City of London School 11+ Test & Preparation Guide
City of London School uses a broad 11+ assessment route combining an online assessment with a separate creative writing task.
The published assessment includes English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Puzzles and Problem Solving, Creative Comprehension and Creative Writing, so preparation should be broad but still highly targeted.
Confirmed 11+ Assessment Route
| Assessment area | What parents should prepare for |
|---|---|
| Online assessment | English, Mathematics, non-verbal reasoning, verbal reasoning, puzzles and problem solving, and creative comprehension. |
| Creative writing | A separate short-story task based on a prompt, assessing creativity, vocabulary and accuracy. |
| Adaptive / non-adaptive mix | Maths, VR and NVR are adaptive; English, puzzles/problem solving and creative comprehension are non-adaptive. Pupils therefore need both steady one-way adaptive discipline and ordinary review/checking discipline. |
How Scholars Tutorial Covers the Required Preparation
The most useful preparation plan is to match Scholars Tutorial practice directly to the published assessment areas, rather than using a generic grammar-school 11+ plan.
| Required skill | Scholars Tutorial online categories | Printed paper support | Preparation emphasis |
|---|---|---|---|
| English comprehension and SPAG | 11+ English, 11+ SPAG, 11+ Advanced English, 11+ Advanced VOCAB | 11+ English Practice Papers, 11+ SPAG Practice Papers, 11+ Advanced English Practice Papers, 11+ Advanced VOCAB Practice Papers | Focus on inference, vocabulary in context, grammar, spelling and accuracy. |
| Mathematics and problem solving | 11+ Maths, 11+ Maths : Word Problems, 11+ Advanced Maths | 11+ Maths Practice Papers, 11+ Maths : Word Problems Practice Papers, 11+ Advanced Maths Practice Papers | Build arithmetic fluency, multi-step reasoning and confidence with typed numerical answers where needed. |
| VR, NVR and puzzles | 11+ VR, 11+ NVR, 11+ GL CEM ISEB FSCE | 11+ Verbal Reasoning Practice Papers, 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning Practice Papers, 11+ Mixed Practice Papers | Prepare for vocabulary deductions, spatial reasoning, logical sequencing and unfamiliar formats. |
| Creative writing | Creative Writing, 11+ Advanced English, 11+ Advanced SPAG | Creative Writing practice, 11+ Advanced English Practice Papers, 11+ Advanced SPAG Practice Papers | Practise original stories, paragraph control, descriptive detail, punctuation and avoiding memorised stock phrases. |
Suggested Scholars Tutorial Preparation Route
1. Build the online core
Use 11+ English, 11+ Maths, 11+ VR and 11+ NVR for speed, accuracy and question-type confidence.
2. Strengthen problem solving
Use 11+ Maths : Word Problems, 11+ Advanced Maths and 11+ GL CEM ISEB FSCE to prepare for multi-step logic and puzzles.
3. Add creative comprehension
Use 11+ Advanced English and 11+ Advanced VOCAB to build analysis, synthesis and vocabulary depth across unfamiliar material.
4. Practise creative writing separately
Use Creative Writing practice alongside 11+ Advanced SPAG so that written work is imaginative, accurate and controlled.
What Not to Over-Prepare
FAQ
Should Creative Writing be included?
Yes. City of London School publishes a separate creative writing component, so Creative Writing practice should be part of the core plan.
Should VR and NVR be included?
Yes. The published online assessment includes verbal and non-verbal reasoning, so Scholars Tutorial 11+ VR and 11+ NVR should be used.
How to Use This Guide
Use this page as a preparation guide, then check the school’s latest official admissions page before applying. Independent schools can change assessment providers, paper lengths, shortlist rules and interview arrangements. This guide deliberately avoids fixed calendar dates and wider admissions-policy detail so that parents can focus on the test preparation that matters.