Deal promptly with anything that happened during the test
If there was illness, an interruption or an apparent problem with an agreed adjustment, read the organiser’s reporting process now. Keep a factual record of what happened and any communication with the venue or admissions team.
Do not assume that an issue can be raised for the first time after an unexpected score. Bexley’s guidance, for example, distinguishes absence through illness from a child who takes the test despite being unwell. The rules are specific to the route.
This does not mean questioning your child repeatedly about each answer. Deal with a reported issue calmly and let the organiser explain the available process.
Check what remains in the test route
Record the result date and delivery method, and make sure the organiser has your current contact details. Check the spam folder and any parent portal at the published time.
For a two-stage school, note how invitations are issued and whether another registration or response is required. Some shared first-stage tests feed several schools with different later arrangements. See second-stage tests for the distinction.
If other exams are still scheduled, keep preparation relevant to those formats. Avoid treating one completed paper as evidence of how another result will turn out.
Compare schools before the results arrive
Use open events, school information and a real journey trial to answer questions that a test score cannot:
- Can the child get there and home at school and club times?
- Which subjects and activities are available?
- Who helps when a pupil struggles academically or socially?
- Which admission category would apply to your address and circumstances?
- Which non-selective schools would you be happy to accept?
Visit dates can pass before results day. Keep notes about each school so the final preference order is based on more than the latest score.
Prepare the application without rushing the decision
Find the home council’s CAF deadline, number of preferences and required information. You can prepare a draft, but remember that a saved draft is not a submitted application.
When results arrive, check eligibility and any review process, then complete the preference order. If a second-stage outcome is due after the CAF deadline, follow the school’s published instructions and submit the CAF on time.
For your child, keep normal schoolwork, rest, friends and activities going. Avoid repeated score predictions: the next useful information is the official result.
A FEW MORE ANSWERS
Still wondering?
Should we wait for the score before reporting illness or a test problem?
No. Follow the organiser’s reporting instructions promptly. Some routes require an issue to be reported at the time or within a short period, and later evidence may be handled differently.
Does finishing the first test mean all 11+ assessment is over?
Not always. Some schools have a second stage with separate invitations or instructions. Check the named school’s process rather than assuming one sitting completes it.
Should we wait for results before visiting non-selective schools?
No. Open events may take place before results, and the CAF deadline can follow soon afterwards. Visit schools you would consider regardless of the test outcome.
Official sources
Checked 28 Sept 2026