The 11 Plus maths paper covers a broader range of topics than most parents expect. Unlike the school maths curriculum, which moves through topics one unit at a time, the 11 Plus tests everything at once — and it tests it fast. A child sitting a GL Assessment paper has roughly 50 seconds per question across 50–60 questions spanning six topic areas.
This guide gives you the complete 11 Plus maths syllabus: every topic tested, which ones carry the most marks, how GL Assessment and CEM papers differ in their weighting, a year-by-year preparation plan, and the fastest route to marks if your exam is approaching soon.
The Complete 11+ Maths Topic List
There is no single published 11 Plus maths syllabus, but both GL Assessment and CEM draw from the same pool of Key Stage 2 topics, weighted differently by board. The six main areas are below, with the key subtopics your child needs to know within each.
Number & Place Value
Ordering and rounding whole numbers and decimals, factors and multiples, prime numbers, square and cube numbers, negative numbers, and mental arithmetic strategies.
FoundationFractions, Decimals & Percentages
Simplifying and comparing fractions, equivalent fractions, mixed numbers, fraction of an amount, converting between fractions/decimals/percentages, and percentage increase and decrease.
High priorityRatio & Proportion
Writing and simplifying ratios, dividing quantities in a given ratio, scaling recipes and maps, direct proportion, and proportional reasoning in word problems.
High priorityAlgebra
Number sequences and their rules, formulae and substitution, simple linear equations, function machines, and expressing missing number problems algebraically.
Core skillGeometry
Properties of 2D and 3D shapes, angles on a line and in a triangle, area and perimeter of rectangles and compound shapes, volume of cuboids, coordinates, symmetry, and transformations.
Core skillData Handling & Measurement
Reading tables, bar charts, line graphs, and pie charts. Mean, median, mode, and range. Units of measurement and conversion. Time, distance, speed, and scale problems.
Core skillTotal topic coverage
A typical GL Assessment maths paper tests all six areas in a single 45–50 minute sitting. Every topic area above will appear in the paper — the question is how many marks each carries and how much revision time it deserves.
The Big Three: Fractions, Percentages & Ratio
Not all 11 Plus maths topics are created equal. Fractions, percentages, and ratio consistently account for the largest share of marks — roughly 30–40% of the total marks available in a standard GL Assessment paper. There are two reasons for this.
First, each topic is tested heavily on its own terms. A GL maths paper typically includes 8–12 fraction questions, 6–10 percentage questions, and 5–8 ratio questions as standalone items. That’s up to 30 questions from three topic areas before counting anything else.
Second, all three topics are interconnected. Percentage problems are often fastest to solve via fractions. Ratio simplification requires fraction knowledge. Proportion questions frequently blend all three. A child who is strong on fractions tends to perform above average across the entire paper — not just the fraction section.
Why fractions come first
Of the three, fractions are the foundation. A child who cannot confidently simplify, add, and find a fraction of an amount will struggle with percentages and ratio too. If you are building a revision plan from scratch, start with fractions and treat the others as extensions of the same skill set.
Where to start
Our 11 Plus Maths Fractions deep-dive guide covers all eight fraction subtopics, the most common mistakes, and how to practise effectively at each year group. It’s the single most useful place to start for 11 Plus maths prep.
Geometry: smaller share, non-negotiable
Geometry accounts for roughly 15–20% of marks. It requires a different type of thinking — visual and spatial rather than numerical — which makes it harder to improve quickly. Children who struggle with geometry often find that targeted practice on area, perimeter, and angles in a short burst produces rapid gains, because the core formulas are few and the question types are predictable.
Data handling: easy marks if you know the rules
Data handling questions are among the most accessible in the 11 Plus. Reading a bar chart or finding the mean of five numbers requires no deep mathematical insight — only careful reading and a reliable method. Most children leave marks here by rushing. Slow your child down on data handling questions; they’re among the quickest marks to recover.
How GL and CEM Weight Maths Differently
The same topics appear on both GL Assessment and CEM papers, but the structure, format, and weighting differ enough to change how you should prepare. Understanding the difference matters most for the final three months before the exam.
| Feature | GL Assessment | CEM (Durham) |
|---|---|---|
| Paper format | 50–60 multiple choice questions; 45–50 minutes | Shorter computer-adaptive sections; mixed question styles |
| Topic structure | Topics tested discretely — one skill per question | Topics frequently combined in multi-step problems |
| Fractions & percentages | High weighting; standalone questions with a clear difficulty gradient | High weighting; often embedded in proportion or word problems |
| Algebra | Moderate presence; sequences, function machines, simple equations | Lower explicit presence; algebraic reasoning embedded in other questions |
| Geometry | 15–20% of paper; area, angles, coordinates, transformations | Similar proportion; may appear alongside data handling or measurement |
| Mental arithmetic | Tested throughout; no calculator; 50 seconds per question average | Similar time pressure; adaptive difficulty affects mental load |
| Word problems | 1–2 step word problems across most topic areas | 3+ step word problems more common; reasoning is explicitly tested |
Which board does your school use?
Most grammar schools in England use GL Assessment. CEM is used by a smaller number of local authorities, including parts of Birmingham, Wiltshire, and Berkshire. Check your target school’s website or local council for confirmation. If you are unsure, prepare for GL first — GL-style topic practice is fully transferable to CEM, but not always in reverse. For a full side-by-side comparison of both boards across all four subjects, see our GL vs CEM exam board guide.
Preparing for CEM specifically
If your child is sitting a CEM paper, prioritise multi-step word problems that blend topics — for example, a question that requires finding a percentage, converting it to a fraction, and using it to solve a ratio problem. These integrated questions are exactly where CEM tests differ most from GL.
Year-by-Year Study Plan
The most effective 11 Plus maths preparation is spread over two to three years — not crammed into the months before the exam. Below is a realistic plan broken down by year group, from initial foundations to full exam technique.
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Year 4
Build the foundations
Focus on number fluency: times tables up to 12×12 (fully automatic), place value, basic fractions (equivalent fractions, simplifying), and mental arithmetic strategies. Twenty minutes of maths practice three to four times a week is sufficient at this stage. Do not introduce timed conditions yet — accuracy and understanding come first.
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Year 5
Cover the full topic list
Work through all six topic areas systematically. Fractions should be fully secure by the end of Year 5 — including adding and subtracting unlike fractions, mixed numbers, and fractions of amounts. Introduce percentages, ratio, and proportion in the second half of the year. Begin geometry (area, perimeter, angles) and algebra (sequences, simple equations). Start using exam-standard questions, not school textbooks. Twenty to thirty minutes, four times a week.
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Year 6 — Term 1
Full papers under timed conditions
Move to complete past papers and timed practice. The goal is speed without sacrificing accuracy: most 11 Plus papers require a question answered every 50 seconds on average. Identify the two or three weakest topics from paper reviews and drill those specifically each week. Use AI marking or detailed answer keys to analyse the type of error (wrong method vs. arithmetic slip vs. misread question).
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Year 6 — Exam Term
Consolidate and maintain confidence
Two to four weeks before the exam, reduce the volume of new practice and shift focus to consolidation. Short sessions on known weak spots, one or two full papers per week for pacing, and deliberate review of recurring errors. At this stage, familiarity with the question format and confidence under time pressure matter as much as topic knowledge.
Which Topics to Prioritise When Time is Short
If the exam is within three months and your child has gaps across multiple topic areas, you cannot cover everything equally. This is the order in which to prioritise, based on marks available and speed of improvement.
1. Fractions (highest return on revision time)
No other single topic offers as many marks, and the core skills respond quickly to focused practice. If your child can reliably simplify, add, subtract, and find a fraction of an amount, they have secured a significant portion of the paper. Read our complete fractions guide for the specific subtopics and practice approach.
2. Mental arithmetic and number fluency
Slow number work is a multiplier on every other topic. A child who takes five seconds to calculate 8×7 will run out of time before completing the paper. Times tables must be fully automatic. Spend 10 minutes a day on mental arithmetic recall if this is a weak area — the gains compound quickly.
3. Percentages
Once fractions are secure, percentages are fast to pick up because the methods are closely related. Finding 10%, 5%, 1% of a value and combining them to find any percentage is a reliable technique that works across question types. Percentage increase and decrease follows directly.
4. Data handling
Data handling questions are accessible and undervalued by many families. A child who can read charts carefully and calculate mean and range reliably will pick up marks that others miss through rushed reading. This area improves quickly with two to three focused sessions.
5. Geometry
Geometry improves more slowly than number topics because it requires spatial reasoning alongside procedural recall. Focus on the highest-frequency question types: area and perimeter of compound shapes, missing angles in triangles and on straight lines, and volume of cuboids. Leave complex transformation or coordinates questions until the other topics are solid.
The rule of diminishing returns
Your child will gain more marks by raising a topic from 40% to 70% than by raising a strong topic from 85% to 95%. In the final weeks before the exam, target the floor — not the ceiling.
Start with the Fractions Worksheet
The single most impactful place to start 11 Plus maths preparation — for any year group — is fractions. Fractions are the highest-weighted topic, the foundation for percentages and ratio, and the area where children drop the most avoidable marks.
Our 11 Plus Maths Fractions worksheet covers all eight fraction topic areas in the GL Assessment and CEM format. It’s designed for Years 4–6 and includes a full worked answer key. Once your child has completed it, upload a photo to our AI marking tool for instant question-by-question feedback — including which fraction subtopics need more work.
11 Plus Maths Fractions Worksheet
Exam-standard fractions questions covering all 8 topic areas. Instant PDF download. Full answer key included. No subscription — buy once, use as often as you like.
Get the Worksheet → One-time download — just £2.49 See sample worksheet →Quick Summary
- Six topic areas in total: number and place value, fractions/decimals/percentages, ratio and proportion, algebra, geometry, and data handling and measurement.
- Fractions, percentages, and ratio are the big three — together accounting for 30–40% of marks. All three are connected; strong fraction skills support performance across the paper.
- GL Assessment tests topics discretely (one skill per question); CEM combines topics in multi-step word problems. Both are 45–50 minute papers under significant time pressure.
- Year 4: foundations and fluency. Year 5: full topic coverage. Year 6: timed papers, targeted drilling on weak areas, consolidation before exam day.
- If time is short: fractions first, then mental arithmetic, then percentages. Data handling offers quick gains. Geometry improves more slowly.
- Start with the fractions worksheet — it’s the highest-priority topic and the best diagnostic tool for where your child stands.
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