Hertfordshire 11+ preparation: grammar schools and local independents
Hertfordshire runs a partially selective system: most of the county's grammar schools sit a GL Assessment-style test in September of Year 6, coordinated through local consortium arrangements rather than one single county-wide exam. A handful of independent schools in the county (Berkhamsted, Haberdashers' Girls', St Albans High) run their own separate entrance assessments, usually later in the autumn term.
Because Hertfordshire mixes several small consortia rather than one uniform test, it's worth checking which specific arrangement applies to the school(s) you're targeting before you start prepping to a particular format.
Hertfordshire 11+ at a glance
8 of the 11 verified Hertfordshire schools in our database use a GL Assessment-style test, sat in September of Year 6.
GL-style papers cover verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and maths (some consortia add an English element).
The remaining 3 (Berkhamsted, Haberdashers' Girls', St Albans High) are independent schools with their own bespoke or ISEB-style tests, some sat in November.
Watford Grammar School for Boys and for Girls, Queens' School and Rickmansworth School are all grammar schools serving the Watford/Three Rivers area.
Registration windows are set by each consortium separately, typically opening in spring/summer of Year 5 — check dates directly with each school as early as possible.
Grammar schools using GL Assessment
Watford Grammar School for Boys — GL Assessment, September test
Watford Grammar School for Girls — GL Assessment, September test
Queens' School Watford — GL Assessment, September test
Rickmansworth School — GL Assessment, September test
St Clement Danes School — GL Assessment, September test
Parmiter's School — GL Assessment, part of the Herts consortium arrangement
Dame Alice Owen's School — bespoke own-paper test, September
Independent schools with separate entrance tests
Berkhamsted Senior School — own/ISEB-style assessment, typically November
Haberdashers' Girls' School — own entrance assessment
St Albans High School for Girls — own entrance assessment, typically November
Exam boards, formats and test dates can change year to year, and schools sometimes move between consortia. Always confirm the current arrangements directly with the school or admissions authority before relying on any single source, including this page.
How to prepare effectively
Start with the fundamentals rather than exam tricks: a child who reads widely and has a solid grip on KS2 maths will out-perform one who has only drilled past papers. Build in short, regular sessions (15–25 minutes, most days) rather than long weekend cram sessions — consistency beats intensity for children this age.
Mix the four areas: maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning each need separate practice — strength in one doesn't transfer to another.
Time it properly: once the basics are solid, practise under exam conditions so pace and exam-day nerves stop being a surprise.
Review every mistake: the value in a practice question is in the five minutes after getting it wrong, not the getting it wrong.
Protect downtime: children preparing for a selective exam still need rest, hobbies and unstructured time — burnout in Year 5 shows up as underperformance in Year 6.
Try real Hertfordshire 11+ practice questions
Pulled straight from PipPrep's own question bank — not invented for this page.
Question 1
A bag contains 6 red, 2 blue, and 2 green balls.
A ball is picked at random. What is the probability of picking a red ball?
Answer: 3/5. P(red) = 6/10 = 3/5.
Question 2
In the following sentence, which word is a noun? 'The cat swiftly jumped over the sleeping dog.'
Answer: cat. A noun names a person, place, thing, or idea. 'Cat' is the noun.
Question 3
GRAM IS TO KILOGRAM AS Centimetre IS TO ?
Answer: Metre. A GRAM is a smaller unit than a KILOGRAM, just as a Centimetre is smaller than a Metre.
Question 4
What is the next number in the sequence?
27, 29, 31, 33, 35, ?
Answer: 37. Pattern: add 2 each time.
Practice every day, the easy way
PipPrep adapts to your child's target school with 100,000+ questions across maths, English, verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Free to start, no card needed.
No. Unlike counties with one centrally run test (eg Kent, Buckinghamshire), Hertfordshire's grammar schools sit tests through several smaller local consortium arrangements. Most are GL Assessment-style, but the exact format, date and registration process depends on the specific school or consortium.
When do Hertfordshire grammar school children sit the test?
Most grammar-school consortia in Hertfordshire test in September of Year 6, ahead of Year 7 entry the following September. Independent schools in the county often test later, commonly in November.
What subjects are covered?
GL Assessment-style papers used by most Hertfordshire grammar schools cover verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and maths. Independent schools set their own papers, which typically add an English/comprehension component.
How do I register?
Registration is handled separately by each school or consortium, not by the county council centrally. Contact the specific school's admissions office in the spring/summer term of Year 5 to confirm the current process and deadline.