The Blue Coat School 11 Plus: Exam & Preparation Guide
The Blue Coat School uses a two-phase online entrance test provided by CEM. Phase 1 assesses Reading, Spelling, General Mathematics, Mental Arithmetic and Developed Ability. Children who qualify for Phase 2 are then assessed in Verbal Ability, Numerical Ability and Non-verbal Ability. This guide explains the current Blue Coat School 11 Plus format and how Learning Street’s CEM courses can help children develop many of the underlying skills required.
The Blue Coat School 11 Plus at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| School | The Blue Coat School |
| Area | Liverpool |
| Exam provider | CEM |
| Exam structure | Two online phases |
| Phase 1 | Reading, Spelling, General Mathematics, Mental Arithmetic and Developed Ability |
| Phase 2 | Verbal Ability, Numerical Ability and Non-verbal Ability |
| Test delivery | Online using a PC, keyboard and mouse |
| Our mocks | Learning Street does not currently provide a dedicated Blue Coat School mock series |
Information and Mock Exam review: The information on this page is reviewed against the latest reliable information available to Learning Street about The Blue Coat School entrance test.
The current Blue Coat assessment is materially different from the older test format previously associated with the school, so preparation should now be based around its current two-phase CEM assessment.
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Exam Format | Mock Exams | Pass Marks | Preparation | Courses
The Blue Coat School 11 Plus Exam Format
The current Blue Coat School entrance test is provided by CEM and consists of two online phases. Phase 1 assesses Reading, Spelling, General Mathematics, Mental Arithmetic and Developed Ability, while Phase 2 assesses Verbal Ability, Numerical Ability and Non-verbal Ability.
Phase 1
All applicants begin with Phase 1, which assesses:
- Reading
- Spelling
- General Mathematics
- Mental Arithmetic
- Developed Ability
Children who achieve the required standard in Phase 1 can progress to Phase 2.
Phase 2
Phase 2 assesses:
- Verbal Ability
- Numerical Ability
- Non-verbal Ability
Both phases are completed online using a PC, keyboard and mouse.
What Does The Blue Coat School Exam Format Mean for Preparation?
The current Blue Coat entrance test requires children to combine secure literacy and numeracy foundations with verbal, numerical and non-verbal reasoning skills.
Phase 1 means that reading, spelling and mathematical fluency should be developed from the beginning rather than concentrating solely on reasoning techniques.
Mental Arithmetic also needs regular practice so that common calculations and number facts can be recalled quickly and accurately.
Phase 2 then places greater emphasis on Verbal Ability, Numerical Ability and Non-verbal Ability, making flexible reasoning increasingly important as preparation develops.
The school names Developed Ability as a Phase 1 component but does not provide a detailed public breakdown of the individual question types within it. Preparation should therefore build broad problem-solving and reasoning skills rather than treating any one commercial question format as an exact representation of this section.
A sensible progression is reading, spelling and numeracy foundations → vocabulary and mathematical fluency → verbal, numerical and non-verbal reasoning → flexible application → accuracy → online familiarity → timed practice.
The Blue Coat School 11 Plus Mock Exams and Practice Papers
Learning Street does not currently provide a dedicated Blue Coat School mock-exam series for the current two-phase online test.
Older Blue Coat mock papers were designed around a previous entrance-test format and should not be treated as replicas of the current CEM assessment.
Families should therefore prioritise building the skills required across Phase 1 and Phase 2, alongside appropriate familiarity with completing questions on a computer.
The Blue Coat School 11 Plus Pass Marks
We do not provide one fixed raw practice percentage that should be treated as a permanent Blue Coat School 11 Plus pass mark.
Practice results are best used to measure progress and identify weaker areas in reading, spelling, Maths, mental arithmetic, verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, accuracy or test technique rather than as a direct prediction of an official entrance-test result.
How to Prepare for The Blue Coat School 11 Plus
Effective Blue Coat School preparation should begin with secure literacy, vocabulary and numeracy foundations before increasingly introducing reasoning work, timed practice and familiarity with an online test environment.
Reading and Spelling Preparation
Reading and Spelling are specifically assessed within Phase 1.
Children should read regularly and become comfortable understanding increasingly demanding vocabulary and unfamiliar texts.
Spelling should also be developed systematically. Common spelling patterns, word families and frequently confused words should be revisited rather than relying solely on exposure through reading.
Vocabulary development is particularly useful because it supports both Phase 1 reading and later Verbal Ability work.
General Mathematics and Mental Arithmetic Preparation
Phase 1 separately identifies General Mathematics and Mental Arithmetic.
Children should therefore build secure KS2 mathematical knowledge alongside quick and accurate recall of key number facts.
Times tables, number bonds, fractions, percentages and the four operations should become increasingly automatic so that straightforward calculations do not use unnecessary time or concentration.
Children should also work on mixed mathematical problems where they need to decide independently which method is required.
Developed Ability Preparation
Developed Ability is one of the areas assessed in Phase 1.
The current published guidance does not provide a detailed breakdown of the individual question types within this section.
Preparation should therefore focus on developing broad problem-solving ability, careful interpretation and the flexible application of existing knowledge rather than trying to reproduce an unsupported exact format.
Verbal Ability Preparation
Verbal Ability is assessed in Phase 2.
Children should build a broad vocabulary and become comfortable recognising relationships between words and applying verbal reasoning techniques accurately.
Individual techniques should be understood first before children move towards mixed work where they need to identify the appropriate method independently.
Numerical Ability Preparation
Numerical Ability is also assessed in Phase 2.
Children should become confident applying mathematical knowledge to unfamiliar numerical problems rather than depending on questions always being presented in familiar curriculum categories.
Flexible problem solving, numerical relationships and accurate calculation should therefore form part of later preparation.
Non-Verbal Ability Preparation
Phase 2 also assesses Non-verbal Ability.
Children should learn to analyse visual information systematically, identifying patterns, relationships, transformations and changes rather than relying on instinct.
Preparation should begin with individual techniques before progressing towards mixed visual-reasoning work.
Preparing for an Online Test
The Blue Coat entrance test is completed online using a PC, keyboard and mouse.
Children should therefore become comfortable reading questions on screen and selecting or entering responses accurately without the computer interface becoming a distraction.
Online familiarity should support academic preparation rather than replace it. Secure knowledge, reasoning skills and accuracy remain the priority.
Timed online work is best introduced later once the underlying skills are secure.
Which Blue Coat School 11 Plus Course Should You Choose?
Our CEM Complete, Enhance and Boost programmes are the most relevant current Learning Street course routes for children preparing for The Blue Coat School.
The programmes develop Vocabulary, Verbal Reasoning, Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning. These areas overlap substantially with the current Blue Coat assessment, particularly its verbal, numerical and non-verbal requirements.
However, the Learning Street CEM programmes are paper-based preparation courses rather than replicas of the current Blue Coat online test. Families should also ensure that Reading, Spelling, Mental Arithmetic and online familiarity are addressed during preparation.
The most suitable programme depends mainly on how much preparation time remains.
| Preparation time | Course | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 30–40+ weeks | Complete CEM | Our most comprehensive CEM preparation |
| 15–30 weeks | Enhance CEM | A shorter structured CEM programme |
| 6–15 weeks | Boost CEM | Focused CEM preparation when less time remains |
Complete CEM — 30–40+ Weeks
Our Complete CEM 11 Plus Programme is our most comprehensive CEM preparation route.
It contains 40 structured parts covering Vocabulary Development, 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 working accurately in Maths.
For Blue Coat preparation, the programme can be used to build relevant underlying vocabulary, mathematical and reasoning skills rather than as an exact replica of the school’s online test.
The Complete CEM 11 Plus Programme
Enhance CEM — 15–30 Weeks
Our Enhance CEM programme provides a shorter 20-part preparation route.
Each part develops vocabulary alongside CEM-related Numerical, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning skills.
The programme 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 the Complete programme.
Boost CEM — 6–15 Weeks
Our Boost CEM programme is the shortest full CEM preparation route.
It contains 10 intensive parts covering Vocabulary Development, Verbal Reasoning, Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
The programme 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 CEM preparation.
Starting Earlier?
If your child is still developing the reading, spelling, numeracy and vocabulary foundations needed before dedicated Blue Coat School entrance-test preparation begins, our primary-school course chooser can help you select an appropriate starting point.
Primary School – Course Chooser for Younger Children
Also Sitting Independent School Exams?
Children also sitting independent-school entrance tests may need additional preparation in subjects or formats beyond the current Blue Coat School entrance test.
The courses below are separate supplementary options and should not be interpreted as additional components of The Blue Coat School assessment.
11 Plus Creative Writing Course
11 Plus Maths Stretch and Revision
Current The Blue Coat 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.
