Carre’s Grammar School 11 Plus: Exam & Preparation Guide
Carre’s Grammar School is a selective boys’ grammar school in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, with a mixed Sixth Form. Children applying for Year 7 entry sit the Lincolnshire 11 Plus, consisting of separate Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning tests set and standardised by GL Assessment. This guide explains the Carre’s Grammar School 11 Plus format, what its demands mean for preparation, and how Learning Street’s Lincolnshire courses and mock exams can help your child prepare effectively.
Carre’s Grammar School 11 Plus at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| School | Carre’s Grammar School |
| Location | Sleaford, Lincolnshire |
| School type | Selective boys’ grammar school, with a mixed Sixth Form |
| Test / consortium | Lincolnshire 11 Plus – Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools |
| Exam provider | GL Assessment |
| Exam structure | Two separate multiple-choice reasoning tests |
| Paper 1 | Verbal Reasoning |
| Paper 2 | Non-Verbal Reasoning |
| Answer format | Multiple choice using separate answer sheets |
| Selection | Designed to identify children within approximately the top 25% of the ability range |
Information and Mock Exam Review: The information on this page and Learning Street’s Lincolnshire 11 Plus mock exams are reviewed against the latest reliable information available about the entrance test used for Carre’s Grammar School.
Carre’s Grammar School uses separate Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning tests set and standardised by GL Assessment on behalf of the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools. Learning Street’s Lincolnshire courses and mock exams are specifically tailored to this variation of the GL 11 Plus.
View Carre’s Grammar School’s latest admissions information
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Exam Format | Mock Exams | Pass Marks | Preparation | Courses
Carre’s Grammar School 11 Plus Exam Format
The Carre’s Grammar School 11 Plus consists of two separate GL Assessment multiple-choice tests: Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
The Verbal Reasoning test requires children to recognise and apply relationships involving words, letters, codes, sequences and logical rules. A strong vocabulary is particularly important because unfamiliar words can make otherwise manageable reasoning questions significantly harder.
The Non-Verbal Reasoning test requires children to identify visual relationships involving shapes, sequences, position, rotation, reflection and other changes within patterns.
The two tests are normally taken separately rather than as one combined examination. Carre’s Grammar School currently schedules the Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning tests on different days.
Children use multiple-choice materials, so preparation should include accurate answer-sheet technique as well as solving the questions themselves.
Carre’s Grammar School does not use separate English and Maths entrance-test papers. Preparation should therefore concentrate on the Verbal Reasoning, vocabulary and Non-Verbal Reasoning skills actually assessed rather than following a generic programme containing separate English and Maths papers.
What Does the Carre’s Grammar School Exam Format Mean for Preparation?
The specialised Lincolnshire format means preparation should concentrate heavily on vocabulary, Verbal Reasoning technique, visual pattern recognition and maintaining accuracy across sustained reasoning tests.
Vocabulary is especially important for the Verbal Reasoning paper. Children can understand how a question type works but still struggle if the words or relationships within it are unfamiliar.
Preparation should therefore combine deliberate vocabulary development with systematic practice of relationships involving words, letters, codes and sequences rather than relying only on repeated test papers.
Non-Verbal Reasoning requires a different approach. Children should learn to examine features such as shape, position, number, shading, rotation, reflection and movement systematically rather than choosing an answer simply because it appears visually plausible.
Accuracy should initially take priority over speed. Once the underlying techniques are secure, timed work should be introduced progressively so children become comfortable maintaining concentration and accuracy throughout a full reasoning paper.
Carre’s Grammar School 11 Plus Mock Exams and Practice Papers
Carre’s Grammar School is covered by Learning Street’s Lincolnshire 11 Plus Mock Exam Packs 1–4. These mocks are specifically designed around the Lincolnshire GL test rather than being generic GL mock papers.
Learning Street’s Lincolnshire mocks contain a Verbal Reasoning paper and a Non-Verbal Reasoning paper and are researched with the aim of reproducing the known content, difficulty, instructions and timings of the Lincolnshire test as closely as practical.
Each pack includes realistic answer sheets, detailed parent and invigilation instructions, guidance on how time should be called, information about what children can expect from the test experience and full detailed answers for reviewing performance afterwards.
The four Lincolnshire mock exams contain entirely different questions, allowing children to complete several realistic mock experiences without repeating the same material.
Pack 1 | Pack 2 | Pack 3 | Pack 4
Save 20% – Buy all four for £48
Lincolnshire 11 Plus Mock Exam Bundle – Packs 1–4
Carre’s Grammar School 11 Plus Pass Marks and Standardised Scores
Children applying to Carre’s Grammar School must reach the school’s agreed minimum standard across the GL Assessment 11 Plus selection tests.
The tests are standardised by GL Assessment on behalf of the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools. Carre’s describes its selective intake as representing approximately the top 25% of the ability range.
There is no raw practice-paper percentage that guarantees qualification. Commercial papers vary in difficulty and do not use the same standardisation process as the official tests, so a percentage achieved on a practice paper should not be converted directly into an official entrance-test score.
Meeting the required academic standard also does not automatically guarantee admission. Carre’s Grammar School’s current admissions policy makes clear that qualification is followed by its published admissions and oversubscription arrangements if more qualified applicants apply than there are places available.
For preparation, practice-paper percentages are therefore most useful for tracking progress over time and identifying weaknesses in vocabulary, Verbal Reasoning technique, Non-Verbal Reasoning, accuracy, timing and concentration.
View Carre’s Grammar School’s latest admissions information
How to Prepare for the Carre’s Grammar School 11 Plus
Effective preparation for Carre’s Grammar School should focus specifically on Vocabulary, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Learning Street has therefore developed dedicated Lincolnshire programmes rather than simply recommending its standard GL course.
The aim should be to build strong underlying vocabulary and reasoning skills first before gradually introducing revision, timed exercises and realistic mock examinations.
Verbal Reasoning Preparation
Verbal Reasoning requires children to understand and apply relationships involving words, letters, codes, sequences and logical rules.
A strong vocabulary is particularly important. A child may understand the method required for a question but still be unable to answer it confidently if key words or verbal relationships are unfamiliar.
Preparation should therefore combine regular vocabulary development with systematic practice of different Verbal Reasoning techniques.
Children should initially focus on understanding how each question type works and completing it accurately. Once those techniques are secure, progressively timed practice can help them apply the correct method more quickly and independently.
Non-Verbal Reasoning Preparation
Non-Verbal Reasoning requires careful, systematic observation rather than curriculum knowledge.
Children should learn to examine features such as shape, size, position, number, shading, rotation, reflection and movement.
A consistent checking process helps prevent children from selecting an answer simply because it appears visually plausible.
As preparation progresses, children should become comfortable moving between different visual question types while maintaining accuracy under time pressure.
When your child is ready to apply these skills under realistic timed conditions, Learning Street’s Lincolnshire mock exams provide structured practice based on the Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning format used for Carre’s Grammar School.
View the Lincolnshire 11 Plus Mock Exam Bundle – Packs 1–4
Which Carre’s Grammar School 11 Plus Course Should You Choose?
Learning Street offers three Lincolnshire-specific preparation routes for children preparing for Carre’s Grammar School: Complete, Enhance and Boost. These courses are tailored to the Lincolnshire variation of the GL 11 Plus and concentrate on Vocabulary, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
The most suitable route mainly depends on how much preparation time remains.
| Preparation time | Learning Street course | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 30–40+ weeks | Complete Lincolnshire | Our most comprehensive Lincolnshire preparation |
| 15–30 weeks | Enhance Lincolnshire | A shorter structured preparation programme |
| 6–15 weeks | Boost Lincolnshire | Focused preparation when less time remains |
Complete Lincolnshire — 30–40+ Weeks
Learning Street’s Complete 11 Plus Programme – Lincolnshire is our most comprehensive preparation route for this test. The 40-part programme specifically develops Vocabulary, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning alongside extensive practice and progressively timed work.
The Complete 11 Plus Programme – Lincolnshire
Enhance Lincolnshire — 15–30 Weeks
Learning Street’s Enhance Lincolnshire programme provides a shorter structured route for families with less preparation time.
The 20-part course develops Vocabulary, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning while retaining a planned progression towards revision and timed practice.
11 Plus Enhance – Lincolnshire
Boost Lincolnshire — 6–15 Weeks
Learning Street’s Boost Lincolnshire programme is our shortest full Lincolnshire preparation route and is designed for families beginning focused preparation later.
The 10-part course concentrates the key Vocabulary, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning preparation into a shorter programme while still including substantial timed practice.
Starting Earlier?
If your child is still building the underlying literacy, vocabulary and reasoning skills needed before dedicated 11 Plus preparation begins, Learning Street’s course chooser can help you select the most appropriate starting point.
Primary School – Course Chooser for Younger Children
Also Sitting Independent School Exams?
Children also sitting independent-school entrance tests are likely to need additional preparation because those examinations may separately test subjects such as English, Maths and Creative Writing that are not separate papers in the Carre’s Grammar School 11 Plus.
11 Plus Creative Writing Course
11 Plus Maths Stretch and Revision
Current Carre’s Grammar School Admissions Information
Carre’s Grammar School uses the Lincolnshire 11 Plus selection process for Year 7 entry. Its current admissions policy confirms that the tests are set and standardised by GL Assessment on behalf of the Lincolnshire Consortium of Grammar Schools.
Sitting the 11 Plus does not itself constitute an application to Carre’s Grammar School, and reaching the required academic standard does not automatically guarantee admission.
Registration arrangements, test dates, qualifying requirements and oversubscription criteria can change. Always check Carre’s Grammar School’s own admissions information for the latest details before applying.
View Carre’s Grammar School’s latest admissions information
For general questions about the 11 Plus, preparation and Learning Street courses:
