St Olave’s Grammar School 11 Plus: Exam & Preparation Guide
St Olave’s Grammar School uses a two-stage 11 Plus selection process. Stage 1 is a multiple-choice paper covering English Comprehension, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Children who pass Stage 1 are invited to Stage 2, which consists of a one-hour English test including comprehension and usually a Creative Writing task or essay, followed by a one-hour Mathematics test. This guide explains both stages and how our courses and St Olave’s Stage 1 mock exams can support preparation.
St Olave’s Grammar School 11 Plus at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| School | St Olave’s Grammar School |
| Area | London – Bromley |
| Selection process | Two stages |
| Stage 1 – Paper 1 | Multiple choice: English Comprehension, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning |
| Stage 2 – Paper 2 | One-hour English test including comprehension and usually a Creative Writing task or essay |
| Stage 2 – Paper 3 | One-hour Mathematics test |
| Our mocks | Dedicated St Olave’s Grammar School Stage 1 Mock Exams |
Information and Mock Exam review: The information on this page and Learning Street’s St Olave’s Grammar School mock exams are reviewed against the latest reliable information available about the St Olave’s Grammar School entrance test.
Our current St Olave’s mock series is designed specifically around Stage 1. Stage 2 requires additional preparation in English, Creative Writing and Maths.
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Exam Format | Mock Exams | Pass Marks | Preparation | Courses
St Olave’s Grammar School 11 Plus Exam Format
St Olave’s Grammar School operates a two-stage selection process consisting of a multiple-choice Stage 1 paper followed, for successful candidates, by separate Stage 2 English and Mathematics papers.
Stage 1 – Paper 1 is a multiple-choice paper focusing on English Comprehension, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
Children who pass Stage 1 are invited to Stage 2.
Stage 2 – Paper 2 is a one-hour English test. It includes comprehension and usually a Creative Writing task or essay.
Stage 2 – Paper 3 is a one-hour Mathematics test.
What Does the St Olave’s Grammar School Exam Format Mean for Preparation?
St Olave’s requires preparation for two different testing stages, so children need both broad Stage 1 skills and deeper English and Maths preparation for Stage 2.
Stage 1 requires children to move between English Comprehension, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning within a multiple-choice test. Preparation should therefore develop each area individually before bringing them together in mixed timed work.
Vocabulary is particularly important because it supports English Comprehension as well as Verbal Reasoning.
Maths preparation needs to go beyond familiarity with routine questions. Children should develop secure KS2 knowledge and become comfortable deciding independently which mathematical method a problem requires.
For children who progress to Stage 2, preparation needs to shift towards sustained English and Maths work. The English paper includes comprehension and usually Creative Writing, so children need to be able to plan, structure and produce a strong written response as well as answer comprehension questions accurately.
A sensible progression is foundations → subject and reasoning skills → accuracy → flexible application → Stage 1 timed work → Stage 1 mocks → Stage 2 English, writing and Maths preparation.
St Olave’s Grammar School 11 Plus Mock Exams and Practice Papers
At Learning Street, we research the known St Olave’s format, paper length and timings when producing our mocks. We also provide realistic answer sheets, invigilation instructions and guidance on when time should be called so parents can reproduce the practical demands of the test at home as closely as possible.
Our current St Olave’s Grammar School mocks are specifically Stage 1 mocks. They are designed to prepare children for the multiple-choice Stage 1 paper covering English Comprehension, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. They should not be treated as Stage 2 English or Maths mocks.
Pack 1 | Pack 2 | Pack 3 | Pack 4
Save 20% – Buy all four for £48.
View the St Olave’s Grammar School Stage 1 Mock Exam Bundle – Packs 1–4
All four mock exams contain different questions, allowing families to space fresh tests throughout preparation and use later mocks to measure improvement.
St Olave’s Grammar School 11 Plus Pass Marks
We do not provide one fixed raw practice-paper percentage that should be treated as a permanent St Olave’s Grammar School 11 Plus pass mark.
Results from our Stage 1 mocks are best used to measure progress and identify weaker areas in English Comprehension, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, vocabulary, accuracy or exam technique rather than as a direct prediction of an official Stage 1 result.
How to Prepare for the St Olave’s Grammar School 11 Plus
Effective St Olave’s preparation should first build the skills required for Stage 1, while also giving children a sufficiently strong English and Maths foundation to progress successfully into Stage 2 preparation if invited.
English Comprehension Preparation
Stage 1 includes English Comprehension, while Stage 2 contains a more substantial English test.
Children should develop careful reading, vocabulary, inference, retrieval and the ability to interpret unfamiliar passages accurately.
Vocabulary should be developed consistently because it supports comprehension as well as Verbal Reasoning.
Maths Preparation
Maths appears in both stages of the St Olave’s selection process.
Preparation should begin with secure KS2 knowledge. Times tables, mental Maths and the four operations should become accurate and reliable before substantial time pressure is introduced.
Children should then progress towards mixed mathematical problems where they have to determine independently which method is required.
This depth of mathematical understanding is especially important because successful Stage 1 candidates face a separate one-hour Maths test at Stage 2.
Verbal Reasoning Preparation
Verbal Reasoning forms part of the Stage 1 multiple-choice test.
Children should learn systematic approaches to different Verbal Reasoning question types while building vocabulary steadily over time.
Once individual techniques are secure, preparation should increasingly use mixed questions where children have to recognise the correct approach independently.
Non-Verbal Reasoning Preparation
Non-Verbal Reasoning also forms part of Stage 1.
Children should learn to analyse visual information systematically, looking carefully at patterns, relationships and changes rather than relying on instinct.
Individual techniques should be learnt first before moving towards mixed Non-Verbal Reasoning work and later timed practice.
Stage 2 English and Creative Writing Preparation
Children who pass Stage 1 are invited to a one-hour Stage 2 English test containing comprehension and usually a Creative Writing task or essay.
Creative Writing preparation should develop the ability to plan, structure and sustain a response while using appropriate vocabulary, varied sentence structures and accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Early writing practice should focus on quality rather than speed. Once a child can produce well-organised writing consistently, realistic time limits can gradually be introduced.
Building Stage 1 Exam Technique and Stamina
Once the individual Stage 1 areas are secure, children should become comfortable switching between English Comprehension, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning under timed conditions.
Preparation should progress from accurate untimed work to timed sections and then complete Stage 1 mocks.
Our dedicated St Olave’s Stage 1 mocks can then help identify remaining weaknesses while familiarising children with the concentration, timing and mixed-question demands of the first-stage test.
View the St Olave’s Grammar School Stage 1 Mock Exam Bundle – Packs 1–4
Which St Olave’s Grammar School 11 Plus Course Should You Choose?
We provide Complete, Enhance and Boost GL preparation routes that cover the English, Verbal Reasoning, Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning skills required for Stage 1 of the St Olave’s selection process.
Children should also prepare specifically for the Creative Writing element that usually appears within the Stage 2 English test. Our Creative Writing Course can be used alongside the main GL programme for this additional preparation.
The most suitable main programme depends primarily on how much preparation time remains.
| Preparation time | Course | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 30–40+ weeks | Complete GL | Our most comprehensive GL preparation |
| 15–30 weeks | Enhance GL | A shorter structured GL programme |
| 6–15 weeks | Boost GL | Focused GL preparation when less time remains |
Complete GL — 30–40+ Weeks
Our Complete GL 11 Plus Programme is our most comprehensive GL preparation route.
It contains 40 structured parts covering Vocabulary Development, English, Verbal Reasoning, Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
The programme includes more than 60 timed papers and tests, full answers with detailed explanations and additional focus on core skills such as vocabulary development and accuracy in Maths and English.
The Complete GL 11 Plus Programme
Focused Complete options are also available:
Complete – Vocabulary, English and Verbal Reasoning
Complete – Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning
Enhance GL — 15–30 Weeks
Our Enhance GL programme provides a shorter 20-part preparation route covering Vocabulary Development, English, Verbal Reasoning, Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
It includes more than 35 timed papers and tests alongside structured learning and detailed answers.
Enhance is most suitable where there is still enough time for substantial preparation but not enough time to work properly through all 40 parts of Complete.
Focused Enhance options are also available:
Enhance – Vocabulary, English and Verbal Reasoning
Enhance – Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning
Boost GL — 6–15 Weeks
Our Boost GL programme is the shortest full GL preparation route.
It contains 10 intensive parts covering Vocabulary Development, English, Verbal Reasoning, Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning and includes more than 25 timed papers and tests.
Boost is most suitable where there is insufficient time to work properly through Complete or Enhance but a family still wants structured GL preparation.
Focused Boost options are also available:
Boost – Vocabulary, English and Verbal Reasoning
Boost – Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning
Creative Writing for Stage 2
The Stage 2 English test usually includes a Creative Writing task or essay, so children preparing seriously for St Olave’s should develop writing skills alongside the main GL programme.
Our Creative Writing Course provides structured practice in planning, organisation, vocabulary, sentence construction and technical accuracy.
11 Plus Creative Writing Course
Starting Earlier?
If your child is still developing the literacy, numeracy, vocabulary and reasoning foundations needed before dedicated St Olave’s Grammar School 11 Plus preparation begins, our primary-school course chooser can help you select an appropriate starting point.
Primary School – Course Chooser for Younger Children
Already Completed Substantial Preparation?
Our 11 Plus Revision Course – GL is suitable for children who have already completed substantial preparation through books, tutoring or another programme but now want a structured period of GL-style revision.
It contains 4 intensive parts and is normally completed over approximately 4–6 weeks.
It should not normally be completed after one of our Complete, Enhance or Boost programmes because there is some crossover in the material.
Also Sitting Independent School Exams?
Children also sitting independent-school entrance tests may need additional depth or practice beyond their St Olave’s preparation.
The following supplementary courses may be useful depending on the other examinations being taken:
11 Plus Maths Stretch and Revision
Current St Olave’s Grammar School Admissions Information
Admissions arrangements and entrance-test details can change from year to year. For general guidance on 11 Plus preparation and our courses, use our FAQs below.
