2026 11 Plus Exam for Upton Court Grammar School
Stay ahead with exclusive tips on the Slough 11+ exam for Upton Court Grammar School
We’re dedicated to your child’s success
With a proven track record in preparing pupils for the 11 Plus, Marie Redmond MEd and her team of exceptional, fully qualified and experienced primary teachers (not 'tutors') provide specialist tuition focused on your child’s individual learning needs.
Our unique 11 Plus tuition courses in Amersham, Aylesbury, Beaconsfield, Bushey, Gerrards Cross, High Wycombe, Maidenhead, Reading (Winnersh, Wokingham) and Stoke Poges are structured to give children the confidence they need to sit and pass exams in a friendly, stress-free environment.
Introduction to the Slough Consortium 11 Plus exam
To be eligible to apply for a place at a Slough grammar school (Herschel Grammar School, Langley Grammar School, St Bernard’s Catholic Grammar School and Upton Court Grammar School), your child will need to achieve the qualifying score in the Slough Consortium 11 Plus exam.
Children born between 1st September 2015 and 31st August 2016 will take the Slough Consortium 11+ exam on Saturday 19th September 2026 to be eligible to apply for a place for September 2027.
The Consortium operates a shared 11 Plus testing process, with all four schools using the same test papers and common eligibility criteria for selection.
GL Assessment is the test provider for the September 2026 examination. The test assesses English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, and the results are age-standardised.
Changes from September 2027
On 13th July 2026, the Slough Consortium announced that Quest Assessments will become its new test provider from September 2027. This change does not affect children sitting the examination in September 2026. It will first apply to children sitting the 11+ in September 2027 for entry to secondary school in September 2028.
The Consortium has confirmed that the new assessment will continue to test English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. Results will remain age-standardised, and the qualifying score will continue to be 111.
We are reviewing the information published by Quest Assessments and will update our teaching resources and mock examinations to reflect the format and style of the new assessment.
Eligibility and admissions
For the September 2026 examination, Slough 11+ scores are not shared with other grammar school areas. Therefore, a child applying to both Slough and another grammar school area, such as Buckinghamshire, will need to sit each area’s entrance examination.
We expect this arrangement to continue from September 2027, as the change relates to the assessment provider rather than the wider admissions process.
The tests identify the top 35% of the cohort as eligible for consideration for entry to a Slough grammar school. The qualifying score is 111.
FAQs
- The Slough 11 Plus exam consists of two papers, taken on the same day, each approximately 60 minutes in duration and testing English, mathematics, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.
- All questions on both papers are multiple choice and pupils indicate their answers on a separate answer sheet.
The provider of the Slough 11+ exam changed from CEM to GL Assessment in September 2023. Parent guides and familiarisation papers are available to download on the admissions pages of each of the Slough Consortium Grammar Schools.
- You need to register your child to take the Slough Consortium 11 Plus test.
- Online registration for the 2026 exam (for September 2027 entry) will open on Friday 1st May 2026 and close on Friday 5th June 2026.
- The sole purpose of registration is to enable your son or daughter to sit the 11 Plus exam. The consortium will order one set of exam papers for them, therefore ensure that you complete the registration process once only.
What Do Our Slough 11+ Courses Cover
Every Relevant Subject, Every Week
Each of our courses is designed around the content of the specific 11+ examination for which children are preparing. We do not divide the year into separate subject blocks, with, for example, English taught in one term, maths in another and verbal or non-verbal reasoning in another, because we do not believe this provides effective preparation for the 11+.
Children need to practise every relevant subject regularly. If a subject is taught for one term and then set aside for several months, children will forget important knowledge and techniques before the examination. They also lose the opportunity to build steadily upon their understanding and develop their skills to the level required for 11+ success.
Instead, every lesson includes all the subject areas relevant to the examination your child is preparing for. For example, children preparing for the Slough 11+ exam study English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning every week. Where examination requirements differ, the teaching and materials are tailored accordingly. It is therefore important to indicate on the enrolment form which 11+ examination or examinations your child is preparing for. Previously taught skills are revisited regularly, while new knowledge and techniques are introduced progressively, enabling children to improve continuously throughout the course.
English and Verbal Reasoning (approx. 50% of the mark*)
- Comprehension
- Verbal reasoning (the production of words, relationships between words, letters and numbers)
- Vocabulary
- Spelling
- Grammar
- Punctuation
Mathematical skills (approx. 25% of the mark*)
- Basic skills (addition, multiplication, division and subtraction)
- Mental maths development
- Problem solving techniques
- Extracting information from graphs and tables
- Averages
- Foundation algebra concepts
- Fractions, decimals and percentages
- Ratio and proportion
- Area and volume
- 2d and 3d shapes
Non-Verbal Reasoning (approx. 25% of the mark*)
- Spatial awareness
- Logical deduction skills
- Mathematical concepts such as symmetry, rotation and reflection
- Identifying relationships, similarities and differences between figures
- Identifying sequences between shapes
* Weighting is based on the GL Assessment examination. The Slough Consortium has confirmed that the Quest assessment will continue to assess English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Weighting information will be updated if further details are published.
Small Classes
Equally, we do not believe that extremely small groups or one-to-one tuition are automatically better. Effective 11+ preparation requires a carefully structured programme that prepares for every area of the exam in a balanced and systematic way. Without that structure, there is a risk of focusing too heavily on isolated weaknesses, which can sometimes affect a child’s confidence and leave gaps elsewhere in their preparation. Children also benefit enormously from discussion, shared learning and working alongside motivated peers in a small academic group.
Discover the proven benefits of small class sizes.
11+ Mock Exams With Marie Redmond 11+ Intelligent Video Learning®
Get exam ready with Marie Redmond Tuition® 11 Plus Mock Exams for the Slough Consortium 11 Plus. Students who sat our mock exams in 2025 said they were very similar to the actual test, which made them feel prepared and confident when sitting the exam.
Marie Redmond's Superbrain® 11+ Resources
Students attending our Year 5 11+ Easter and 11+ summer holiday courses receive a Superbrain® English and verbal reasoning holiday course book for each week they attend, further reinforcing their skills. Plus, all term-time students receive Marie Redmond's Superbrain® 11 Plus Flash Cards upon joining—an interactive resource designed to supercharge their vocabulary and accelerate exam preparation.
Explore our full Superbrain® collection and discover how these exclusive resources support students on their journey to 11+ success.
Data-Led Approach With SuccessTrack® by Marie Redmond
In addition to weekly spelling tests, our term-time students undergo formal assessments twice per term—at half-term and at the end of the term—covering all topic areas. These assessments provide a valuable measure of progress over time, ensuring that we can track genuine improvements in attainment without being overly influenced by short-term fluctuations. Testing more frequently risks skewing results due to the occasional ‘off week,’ whereas our structured approach strikes the perfect balance between regular monitoring and meaningful insight.
Based on the initial assessment and your child's specific answers, we create a personalised tuition plan that sets individual targets for each subject area that is relevant to them, such as English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Every lesson is designed to develop these areas. We continuously monitor progress, allowing us to refine tuition plans to ensure they suit your child's needs and challenges.
Parents are always welcome to contact us at any stage during their child's 11+ course for feedback on their development. They can speak with their child's teacher after lessons or contact Marie directly by phone or email for further insight. As a smaller provider, we take pride in our ability to offer tailored guidance and maintain a close, supportive relationship with families.
The Marie Redmond Tuition® Book Club
Sharing our enjoyment of books is a fantastic way to encourage reading and therefore develop vocabulary and comprehension at home. The Marie Redmond Tuition® Book Club is an excellent platform for discussions about books, opportunities for creativity and promoting reading for pleasure. Discover our book of the month.
The Marie Redmond Tuition® Creative Thinking Course
The virtual Creative Thinking Course is particularly useful for boys preparing for the latest format of the Reading School 11+ exam but is open to all our term-time students.
Students attend one creative thinking lesson per week on Zoom, which lasts for 45 minutes. Students are taught to use innovation and problem solving. They will become adept at approaching situations in different ways, using diverse strategies. Every lesson includes a fun thinking skills warm-up activity followed by the main focus of the lesson. Strategies like group discussions, questioning, mind mapping, and thinking 'outside the box' are employed to encourage creative learning approaches. Students learn various writing techniques and how to draft, review, and edit their work.
For further information, including fees, term dates and FAQ's, please visit our Creative Thinking Course page.
Our courses are led by qualified primary teachers and prepare pupils for all aspects of the Slough 11 Plus
Discover our 11 Plus courses