There are dozens of 11+ preparation resources available — books, online platforms, apps, tutors, and free printables. Some are excellent. Some are expensive and mediocre. This guide gives an honest comparison so you can choose the right combination for your child without wasting money or time.
What Makes an 11+ Resource Actually Good?
Before comparing specific resources, it's worth being clear about what matters. The research on exam preparation is unambiguous: the most effective resources share four characteristics:
- Aligned to the actual exam format — GL and CEM are different enough that misaligned practice is partially wasted
- Timed practice — resources that don't build time pressure don't prepare children for the actual exam experience
- Feedback on wrong answers — marking without explanation is low-value; understanding why an answer was wrong is what drives improvement
- Progress tracking — knowing which topics are consistently weak is more valuable than knowing the score on any single paper
With that framework, here's how the main resources compare.
Online Platforms
ExamVerge — Best for: all-in-one digital practice with parent oversight
What it does: Timed practice papers (11+ GL/CEM, SATs, GCSE) with instant auto-marking, explanations for every wrong answer, a parent dashboard showing progress and weak areas, predicted grade against grammar school thresholds, and a study plan generator.
Strengths: The only platform that combines timed exam conditions, instant marking with explanations, parent progress tracking, and a predicted grade engine in one place. The parent dashboard is genuinely useful — you can see exactly which topics your child keeps getting wrong without sitting next to them for every session. The spaced repetition review feature targets weak questions specifically.
Limitations: Paper library is smaller than CGP's full print range. Writing-based tasks (e.g. creative writing) are not yet auto-marked. Better suited to regular independent practice than to the initial explanation of unfamiliar concepts.
Cost: Free to start (no credit card). Premium £9.99/month.
Best for: Families who want structured digital practice with progress tracking, especially where a parent wants visibility of their child's preparation without being present for every session.
Bond 11+ Online (bondllplus.co.uk) — Best for: supplementary digital testing
What it does: Online tests with auto-marking covering Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Maths, and English. Based on the Bond 11+ books (published by Oxford University Press).
Strengths: Well-established brand, good question quality, aligned to GL format. The online system provides instant marking.
Limitations: Limited free content. The interface is dated compared to newer platforms. Limited parent reporting. No timed exam simulation for full papers. Subscription is required for meaningful access.
Cost: Subscription approximately £9.99/month.
Best for: Additional topic-specific practice to complement full paper practice.
Atom Learning — Best for: high-budget, highly engaged families
What it does: AI-driven adaptive learning platform that adjusts question difficulty based on performance. Covers 11+ and independent school preparation. Includes practice questions, full papers, and detailed analytics.
Strengths: Adaptive difficulty is genuinely useful for identifying and targeting weak areas. Very detailed analytics. Well-regarded for independent school preparation where papers are less standardised.
Limitations: Expensive (approximately £34.99/month). Can feel overwhelming for some children. Better suited to independent school preparation than to standard grammar school entry where format familiarity matters more than adaptive difficulty.
Cost: Approximately £34.99/month.
Best for: Families targeting highly selective independent schools or with budget for premium provision.
Books and Printed Resources
CGP 11+ Books — Best for: comprehensive topic coverage
CGP is the market leader in 11+ preparation books for good reason. Their range covers every 11+ subject area with both topic practice books and full test papers.
Strengths: Excellent topic coverage. Clear explanations. The 11+ Practice Papers with detailed answer explanations are particularly good. Very affordable per book. Wide range allows you to target specific weaknesses.
Limitations: You still have to print, time, and mark papers manually (or buy physical books). No progress tracking across multiple papers. The quality varies slightly across the range — the Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning books are stronger than some of the English resources.
Recommended titles:
- CGP 11+ GL Practice Papers — Combined (Maths, English, VR, NVR)
- CGP 11+ Verbal Reasoning — 10-Minute Tests
- CGP 11+ CEM Practice Papers (if your area uses CEM)
Cost: £5–£9 per book. Available on Amazon and direct from CGP.
Best for: Building topic knowledge and as supplementary paper practice alongside a digital platform.
Bond 11+ Books — Best for: structured topic progression
Bond books are also very strong, particularly for Verbal Reasoning. The range is structured by age (9–10, 10–11, 11+) which makes progression logical.
Strengths: Very well-structured. Good for children who benefit from a more incremental approach. The Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths books are particularly clear.
Limitations: Similar to CGP — no digital progress tracking. Some of the earlier books in the series are too easy for Year 6 students in the final 6 months of preparation.
Cost: £7–£10 per book.
Best for: Families starting preparation in Year 4–5 who want a structured progression through the material.
Private Tutors
When tutors add value
A good 11+ tutor provides things that no book or platform can: real-time explanation of concepts a child doesn't understand, accountability, and structured progression tailored to the specific child. For children with significant gaps in a subject area, or who struggle to self-direct their learning, a tutor can be transformative.
Finding a good tutor: Tutorful, MyTutor, and Superprof are the main platforms. Word of mouth from other parents in your area is often more reliable. Look for tutors who specialise specifically in 11+ (rather than general primary Maths), who have local experience with your specific exam format, and who provide progress feedback to parents.
When tutors don't add value
Tutors are significantly less valuable when: the main bottleneck is practice volume (a tutor can only provide one session per week, not the 2–3 practice papers per week needed), when the child is already performing well across all subjects, or when the tutoring becomes a substitute for independent practice rather than a supplement to it.
Cost: £30–£80/hour in most areas. London and South East tend to be at the higher end.
Free Resources Worth Using
School specimen papers
Many grammar schools publish specimen papers on their websites — these are invaluable because they're in the exact format your child will face. Always find and complete any available specimen papers from your target school before the exam.
Free sample papers from publishers
Both CGP and Bond offer free sample papers on their websites — enough to assess difficulty level and suitability before purchasing full resources.
ExamVerge free tier
ExamVerge's free account provides timed papers, instant marking, and explanations — everything needed to get started and assess your child's starting level before committing to paid resources.
Our Recommended Combination
Based on what works for most families preparing for grammar school entry:
| Stage | Resource | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Year 4–5 start | Bond books (age-appropriate level) | Build topic knowledge at low pressure |
| Year 5–6 main prep | ExamVerge (timed practice) + CGP (topic revision) | Regular timed practice + targeted topic work |
| Year 6 final term | School specimen papers + ExamVerge full papers | Format familiarity + exam simulation |
| Optional add-on | Tutor (1 session/week) | Explaining concepts that aren't clicking |
The combination of digital timed practice (for feedback and tracking) and physical books (for topic depth) consistently outperforms using either alone.
Common Mistakes When Choosing Resources
- Buying too many books: 3–4 books used thoroughly beats 10 books barely touched. Depth beats breadth.
- Using GL resources to prepare for CEM: The formats are different enough that this is genuinely problematic. Confirm your exam format before buying anything.
- Spending on tutors when the bottleneck is practice: If your child understands the material but isn't doing enough papers, more practice beats more tutoring.
- Starting too late: Most resources work well given 6+ months. Starting 6 weeks before the exam and expecting dramatic results is unrealistic for most children.
Bottom Line
No single resource is right for every child. The most effective preparation combines timed practice with feedback (digital platforms), topic-specific revision (books), and — where needed — personalised explanation (tutor). The starting point for almost everyone should be a diagnostic paper to understand where the weaknesses actually are, before committing to any resource.
Start with a free diagnostic paper on ExamVerge — no credit card, no commitment. Understanding where your child stands today is the most useful first step whatever resources you ultimately choose.