer: D, 13
How to work it out
Multiply before adding: 2 × 4 = 8, then add 5: 13.
Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School: 11 Plus entry
A state grammar school in Lancashire for boys and girls, with entry at 11+. Here is the test it uses, what is in it and how to prepare.
At a glance
- Type
- Grammar school
- Pupils
- Mixed
- Area
- Lancashire, North West
- Entry
- 11+
- Entrance test
- GL Assessment 11+ (four subjects)
- Tested
- Maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning
- Competition
- Selective
- Prism’s suggested target
- 78% in practice (our estimate, not a school figure)
About the GL Assessment 11+ (four subjects)
Many local authorities (e.g. Trafford, Wirral, Warwickshire, Lancashire, Calderdale, Bournemouth & Poole, Gloucestershire) use GL papers in some mix of maths, English, verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
| Stage | Paper | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11+ | English | 49 | 50 minutes |
| 11+ | Maths | 50 | 50 minutes |
| 11+ | Verbal Reasoning | 80 | 50 minutes |
| 11+ | Non-verbal Reasoning | 40 | 40 minutes |
Paper formats are indicative and change from year to year. Always check the current arrangements with the school or local authority.
How to prepare
The GL Assessment 11+ (four subjects) 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.
Practice questions in the style of the test
Written by Prism in the style of the test, not taken from any school’s papers.
Question 2Aim for about 45 seconds
Which part has a punctuation mistake? Choose “No mistake” if there is none.
Show the worked answer
Answer: A, the government has promised
How to work it out
A sentence always starts with a capital letter.
Why the other options are wrong
- B (to improve the environment): This part is punctuated correctly.
- C (by planting forty): This part is punctuated correctly.
- D (thousand trees.): This part is punctuated correctly.
- E (No mistake): There is a mistake: A sentence always starts with a capital letter.
Question 3Aim for about 35 seconds
Three of these words go together. Which two words do not belong with them?
drum, zinc, nickel, violin, harp
Show the worked answer
Answer: C, zinc and nickel
How to work it out
violin, drum, harp are all musical instruments. nickel and zinc are metals.
Why the other options are wrong
- A (nickel and harp): harp belongs with the musical instruments.
- B (drum and zinc): drum belongs with the musical instruments; only nickel and zinc do not.
- D (nickel and violin): violin belongs with the musical instruments; only nickel and zinc do not.
- E (drum and violin): These are both musical instruments, like harp.
Question 4Aim for about 45 seconds
Which of the shapes below could join this group?
The group
Show the worked answer
Answer: C
How to work it out
- Every shape in the group has the same number of dots as it has sides.
- Shading and rotation change freely, so they are distractors.
Other selective schools in Lancashire
Questions parents ask
What entrance test does Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School use?
Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School uses the GL Assessment 11+ (four subjects), which tests maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. Check the school’s admissions page for the current arrangements.
What score does my child need for Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School?
Schools do not publish pass marks. As a guide, Prism suggests a child aims to score around 78% consistently in practice for a selective school. This is Prism’s own estimate, not a figure from the school, and no score guarantees a place.
When should my child start preparing for Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School?
Most families start in Year 4 or early Year 5, then practise timed papers during the summer before the test, which usually takes place in September.
Preparing for Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School?
Prism starts with a free assessment across maths, English, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, then builds a weekly plan for your target schools. Parents follow progress free.
Start the free assessmentPrism Learning is not affiliated with Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School. Details are indicative; always check admissions arrangements with the school.