City of London School for Girls 11+ Test & Preparation Guide
City of London School for Girls uses a staged 11+ route: an initial computer-based Cambridge Select Insight assessment followed by school papers for shortlisted candidates.
Preparation should cover numerical, verbal and non-verbal skills for the first stage, then English creative/analytical writing and Maths problem solving for the second stage.
Confirmed 11+ Assessment Route
| Assessment area | What parents should prepare for |
|---|---|
| First assessment | A computer-based Cambridge Select Insight test assessing numerical, verbal and non-verbal skills. |
| Second assessment | English, testing creative writing and analytical skills, plus Maths, testing problem solving. |
| Preparation implication | This is not just an English-and-Maths-only route: the first stage also needs reasoning-style preparation across verbal and non-verbal skills. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Numerical skills | 11+ Maths, 11+ Maths : Word Problems, 11+ Advanced Maths | 11+ Maths Practice Papers, 11+ Maths : Word Problems Practice Papers, 11+ Advanced Maths Practice Papers | Prioritise arithmetic, multi-step problem solving and flexible numerical reasoning. |
| Verbal and non-verbal skills | 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 reasoning, deduction, spatial reasoning and unfamiliar computer-based tasks. |
| English analysis and writing | 11+ English, 11+ SPAG, 11+ Advanced English, 11+ Advanced VOCAB, Creative Writing | 11+ English Practice Papers, 11+ SPAG Practice Papers, 11+ Advanced English Practice Papers, 11+ Advanced VOCAB Practice Papers, Creative Writing practice | Build close reading, analytical comments, well-controlled writing and technical accuracy. |
Suggested Scholars Tutorial Preparation Route
1. Prepare for the first-stage screen
Use 11+ Maths, 11+ VR, 11+ NVR and 11+ GL CEM ISEB FSCE to build numerical, verbal and non-verbal confidence.
2. Build second-stage English
Use 11+ English, 11+ Advanced English, 11+ Advanced VOCAB and Creative Writing to cover analytical reading and original writing.
3. Build second-stage Maths
Use 11+ Maths : Word Problems and 11+ Advanced Maths to develop multi-step problem-solving habits.
4. Keep SPAG visible
Use 11+ SPAG and 11+ Advanced SPAG so written work is accurate as well as imaginative.
What Not to Over-Prepare
FAQ
Is Creative Writing relevant?
Yes. The second-stage English paper is described as testing creative writing and analytical skills, so Creative Writing and Advanced English should both be included.
Should preparation include NVR?
Yes. The first assessment includes non-verbal skills, so 11+ NVR is relevant.
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.