CEM-style papers blend subjects inside one sitting with tight per-section timings and a wide vocabulary range. CEM itself stopped setting 11+ tests, but its style lives on in Trafford, several consortia and many independent schools — and in every paper here.
Where GL runs one subject per paper, CEM-style papers switch subject mid-paper: a comprehension passage, then numerical reasoning, then verbal analogies, each in a short timed block. The vocabulary range is noticeably wider than GL, timings are tighter, and there is less published question-type structure to memorise — which rewards genuinely broad reading and fast, flexible children.
A note on the name: CEM (the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring) withdrew from the 11+ market, and most former CEM regions have moved to GL or bespoke providers. The mixed-paper, vocabulary-heavy style survives in several consortia and independent schools — so "CEM-style" remains the useful label for this kind of preparation.
Practise the format with our mixed-subject mocks, build the vocabulary with the 12-month vocabulary plan, and drill switching speed in the Arena's mixed mode.
The CEM-style format is used by Trafford's two consortia (Altrincham Grammar, Sale Grammar and five more), the two-stage tests at Henrietta Barnett, the Tiffin Schools and QEB, and many independent-school entrance papers.
No — CEM withdrew from setting 11+ tests, and most former CEM regions moved to GL Assessment or bespoke providers. The mixed-subject, vocabulary-heavy style survives in Trafford, several super-selective two-stage tests and many independents, which is why CEM-style practice still matters.
Three ways: subjects are blended inside one paper rather than separated; per-section timings are tighter; and the vocabulary range is wider with less published question-type structure. Preparation leans on broad reading and pace rather than type-memorisation.
Mix subjects inside every practice session rather than doing hour-long single-subject blocks, read widely and log new vocabulary daily, and use timed mixed-paper mocks weekly from Easter of Year 5.
If you have started researching the 11+ you will keep bumping into the letters "CEM". A decade ago they mattered enormously: CEM (the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring), then based at Durham University and later part of Cambridge University Press & Assessment, set the entrance tests for a large slice of England's grammar schools. Its papers were designed to be harder to coach for than the alternatives, so families who had prepared purely from published practice books often found the real thing unfamiliar. Understanding what CEM was — and why the label persists even though the organisation no longer sets separate 11+ papers — saves you from preparing for an exam your child will never actually sit. Everything you need to practise the enduring style is free on Quest Arena.
CEM built its reputation on unpredictability. Where a traditional 11+ separated English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning into clearly labelled papers, a CEM sitting blended those subjects inside a single booklet and switched between them in short, tightly timed sections. A child might move from a cloze passage to numerical reasoning to synonyms within twenty minutes, with the clock called on each block rather than the paper as a whole. Two features stood out above all: an unusually wide vocabulary demand, which rewarded years of broad reading rather than last-minute word lists, and a deliberate reluctance to publish sample question types, which made narrow "teach to the test" coaching far less effective. The aim was to identify genuinely able all-rounders rather than the most heavily drilled.
Over 2022 and 2023 the landscape changed. CEM wound down its dedicated 11+ testing service, and the grammar-school consortia and individual schools that had relied on it needed a new supplier. The great majority moved across to GL Assessment, the long-established provider that now dominates UK selective testing, while a smaller number commissioned bespoke papers from other assessment specialists. The practical consequence for parents is simple but important: there is no live "CEM exam" to book or sit any more. When people say "CEM papers" today they mean the mixed-subject, vocabulary-heavy style — a style that outlived the organisation because several regions and schools kept commissioning tests built along the same lines.
Because each area made its own decision, there is no single answer — you must check your target school. The table below shows the common patterns you will encounter across former CEM territory.
| What you'll find now | What it means for preparation |
|---|---|
| Moved to GL Assessment | Most former CEM regions now use standard GL papers: multiple-choice, separated by subject, tightly timed, no calculator. Practise with clean single-subject drilling. |
| Bespoke / commissioned papers | Some consortia use tests written to order that keep a CEM-like blended feel. Broad reading and mixed practice still pay off. |
| Two-stage super-selective tests | Several highly competitive London schools run a first-round screen then a harder second paper; the style often stays mixed and fast. |
| Independent-school entrance | Many independents use their own papers or the ISEB Common Pre-Test, frequently echoing the CEM emphasis on vocabulary and reasoning. |
Whether your school moved to GL or kept a bespoke CEM-style paper, results are reported using Standard Age Scores — age-adjusted marks (roughly 69–141, where 100 is the average for a child's exact age) rather than a raw percentage. That means a younger child in the year group is not penalised for their age. To build the flexibility these papers reward:
All of this practice — worksheets, mixed-subject mocks, timed drills and the guided arena — is completely free on Quest Arena. There is no premium tier and no paywall: create a free account to save progress, or start straight away from the worksheet library.
Can I still buy or sit a real CEM 11+ paper? No. CEM stopped setting separate 11+ tests around 2022–2023, so there is no live CEM exam to book. Former CEM schools now use GL Assessment or bespoke papers, but the mixed-subject "CEM style" is still worth practising because several of those replacement papers keep the same feel.
How do I know which test my child's grammar school uses now? Always check the school's own admissions page for the current year, then cross-reference our school profiles. Provider arrangements changed recently, so a book or forum post from a few years ago may be out of date.
Is CEM-style preparation wasted if my school moved to GL? Not at all. The core CEM habits — wide reading, a strong vocabulary and fast, flexible thinking under time pressure — help with GL, ISEB and bespoke papers alike. You may simply add more separated, single-subject drilling to match GL's structure. Every resource you need for either route is free here.