May 2026
CEM vs GL: How the Two 11+ Exams Actually Differ
GL Assessment and CEM are the two big 11+ exam boards in the UK. They look similar on the surface - both test English, maths, reasoning - but they work very differently in practice.
Understanding the difference matters because preparing for one is quite different from preparing for the other. And if you live in a CEM area, your prep strategy needs to flip.
Which Areas Use Which?
GL Assessment: Kent, Medway, Essex, Surrey, parts of Yorkshire and Lancashire, Independent schools.
CEM (Durham University): Birmingham, Coventry, London (some councils), Lincolnshire, Solihull, Stockport, Trafford, Wirral, parts of West Sussex.
Your council website will tell you which one you're using. Know this before you buy a single practice book.
The Core Difference: Predictability
GL is predictable. It uses a fixed library of question types (we've catalogued 21 of them). The format stays almost identical year-on-year. Question type 1 always looks like a semantic analogy. Question type 5 is always letter sequences.
CEM is deliberately unpredictable. They don't have fixed question types. The questions change radically from year to year. They might include a question type in one year and never repeat it again.
This changes everything about preparation.
GL: The Detail
Question Structure
Fixed types across all papers. Type numbers 1–21 are consistent. You can build pattern recognition.
Past Papers Value
Extremely high. Doing 50 GL papers is practice at the real skill you need. Questions are nearly identical to what you'll face.
Timing
20 questions in 20 minutes for VR/NVR. Tight, consistent pace across all schools and years.
Verbal Reasoning
Predictable types. If you've seen type 5 (letter sequences) 30 times, you'll solve it in under 90 seconds on test day.
Non-Verbal Reasoning
Fixed types: rotations, reflections, sequences, shape codes, analogy grids. Pattern-heavy.
Maths
Comprehensive across all KS2 topics. No surprises. If you've covered the curriculum, you've covered the test.
Prep strategy for GL: Past papers, timed practice, type-by-type drilling. Repetition builds speed. You can train kids to near-automatic recognition of each question type.
CEM: The Difference
Question Structure
No fixed types. Questions evolve annually. What was tested in 2024 might never appear again. Unpredictability is the point.
Past Papers Value
Medium. Useful for understanding what CEM values, but you can't memorise patterns. You need flexible thinking, not pattern matching.
Timing
Varies more. Sections might be 20 minutes with varying question counts. Less predictable pacing.
Verbal Reasoning
Tests reasoning flexibility, not type recognition. Questions might be novel combinations of skills. Heavy on comprehension and inference.
Non-Verbal Reasoning
Broader. Includes unusual question formats. Kids need spatial reasoning flexibility, not type drilling.
Maths
Slightly different feel. Often includes a reading/interpretation element. It's not just "solve the equation" - it's "work out what's being asked" first.
Prep strategy for CEM: Build flexible reasoning skills rather than pattern recognition. Use past papers to understand what CEM values, but don't expect repetition. Focus on underlying logic, not type drilling.
The Practical Impact
If you live in Kent (GL), you can absolutely prepare your child to near-certainty on the question types. You'll know exactly what format Section A, Question 1 takes. You can drill it to perfection.
If you live in a CEM area (Birmingham, London, etc.), you can't do that. You can prepare your child to be flexible, fast, and logical. But you can't predict the exact question format they'll face.
This is why CEM areas often report higher tutor costs and longer preparation timelines. You're not teaching question types; you're building general reasoning stamina.
Which Is Harder?
Neither is objectively harder. They test the same broad skills. But GL rewards pattern drilling. CEM rewards flexible reasoning. Pick the strategy that matches the exam.
Some kids are pattern-matchers - they're happier with GL's predictability. Others are flexible problem-solvers - they thrive on CEM's novelty. Your child's thinking style matters as much as the exam board.
Final Point
If you're choosing between areas (maybe you're considering a house move or an out-of-area school), ask other parents which exam board they faced. The prep experience is genuinely different.
And whatever exam board you're on, don't spend your prep time learning the wrong exam format. Check your council website now. Know which one you're preparing for.
Try 11+app free for 7 days →