GL Assessment writes the 11+ for most English grammar regions. Our free worksheets and mocks mirror the GL style: separate timed papers per subject, five-option multiple choice, and the full GL question-type range.
GL Assessment papers test the four classic subjects — English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning — usually as separate timed papers with answers marked on a machine-read sheet. Questions are multiple choice with typically five options, drawn from a published range of question types (21 VR types, 20+ NVR types), which makes GL the most learnable of the boards: master the types and the paper holds no surprises.
Our worksheet library is organised around exactly those types, our 180 mocks replicate GL timing and answer-sheet format, and the Arena's practice mode drills the types with instant feedback. Start with the 21 VR types guide and the NVR types list.
Regions using GL Assessment include Kent, Buckinghamshire, Birmingham, Lincolnshire, Wirral, Slough & Reading, most Yorkshire grammars and Pate's Grammar. Check your school's profile in our directory to confirm.
Most English grammar regions: Kent, Buckinghamshire, Birmingham, Lincolnshire, Wirral, Slough & Reading, Gloucestershire and the majority of Yorkshire grammars. Each school profile in our directory lists its board.
No — they are original papers written by UK tutors in the GL style: same subjects, same question types, same timing and answer-sheet format. GL does not release its live papers, so realistic style-matched practice is what preparation means for every provider.
Usually five (A–E). Practising elimination technique against five options is a skill in itself — our mock papers replicate this exactly.
GL Assessment is the dominant supplier of 11+ entrance tests across England, writing the selective tests used by the majority of grammar-school regions. Since CEM discontinued its separate 11+ paper around 2022–2023 and its former regions moved to GL or to bespoke papers, the GL format has become the single most important style for families to understand. The good news is that GL is also the most predictable board: its content is drawn from a published, finite range of question types, so consistent, targeted practice genuinely moves the needle. Everything on Quest Arena that helps you do that — every worksheet, every mock, every practice drill — is completely free.
A GL selection normally covers up to four skill areas, though which combination your target school uses varies by region. Always confirm against your school's entry on our grammar-schools directory.
The reason tutors describe GL as the most learnable board is that its Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning papers draw from a documented catalogue of question types. Learn to recognise each type, learn the method that unlocks it, and an unfamiliar paper stops feeling like a lottery. Common Verbal Reasoning types include finding hidden words, letter and number sequences, analogies, closest and opposite meanings, letter codes, and moving-letter puzzles. Non-Verbal Reasoning types include odd-one-out, series completion, matrices, analogies, rotation, reflection and folded-paper questions. Our worksheet library is organised around exactly these types so you can drill one at a time and turn weaknesses into strengths.
GL papers are tightly timed and marked on a machine-read answer sheet, so pace and accurate answer-transfer matter as much as raw ability. Subjects may be sat as separate short papers or bundled together depending on the region, and multiple-choice questions typically offer around five options, which makes disciplined elimination a genuine skill worth rehearsing. Exact timings and the precise subject mix are set locally, so treat the table below as a general orientation and verify the specifics with your school or admissions authority.
| Feature | What to expect with GL |
|---|---|
| Answer format | Multiple choice, usually about five options, marked on a separate machine-read sheet |
| Calculator | Not permitted in the Maths paper |
| Pacing | Tightly timed — many pupils find time pressure the hardest part |
| Question source | Drawn from a published range of named VR and NVR types |
| Scoring | Raw marks converted to an age-adjusted Standardised Age Score |
GL results are usually reported as a Standardised Age Score (SAS) rather than a raw mark or a simple percentage. The point of standardisation is fairness: a child born in August is nearly a year younger than a September-born classmate in the same year group, so raw scores are statistically adjusted for each pupil's exact age in years and months. On the typical SAS scale, 100 represents the average for a child of that age, with most scores falling roughly between about 69 and 141. A higher score simply means a pupil performed above the average for their age. Because the adjustment and the qualifying threshold are set by each admissions authority, there is no single national pass mark — always check the arrangements published for your region.
Effective GL preparation is less about volume and more about structure. A sensible routine looks like this, and every step is free on Quest Arena:
Yes. GL papers are typically multiple choice with around five options per question, and answers are recorded on a separate machine-read answer sheet. Because of this, practising accurate answer-transfer and confident elimination is part of preparing well — our mock papers replicate this format.
A Standardised Age Score of 100 is the average for a child of that exact age, so anything above 100 is above average. Qualifying thresholds are set locally by each admissions authority rather than nationally, so there is no universal pass mark — check the arrangements published for your region.
Yes. Quest Arena is free to use. Our worksheets, full-length mocks and practice drills are written by UK tutors in the GL style — the same subjects, question types, timing and answer-sheet format. GL does not release its live papers, so realistic style-matched practice is exactly what preparation means. Start with the worksheets or a mock paper.