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 1Aim for about 60 seconds
Which of these is the net of a cube?
Show the worked answer
Answer: A
How to work it out
A cube has 6 faces, and every net has 6 squares, but not every arrangement folds.
Imagine folding up the sides around one square as the base: each face must land in a different place.
Nets with a 2 by 2 block, five in a row, or two squares side by side on the same side of a row never close into a cube.
Why the other options are wrong
B: A 2 by 3 block: folding it, two faces land on top of each other and one face of the cube is left open.
C: Two squares side by side on the same side of the row of four: both fold onto the same face.
D: Five squares in a row: the first and fifth would land on the same face.
E: An L shape: the end square folds onto a face already covered by the column, and one side of the cube is left open.
Question 2Aim for about 45 seconds
Which word is spelt incorrectly?
Show the worked answer
Answer: A, sincerly
How to work it out
“sincerly” should be spelt “sincerely”.
Keep the e of sincere, then add -ly.
Question 3Aim for about 35 seconds
The first pair of letters changes into the second in a certain way. Which pair completes the second set in the same way?
SU is to QS as CE is to ?
Show the worked answer
Answer: E, AC
How to work it out
From SU to QS, the first letter moves back 2 and the second letter moves back 2.
Do the same to CE: AC.
Why the other options are wrong
A (AD): The second letter has moved one place too far.
B (ZC): The first letter is one place short.
C (CA): The letters are the right way round in the first pair; they are swapped here.
D (EG): This moves the letters the wrong way along the alphabet.
Question 4Aim for about 45 seconds
Which figure is the odd one out?
Show the worked answer
Answer: B
How to work it out
In each figure the number of dots matches the number of sides of the shape, except the odd one out.
Sale 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 Sale 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 Sale 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 Sale 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.