CSSE 11+
The CSSE 11+ is the entrance exam for seven selective grammar schools in Essex. It includes a distinctive creative writing component alongside English, Maths and Verbal Reasoning.
418
Max Score
~2 hours 30 minutes (including breaks)
Duration
2
Papers
No
Neg. Marking
Overview
The CSSE test is unique among 11+ exams in including a creative writing element, testing not just accuracy but imagination and style. The consortium was formed to provide a common entrance test for Essex grammar schools, simplifying the process for families. Each school sets its own qualifying score based on available places.
Subjects & Weightage
English (Comprehension)
~25%A reading comprehension paper with a passage followed by questions testing inference, deduction, vocabulary and understanding.
Question Types
What's Covered
Comprehension Skills
- Literal retrieval — finding stated facts in the text
- Inferential understanding — reading between the lines
- Deduction — using clues to draw logical conclusions
- Summarising key points and main ideas concisely
- Evaluating an author's purpose, tone and viewpoint
Language & Vocabulary
- Defining words and phrases from context
- Explaining the effect of specific word choices
- Identifying figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification)
- Synonyms, antonyms and shades of meaning
- Technical and subject-specific vocabulary
Text Structure & Features
- Identifying text types: narrative, informational, persuasive, poetry
- Understanding paragraphing and text organisation
- Recognising structural features (headings, bullet points, introductions, conclusions)
- Comparing viewpoints across different texts
Tip: Read the passage carefully at least twice before answering. Look for evidence in the text to support your answers.
Mathematics
~25%Covers the full KS2 maths curriculum with some questions stretching beyond national curriculum expectations.
Question Types
What's Covered
Number & Arithmetic
- Place value to 10 million, ordering and rounding
- All four operations with whole numbers and decimals
- BODMAS and multi-step calculations
- Prime numbers, factors, multiples and square numbers
- Negative numbers and number lines
Fractions, Ratio & Proportion
- Adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions
- Converting between fractions, decimals and percentages
- Ratio notation and simplifying ratios
- Proportion problems (e.g. recipe scaling, map scales)
- Percentage increase and decrease, finding the original value
Algebra
- Sequences — finding rules and missing terms
- Simple formulae and substitution
- Solving equations with one unknown
- Using algebra to express word problems
Geometry & Measurement
- Properties of 2D shapes (triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons)
- Area, perimeter and volume of standard and compound shapes
- Angle rules (straight line, around a point, in a triangle, vertically opposite)
- Coordinates in all four quadrants, translation, reflection and rotation
- Converting units of length, mass, capacity and time
Statistics & Data
- Mean, median, mode and range
- Reading and constructing bar charts, line graphs, pie charts and tables
- Interpreting real-world data and two-way tables
Tip: The CSSE maths paper is considered challenging — ensure comfort with multi-step word problems and working under time pressure.
Verbal Reasoning
~25%Tests logical thinking and language skills through various verbal reasoning question types.
Question Types
What's Covered
Word Relationships
- Word analogies — identifying relationships between pairs
- Synonyms and antonyms in reasoning contexts
- Odd one out from a set of words
- Word connections and categories
Codes & Logic
- Letter-number coding (assigning numbers to letters and vice versa)
- Alphabet position and shifting
- Logical deduction from a set of given statements
- True/false/cannot tell from given information
Letter & Word Patterns
- Completing words with missing letters
- Compound word formation
- Hidden words within longer words or sentences
- Anagram solving
- Letter sequences and alphabetical ordering patterns
Tip: Practise a wide range of question types. Verbal reasoning is very learnable with consistent practice.
Creative Writing
~25%Children write a short creative piece (story or description) in response to a prompt. Marked on content, organisation, style, vocabulary and technical accuracy.
Question Types
What's Covered
Story & Narrative Writing
- Planning a story with a clear beginning, build-up, climax and resolution
- Creating believable characters with thoughts, feelings and dialogue
- Setting the scene with sensory detail (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)
- Building tension and suspense through pacing
- Writing a satisfying and purposeful ending
Descriptive Techniques
- Using similes, metaphors and personification effectively
- Show-don't-tell (conveying emotion through action and description)
- Varying sentence length for effect (short for impact, long for flow)
- Powerful vocabulary choices — strong verbs, precise adjectives, vivid adverbs
Technical Accuracy
- Correct use of paragraphs to organise ideas
- Accurate spelling, especially of ambitious vocabulary
- Punctuation within dialogue (speech marks, new line for new speaker)
- Varied sentence openers (adverbs, -ing clauses, prepositional phrases)
- Consistent tense and point of view throughout
Tip: Practise writing to a time limit. Plan before writing — a clear beginning, middle and end. Use varied vocabulary and sentence structures. Leave time to proofread.
Test Format & Scoring
Total Duration
Approximately 2 hours 30 minutes (including breaks)
Papers
2 papers (Paper 1: English + Creative Writing; Paper 2: Maths + Verbal Reasoning)
Question Format
Mix of multiple-choice and written answers. Creative writing is free-form.
Scoring
Total max score: approximately 418. Each school sets its own threshold. Scores are not age-standardised.
No negative marking — always attempt every question, even if you're unsure.
Test Day Information
What to Bring
- HB pencils and a pen (blue or black)
- An eraser and sharpener
- No calculators or electronic devices
- A water bottle
- A snack for the break
Breaks
There is a supervised break between Paper 1 and Paper 2, typically 15–20 minutes.
Test Centres
The test is sat at one of the consortium schools. You'll be allocated a centre when you register — it may not be your first-preference school.
Special Arrangements
Access arrangements must be applied for during registration with supporting professional evidence (e.g. EP report). The CSSE will confirm arrangements before the test date.
Key Dates
19 May 2025
Registration opens for the 11+ exam
23 June 2025
Final day to register for the 11+ exam
20 September 2025at 09:00:00
11+ entrance exam
17 October 2025
11+ results released to parents
31 October 2025
Common Application Form deadline (all LAs)
1 March 2026
National Offer Day — places confirmed
18 May 2026
Registration opens for the 11+ exam
22 June 2026
Final day to register for the 11+ exam
19 September 2026at 09:00:00
11+ entrance exam
16 October 2026
11+ results released to parents
31 October 2026
Common Application Form deadline (all LAs)
1 March 2027
National Offer Day — places confirmed
Preparation Advice
When to Start
Most families begin 12–15 months before the test. The creative writing element benefits from longer-term practice — building writing stamina and style.
Key Resources
CSSE provides a familiarisation booklet on their website. CGP and Bond practice papers. For creative writing, regular story writing practice is essential.
Practice Tips
Allocate specific practice time for creative writing — it's the component most families neglect. Write stories to a 25-minute time limit. Read published model answers to understand what examiners look for.
Important Notes
Registration typically opens in May/June and closes in July
The test is usually held in September, on a Saturday
Results arrive in October before the CAF deadline
Each CSSE school has its own qualifying threshold — qualifying for one does not guarantee qualifying for all
Out-of-area applicants can sit the test but some schools prioritise local candidates via distance criteria
Ready to check your chances?
Enter your postcode to see which CSSE 11+ schools you could realistically get into — with distance, score and selection method analysis.