What Is a Good 11 Plus Score? Regional Pass Marks, Percentiles and School Targets Explained

What Is a Standardised Age Score (SAS)?

A Standardised Age Score (SAS) is the number every child receives after sitting a GL Assessment 11 plus paper. The scale runs from 60 at the bottom to 142 at the top, with 100 set as the exact average for a child of that age. A score of 100 means your child performed exactly as expected for their age in the national standardisation sample. A score above 100 means they outperformed the average; below 100 means they fell short of it.

The key word in the name is "standardised." The raw score your child achieves (the number of questions they answer correctly) is not what appears on the results letter. Instead, the test provider takes the raw score and adjusts it based on the child's precise age at the time of sitting. A child who sits the exam in September aged 10 years and 0 months is competing against children who may be nearly a full year older. Without adjustment, the older children would have a systematic advantage simply because they have lived longer and learned more. Age standardisation removes that advantage by giving younger children a statistical uplift proportional to the gap.

The adjustment is applied to every child. An August-born child (the youngest in the school year) typically receives the largest uplift. A September-born child (the oldest) receives little or no uplift because their raw score already reflects the maximum benefit of age. Importantly, this is not a gift to younger children: it is a correction designed to ensure that the SAS reflects academic ability, not date of birth.

Once the age adjustment is made, the score is converted to the standard 60-142 scale using a look-up table specific to that year's cohort. This means the SAS also adjusts for how difficult the exam was in any given year: if all children score slightly lower because the paper was harder, the look-up table compensates so that the distribution of SAS scores remains consistent year on year.

What Counts as a Good 11 Plus Score?

The table below shows how different SAS ranges map to national percentiles and what each range typically means for grammar school competitiveness. These figures are based on GL Assessment's standardisation data and are consistent across GL-assessed regions.

| SAS Score | Approximate Percentile | What It Means | |-----------|----------------------|---------------| | 142 | Top 1% | Exceptional — the highest possible SAS. Extremely rare. Competitive at the most selective schools in England. | | 130+ | Top 4% | Excellent. Strongly competitive at the vast majority of grammar schools, including the most oversubscribed. | | 125+ | Top 8% | Very strong. Comfortable at most grammar schools; competitive even in high-demand areas like Barnet. | | 120+ | Top 10% | Strong. Meets or exceeds the qualifying threshold in most GL regions including Buckinghamshire. | | 115+ | Top 15% | Good. Competitive at many grammar schools; may fall short in the most contested London boroughs. | | 110+ | Top 20% | Sits within the grammar school ability range nationally but below the qualifying threshold in most areas. | | 100 | 50th percentile | Average for the year group — well below grammar school qualifying thresholds. | | Below 100 | Below average | Below the year group average. Grammar school entry is very unlikely without significant improvement. |

It is important to understand that these percentiles describe the full child population, not just 11 plus sitters. Because many parents who have no intention of applying to grammar school do not enter their children, the pool of children sitting the 11 plus is already self-selected to the higher end of the ability distribution. This means competition within the exam room is more intense than the national percentile table suggests.

A score of 120 is genuinely strong. In most GL regions it clears the qualifying threshold. But in a borough like Bexley or Sutton, where demand far exceeds supply, a score of 120 may not be enough to secure a place even if it technically qualifies. Knowing your specific regional threshold and target school's historical intake data is therefore essential.

EdifyPod Nexus's Readiness Indicator Score (RIS) calibrates your child's current performance against the actual requirements of their named target school, so you can see exactly how close they are rather than working from national averages.

11 Plus Pass Marks by Region

One of the most common sources of confusion is that there is no single national pass mark. Every consortium, local authority and exam board sets its own threshold. Some regions use SAS directly; others add paper scores together into a composite; others use a bespoke scale. The table below covers every major region with accurate, up-to-date data.

| Region | Exam Board | Pass Mark / Threshold | Notes | |--------|------------|----------------------|-------| | Buckinghamshire | GL Assessment | SAS 121 (qualifying score) | Score of 121 qualifies; placement also depends on school preference and catchment. Very competitive within qualifying pool. | | Kent | GL Assessment | 332 combined (English + Maths + VR + NVR) | Four papers each scored 0-100+. 332 is the qualifying threshold. Highly competitive; some schools set higher internal bars. | | Lincolnshire | GL Assessment | 220 combined (approx. English 50 + Maths 55 + VR 60 + NVR 55) | 15 grammar schools. Less contested than south-east regions. | | Trafford | GL Assessment | 334 combined | Altrincham Grammar schools typically require ~340+. Five schools with strong demand. | | Wirral | GL Assessment | 236 combined | Strong demand from Merseyside and Cheshire families. | | Medway | Own test (Medway Test) | ~483 (Medway's own scale) | Bespoke scoring. Medway Test set by GL but scored on a separate scale. Approximately top 25% qualify. | | West Midlands (Birmingham) | CEM | Typically 209-230 combined | Varies by school. King Edward VI schools set individual bars; combined score across two CEM papers. | | Essex (CSSE) | Own papers | 283 combined | Consortium of selective schools in south Essex. Own exam, own marking. | | Kingston upon Thames | Own scale | 105 qualifying | Tiffin Boys and Tiffin Girls use their own test and scoring. Exceptionally competitive nationally. | | Slough | GL Assessment | Approximately 111 per paper | Slough consortium uses individual paper SAS thresholds rather than a composite. | | Sutton | GL Assessment | Approximately 111 per paper | Similar approach to Slough. Very high demand given London location. | | Barnet | GL Assessment | Approximately 111 per paper | QE Boys and Henrietta Barnett both within Barnet but each sets internal bars well above the qualifying floor. | | Redbridge | GL Assessment | Approximately 104-109 per paper | Ilford County High and Woodford County High. Lower headline threshold but competition makes effective bar higher. | | Bexley | Own test (SET) | Bespoke scoring scale | Selective Eligibility Test run by the Bexley consortium. Not directly comparable to GL SAS. |

Always verify current thresholds directly with the relevant consortium or school admissions office before the application cycle, as pass marks can shift slightly year on year.

What Score Does Your Child Need for Specific Grammar Schools?

Regional pass marks tell you whether your child qualifies. But qualification is only the first step. In oversubscribed areas, the real competition happens within the qualified pool, and individual schools often have effective intake scores considerably higher than the qualifying threshold.

The figures below are approximate, based on aggregated admission outcomes and parent-reported data from recent cycles. They are illustrative, not guaranteed, and individual years can vary depending on cohort strength.

**Kent** - Judd School (Tonbridge): typically requires 133+ SAS to be competitive - Skinners' School (Tunbridge Wells): typically 133+ - Tonbridge Grammar School: typically 128+ - Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School (TWGGS): typically 125+

**Barnet (London)** - Henrietta Barnett School: typically 130+ SAS. The most oversubscribed state school in England, with approximately 3,000 applicants for 93 places. - Queen Elizabeth's Boys' School (QE Boys): typically 120+ SAS, but the distance criterion is the effective gating factor for most applicants.

**Buckinghamshire** - Beaconsfield High School: qualifying SAS of 121; effective competitive score around 125+ given the demand from a large catchment.

**West Midlands** - King Edward VI Grammar School (Handsworth): typically 215+ combined CEM score - King Edward VI Five Ways: highly selective within the KEVI family

**Gloucestershire** - Pate's Grammar School: CEM exam, typically top 5% of applicants in the county

These numbers illustrate why a target SAS of 120 is not the same as a target SAS of 130, even though both clear most qualifying thresholds. EdifyPod Nexus's Readiness Indicator Score (RIS) is designed to show you exactly where your child sits relative to their named target school, not just against a regional average. This means preparation time is spent closing the right gap rather than general practice without direction.

Does the 11 Plus Pass Mark Change Every Year?

Yes. The 11 plus is a norm-referenced test, which means the pass mark is not fixed in advance. Instead, the threshold is set after all children have sat the exam, based on how the cohort as a whole performed.

The mechanism works like this: the test provider ranks all SAS scores from highest to lowest. The selecting authority then sets the threshold at the point that corresponds to the number of places available (or, in many cases, a multiple of that number to create a qualified pool). Because the SAS is itself age-adjusted and cohort-adjusted, the threshold in points terms should theoretically remain stable year on year. In practice, however, there is variation.

If a particular year group is exceptionally strong (perhaps because more high-achieving children sat the exam, or because a popular independent school closed and redirected applicants), the effective competition increases and a child who would have qualified comfortably the year before may fall just short. The reverse is also true: a weaker cohort can mean the same raw performance qualifies more easily.

This has two practical implications for preparation. First, a target score should always include a buffer above the stated pass mark rather than aiming precisely at it. If the Buckinghamshire qualifying score is 121, a sensible preparation target is 125 or above. Second, historical pass marks should be treated as indicative rather than definitive: they show the range over recent years, not a guaranteed floor for the next cycle.

How Many Children Pass the 11 Plus?

Nationally, approximately 1 in 5 children who sit the 11 plus secures a grammar school place. That is a pass rate of roughly 20%, though this figure masks enormous regional variation.

Across England, approximately 93,000 children sit 11 plus tests each year across all regions and exam boards. The total number of grammar school places available annually is approximately 19,000 across 163 schools. At the national level, the supply-demand ratio is clear: five children competing for every place.

However, the 11 plus is not sat nationally in the way that GCSEs are. It is only sat in areas where grammar schools exist, and not every child in those areas enters. Self-selection means that the pool of sitters is already weighted towards higher-achieving children. The 20% national figure therefore understates the true level of competition within the exam room.

Regional variation is extreme. In Lincolnshire, with 15 grammar schools serving a large rural area, the effective pass rate for prepared children is considerably higher than 20%. In Bexley, with approximately 7,000 applicants for 850 places, the acceptance rate is closer to 12%. The headline national figure is a useful starting point but must be replaced with region-specific data as soon as a family knows their target area.

What If My Child Narrowly Misses the Pass Mark?

A borderline result is not necessarily the end of the grammar school route, though the options available depend heavily on the region.

In Buckinghamshire, children who score within a defined borderline band (typically within a few points of the qualifying score) are subject to a secondary assessment process. This does not automatically grant a grammar school place but gives borderline children an additional opportunity to demonstrate their ability before the final qualifying decision is made.

In Kent, the headteacher review process allows schools to consider borderline applicants on broader evidence of ability, including primary school reports and predicted performance. Parents must request this review within the application window.

Across most regions, a formal appeals process exists. Appeals are generally heard on procedural grounds (errors in the administration or marking of the test) rather than on the grounds of general ability or potential. Successful appeals are relatively rare, but procedural errors do occur and it is always worth requesting a breakdown of your child's paper if the result is unexpected.

Waiting lists are another avenue. In practice, significant movement can occur on waiting lists between the initial offer in March and the start of the autumn term, as families who hold multiple offers decline some in favour of others. Staying on the waiting list for preferred schools and responding promptly to any offer is worth doing.

Resitting the 11 plus is not generally permitted in GL Assessment areas. Most regions allow each child one attempt per application cycle.

How Does Age Standardisation Affect My Child's Score?

Age standardisation is often misunderstood by parents. The most common misconception is that it only helps August-born children. In fact it applies to every child, and the size of the uplift is proportional to how far below the maximum age a child falls at the point of sitting.

Children born in September are the oldest in the school year. When they sit the 11 plus in Year 6, they are approximately 11 years and 0 months old. They sit with children who are nearly a full calendar year younger. In an unadjusted test, the September-born child would have a structural advantage. Age standardisation removes this by comparing each child only to others of exactly the same age in the standardisation sample.

Children born in August are the youngest in the year, sitting the exam at approximately 10 years and 1-2 months. They receive the largest statistical adjustment because the gap between their age and the maximum age in the year group is greatest. This uplift can be meaningful, sometimes equivalent to several additional correct answers.

Importantly, the standardisation is designed to equalise the field, not to manufacture results. An August-born child who has not prepared adequately will still receive a lower SAS than a September-born child who has, even after adjustment. The uplift compensates for developmental age, not for gaps in knowledge or skill.

For practical purposes: do not factor age standardisation into preparation strategy. Prepare for the content and the exam format. The age adjustment will be applied automatically when results are processed.

How Can My Child Improve Their 11 Plus Score?

Score improvement is most reliably achieved by identifying specific weaknesses and targeting practice at those areas, rather than through general repetition of full papers.

Verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning are the two subjects most children find least familiar, because neither is explicitly taught in the primary curriculum. Vocabulary breadth (for VR) and spatial pattern recognition (for NVR) respond well to targeted practice from Year 4 or early Year 5. Waiting until Year 6 to start is possible but significantly compresses the available preparation time.

In Maths, the 11 plus tests Year 5 and Year 6 curriculum content, with particular emphasis on problem-solving, data handling, and multi-step arithmetic. Children who are secure in all Year 4 content by the start of Year 5 and then extend into Year 6 topics have a clear structural advantage.

In English, reading comprehension, inference, and the precise identification of grammatical features are the most tested skills. Wide reading from a young age remains one of the strongest predictors of English performance.

Exam technique matters for all subjects: time management within papers, checking strategies, and the ability to move on from an unfamiliar question without losing composure are skills that must be practised explicitly, not absorbed passively.

EdifyPod Nexus's Readiness Indicator Score (RIS) shows your child's current performance as a percentage readiness figure calibrated to their specific target school. Rather than asking "is 118 good?", parents can see "my child is 74% ready for Tonbridge Grammar School" and then act on the subject breakdown to close the remaining gap efficiently.

What Is the Difference Between a Raw Score and an SAS Score?

These two numbers answer different questions and are frequently confused.

The raw score is simply the number of questions your child answered correctly on the paper. If a paper has 80 questions and your child gets 62 right, their raw score is 62. Raw scores are directly comparable within a single paper but cannot be compared across different papers (which may have different numbers of questions or different difficulty levels) or across different sittings (where the cohort difficulty may vary).

The SAS is derived from the raw score through a two-step conversion. First, the raw score is age-adjusted: the same 62 correct answers means something different coming from a 10-year-1-month child than from an 11-year-0-month child, so the raw score is converted to an age-adjusted value. Second, that age-adjusted value is converted to the standard 60-142 scale using a conversion table calibrated against the national standardisation sample for that year's cohort.

The consequence is that the same raw score can produce a different SAS in different years, depending on whether the cohort overall found the paper easier or harder than average. It also means that a child who gets 62 correct in September and again in October after preparation may show a higher SAS in October even if the raw score is identical, because a younger child producing the same output generates a higher standardised result.

For preparation purposes, track both numbers. Raw score progress tells you whether knowledge and skill are improving. SAS estimates (which practice test providers often supply) tell you where that improvement will land on the scale that matters for admissions.