The Essex 11+
The Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE) sets one test for its grammar schools: an English paper and a maths paper, an hour each, with written answers and no calculators. No CSSE school offers a place below a total of 303. Chelmsford County High School for Girls sets its own FSCE test.
At a glance
- The test
- The CSSE 11+ Selective Test
- Set by
- CSSE
- Subjects
- English, maths
- Answers
- Written answers
- Who sits it
- 4,994 candidates were standardised for the September 2026 test (2027 entry), across all ten CSSE schools including Southend (CSSE Standardisation Report, October 2026)
The papers
Two papers set by the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE): English, 60 minutes plus 10 minutes' reading time, and Mathematics, 60 minutes, both based on Key Stage 2; no calculators. Each paper is standardised (mean 100, standard deviation 15), checked for an age adjustment (applied to both papers in 2026), and the two are weighted equally and scaled so that an average candidate scores 300. From 2025 entry the English paper has no applied reasoning questions; the 2023 entry English paper CSSE publishes had comprehension of a passage, applied reasoning and continuous writing sections, and its 2023 entry maths paper was worth 60 marks. Chelmsford County High School for Girls is not a CSSE school: it sets its own FSCE test (registration Monday 13 April to Wednesday 3 June 2026, test Thursday 3 September 2026, results by email Monday 12 October 2026).
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Dates, results and scores
When is the 11+ in Essex?
The 2027 test: not published yet. The 2026 test: Saturday 19 September 2026 at a CSSE school test centre; Tuesday 29 September 2026 for religious observance, illness with medical evidence or other exceptional circumstances, or if all centres are full.
How do you register for the 11+ in Essex?
For the 2027 test (2028 entry): CSSE says registration for 2028 entry will open in May 2027, with important dates published by Easter 2027 (exact window not yet published) For the 2026 test (2027 entry): Tuesday 12 May to Friday 19 June 2026, online or by post with CSSE (special arrangement requests by Friday 26 June 2026)
When do 11+ results come out in Essex?
For the 2026 test: Emailed to all candidates after the close of business on Monday 12 October 2026 (raw score for each paper and the total standardised score), with a guidance sheet of the last scores offered at each school on 1 March 2026; local authority applications due 31 October 2026; offers on 1 March 2027.
What score qualifies in Essex?
No CSSE school offers a place below a total standardised score of 303 (successful appeals and special consideration places aside); each school then ranks applicants by score under its own policy. King Edward VI Grammar School (PAN 150): 120 places for boys living within 12.5 miles since 10 October of Year 6, up to 8 of them for pupil premium or looked-after boys scoring at least 330; of the rest, up to 2 for pupil premium or looked-after boys scoring at least 350, then the highest scores wherever they live. Colchester Royal Grammar School (PAN 128, no priority area): up to 12 places for looked-after or pupil premium boys scoring more than 320, then the highest scores. Colchester County High School for Girls (PAN 192): looked-after girls scoring 320 or more, up to 20 pupil premium places at 320 or more, up to 10 service pupil premium places at 320 or more for girls in the priority area, then girls within 25 miles until 154 places are filled, and the last 38 places by score regardless of address. Last places offered for September 2026 entry: King Edward VI 353 inside its priority area and 370 outside, Colchester County High 326 inside and 332 outside, Colchester Royal 346.
Not confirmed yet
- Exact window and test date for the September 2027 test (2028 entry) are not yet published
- Section structure and marks of the current English paper (CSSE's newest published papers are 2023 entry, before applied reasoning was dropped)
- Colchester County High School for Girls' 2027/28 policy still lists applied reasoning in both papers, which conflicts with CSSE's notice that the English paper has had none since 2025 entry
- King Edward VI's admission policy for 2028 entry is out for consultation (5 October to 17 November 2026); its content was not read (the PDF was blocked)
Check these on the official page: csse.org.uk
Good to know
Late testing and moving to the area
CSSE's Tuesday 29 September 2026 sitting covers religious observance, illness with medical evidence and other exceptional circumstances; late arrivals are not tested. Colchester County High School for Girls lets applicants whose move could not be foreseen sit a later test set by CSSE, ranked with out-of-area candidates; King Edward VI answers applications after the normal round within 15 school days with the next test date.
Who runs admissions
Each school is its own admission authority; CSSE only runs the test and has no part in applications or appeals. Families apply on their home local authority's common application form (Essex County Council for Essex residents) by 31 October.
Grammar schools in Essex
Each school sets its own admissions rules: check its admissions policy for places and priority areas.
More on the 11+
Sources
Every fact here comes from the official pages below. Dates and scores change from year to year, so check them there before you rely on them.
- csse.org.uk
- csse.org.uk/examination
- csse.org.uk/?page_id=510
- csse.org.uk/freedom-of-information
- csse.org.uk/storage/2026/03/CSSE-Information-Guide-2027-Entry.pdf
- csse.org.uk/storage/2026/10/Historical-Guidance-sheet-2027-Entry.pdf
- csse.org.uk/storage/2026/10/2027-Entry-Standardisation-Report-1.pdf
- csse.org.uk/storage/2026/05/English-paper-2023-Entry-for-publication.pdf
- csse.org.uk/storage/2026/05/Maths-Paper-2023-Entry-for-publication.pdf
- kegs.org.uk/admissions/admissions-policy
- kegs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Admissions-policy-2027.pdf
- 0e58658be539ee7325a0-220f04f871df648cf4a4d93a111e3366.ssl.cf3.rackcdn.com/colchester/uploads/asset_file/3_1166_crgs-admissions-policy-2027-2028.pdf
- cchsg.com/wp-content/uploads/policydocs/A1_Admissions_Policy_2027_2028.pdf
- essex.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools/admissions/grammar-school-places
- cchs.co.uk/admissions/admission-to-year-7-september-2027
Checked 2 November 2026.
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