Townley Grammar School 11 Plus: Exam & Preparation Guide
Townley Grammar School uses the Bexley 11 Plus for grammar-school entry. The current GL assessment consists of two timed papers covering English, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal and Spatial Reasoning, and Maths. This guide explains the current exam structure, what it means for preparation, and how Learning Street’s courses and Bexley mock papers can help your child prepare effectively.
Townley Grammar School 11 Plus at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| School | Townley Grammar School |
| Area | London – Bexley |
| Entrance test | Bexley 11 Plus |
| Exam provider | GL |
| Paper 1 | English and Verbal Reasoning |
| Paper 2 | Non-Verbal & Spatial Reasoning and Maths |
| Response format | Multiple-choice with separate answer sheets |
| Our mocks | Bexley 11 Plus Mock Exams – Packs 1–4 |
Information and Mock Exam review: The information on this page and Learning Street’s Bexley mock exams are reviewed against the latest reliable information available about the Townley Grammar School entrance test.
Quick Contents
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Exam Format | Mock Exams | Pass Marks | Preparation | Courses
Townley Grammar School 11 Plus Exam Format
Townley Grammar School uses the Bexley 11 Plus, which consists of two timed papers: Paper 1 covering English and Verbal Reasoning, and Paper 2 covering Non-Verbal & Spatial Reasoning and Maths.
Paper 1 — English
The English section includes 5 minutes of practice followed by a 25-minute test.
Children therefore need strong reading comprehension, vocabulary and technical English skills alongside the ability to work accurately within a fixed time.
Paper 1 — Verbal Reasoning
The Verbal Reasoning section includes 5 minutes of practice followed by a 20-minute test.
Preparation should combine reliable Verbal Reasoning techniques with sustained vocabulary development.
Paper 2 — Non-Verbal & Spatial Reasoning
The Non-Verbal and Spatial Reasoning element is divided into five separately timed subtests of 5 minutes each.
Children therefore need to become comfortable changing between different visual and spatial question types while maintaining accuracy within short section timings.
Paper 2 — Maths
The Maths section includes 5 minutes of practice followed by a 25-minute test.
Children need secure KS2 mathematical foundations alongside the ability to apply familiar knowledge accurately to mixed questions under time pressure.
The assessment uses separate multiple-choice answer sheets, so children should also become comfortable transferring their answers accurately.
What Does the Townley Grammar School Exam Format Mean for Preparation?
The Bexley 11 Plus combines English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Spatial Reasoning, so preparation needs to develop a broad range of skills.
Vocabulary is particularly important because it supports both English and Verbal Reasoning. Children should develop vocabulary steadily while also learning systematic methods for different reasoning question types.
Maths should become secure and fluent before substantial time pressure is introduced, while Non-Verbal and Spatial Reasoning require careful visual analysis rather than guesswork.
The separately timed reasoning subtests also mean children eventually need to become comfortable adapting quickly between question types while maintaining concentration.
A sensible progression is literacy and numeracy foundations → subject skills → reasoning techniques → accuracy → flexible application → revision → timed work → mocks.
Townley Grammar School 11 Plus Mock Exams and Practice Papers
At Learning Street, we research the known Bexley 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.
Pack 1 | Pack 2 | Pack 3 | Pack 4
Save 20% – Buy all four for £48.
View the Bexley 11 Plus 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.
Townley Grammar School 11 Plus Pass Marks
We do not provide one fixed raw practice-paper percentage that should be treated as a permanent Townley Grammar School 11 Plus pass mark.
Results from our Bexley mocks are best used to measure progress and identify weaker areas in English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, Spatial Reasoning, timing and exam technique rather than as a direct prediction of an official entrance-test result.
How to Prepare for Townley Grammar School 11 Plus
Effective preparation should develop secure underlying skills before children rely heavily on complete timed mock papers.
Once individual skills and techniques are established, preparation should gradually become more mixed and more timed so children learn to recognise the correct approach independently while maintaining accuracy.
English Preparation
English preparation should develop reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Children should become comfortable reading unfamiliar passages accurately, identifying relevant information and distinguishing between closely matched answer choices.
Regular reading and deliberate vocabulary development are particularly useful because stronger vocabulary also supports Verbal Reasoning.
Maths Preparation
Maths preparation should begin with secure KS2 foundations. 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 questions where they have to decide independently which method is required.
Timed work can be introduced progressively so children develop the balance of speed and accuracy required for the test.
Verbal Reasoning Preparation
Verbal Reasoning requires both reasoning technique and vocabulary.
Children should first learn systematic methods for individual question types while developing vocabulary consistently over time.
Once individual techniques are secure, they should progress towards mixed reasoning work where they need to recognise the appropriate method independently.
Non-Verbal Reasoning Preparation
Non-Verbal Reasoning rewards careful and systematic observation.
Children should learn to identify relationships involving features such as shape, position, pattern, rotation and reflection rather than selecting an answer simply because it appears visually plausible.
Practice should gradually progress from individual techniques towards mixed visual-reasoning work.
Spatial Reasoning Preparation
Spatial Reasoning forms part of the current Bexley assessment.
Children should develop the ability to understand how shapes and objects relate, move, rotate or change when viewed in different ways.
The short separately timed subtests mean children also need to become comfortable adapting quickly between different visual question types.
View the Bexley 11 Plus Mock Exam Bundle – Packs 1–4
Which Townley Grammar School 11 Plus Course Should You Choose?
Learning Street offers three main GL preparation routes for children preparing for the Bexley 11 Plus: Complete, Enhance and Boost.
Our full GL programmes cover Vocabulary Development, English, Verbal Reasoning, Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning. The current Bexley assessment also explicitly includes Spatial Reasoning, so the general GL course syllabus should not be interpreted as an exact list of every Bexley test component.
The most suitable main programme mainly depends on how much preparation time remains.
| Preparation time | Learning Street 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, alongside more than 60 timed papers and tests.
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 preparation.
Focused Boost options are also available:
Boost – Vocabulary, English and Verbal Reasoning
Boost – Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning
Starting Earlier?
If your child is still developing the literacy, numeracy, vocabulary and reasoning foundations needed before dedicated 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 is an intensive four-part course 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 preparation in subjects or formats beyond the Townley Grammar School entrance test.
The courses below are separate supplementary options and should not be interpreted as additional elements of the Bexley 11 Plus.
11 Plus Creative Writing Course
11 Plus Maths Stretch and Revision
Current Townley 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.
