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Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE) 11 Plus (11+) Exam 2024, Year 7 Entry – Key Details

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Introduction

 

The Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE) is a collaborative group of grammar schools in Essex that work together to administer the 11+ entrance examination for admission to their schools. The CSSE aims to ensure a fair and consistent admissions process for selective schools in Essex, allowing students to be considered for multiple schools within the consortium based on their performance in the entrance exam.

 

The primary objective of the CSSE Consortium is to improve the effectiveness and equity of the admissions process for its member grammar schools. Through collaboration, the schools within the consortium share resources, expertise and administrative tasks, ensuring a consistent and well-managed selection procedure. This collective endeavour aims to offer students from diverse backgrounds equal opportunities to obtain a first-rate education across the participating grammar schools.

 

Complete List of Grammar Schools in Essex

 

There are currently 10 grammar schools in the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE):

 

Shoeburyness High School

St. Thomas More High School

Westcliff High School for Girls

Westcliff High School for Boys

Southend High School for Girls

Southend High School for Boys

King Edward VI Grammar School

St Bernard’s High School for Girls

Colchester Royal Grammar School

Colchester County High School for Girls

 

⬇️ Read on to learn more about their exam and admissions process!

 

11 Plus (11+) Exam Information for Essex (CSSE) Grammar Schools

 

The Essex (CSSE) entrance exam represents a common benchmark for admission decisions among the grammar schools in the consortium. Students who demonstrate exceptional performance in the exam have the opportunity to be considered for admission to multiple schools within the consortium, thereby enhancing their prospects of securing a place at a grammar school. Here are key details about the Essex (CSSE) 11+ exam:

 

Registration closing date: June

Common Application Form (CAF) closing date: October

Essex 11+ (CSSE) exam date: September 2024

Exam board type: CSSE

Pass mark: Aim for 80-85%+ in our practice tests. See below for more details.

Results date: October

Allocations date: March

Admissions info: Essex Council, 0845 603 2200

 

Essex Grammar Schools (CSSE) 11 Plus (11+) Admissions

 

Year 7 admission to all grammar schools in the CSSE are based on pupil performance in the 11 Plus exam. Essex and Southend grammar school admissions are managed by the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE). You can contact them directly via email.

 

The Consortium allows students to sit only one exam and be eligible for entry to all the schools on their preference form. All selective places are awarded on the basis of student ability, which is defined by their test score. For more information on the admission criteria to CSSE schools, please see the CSSE guide available on this page.

 

How to Register for the Consortium of Grammar Schools in Essex 11 Plus (11+) Exam

 

Before registering for a Year 7 place at a CSSE school, it’s advised that you and your child attend one of your preferred school’s Open Events. Each school has its own event where prospective families can visit the campus, meet staff and learn more about the admissions process.

 

To register your child for a Year 7 place at a CSSE school, you will be asked to complete a Supplementary Information Form before the deadline in late June. The form can be completed online (on the CSSE website) or obtained from any CSSE school.

 

You also need to complete a Common Application Form (CAF) before October. The form should indicate your preferred school/schools and can be completed online via the Essex Council website.

 

Essex Consortium Grammar Schools 11 Plus (11+) Exam Format

 

All CSSE members use the same 11 Plus exam to ensure that students only need to take part in one test. The exam consists of two test papers that cover English and Maths.

 

➢ The English paper lasts 60 minutes with ten minutes additional reading time. It consists of the following sections:

 

1.1. Multiple-choice Comprehension – this section tests pupils’ ability to analyse and interpret information, make inferences and evaluate options to select the best answer. 

 

1.2. Standard format Comprehension – this section focuses more on pupils’ ability to comprehend, summarise and articulate their understanding of the passage through written responses.

 

2. Continuous Writing – this section evaluates pupils’ ability to structure paragraphs and produce original ideas, as well as use ambitious vocabulary and varied punctuation.

 

3. Applied Reasoning – this section requires students to apply verbal reasoning skills to solve problems based on words and letters.

 

➢ The Maths paper also lasts 60 minutes and focuses on topics from the KS2 National Curriculum, assessing arithmetic, algebra, geometry, statistics and problem-solving skills. It consists of standard format questions, which means that students have to write in their own answers rather than choose from a list of multiple-choice options.

 

Offers are dependent on your child’s age standardised score. However, it should be noted that passing the selection tests is not a guarantee of being offered a place. CSSE exam results are sent to parents by first class post in October.

 

Essex CSSE 11 Plus (11+) Exam Pass Marks and Target Scores

 

Essex grammar schools assess pupils for Year 7 entry using the CSSE exam. Historical data shows that most schools in the area do not admit applicants who have a standardised score less than 303 in the CSSE.

 

Exam results from previous years suggest this correlates with a score of roughly 80-85%+ in our 11+ Essex practice tests.

 

Whilst there are no guarantees, this has historically been a fairly strong indicator that your child should do well in the CSSE exam.

 

Passing the test does not guarantee that your child will be offered a place. It simply means they have surpassed the required threshold. As such, it makes sense to aim for as high a score as possible.

 

Don’t worry if your child is not scoring well in our practice papers from the outset. With targeted practice and focus, it’s possible to make big improvements in a short amount of time!

 

Practice Papers for the Essex CSSE 11 Plus (11+) Exam

 

One of the most effective ways to prepare for the CSSE 11 Plus is to use 11 Plus Practice Tests. At Exam Papers Plus, we publish high-quality practice tests that can help students successfully prepare for the CSSE. Our tests can help improve a student’s performance in the final exam and give them a confidence boost before test day. When used under timed exam conditions, our tests can also help improve students’ time management skills.

 

We have a number of practice tests specifically designed to help students prepare for the 11+ CSSE exam in Essex. You can learn more about them here.

 

Full Practice Tests

The following practice tests are specifically designed to help your child prepare for the CSSE 11+ Exam. They provide excellent mock exam preparation, highlighting your child’s strengths and weaknesses:

 

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 1

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 2

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 3

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 4

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 5

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 6

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 7

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 8

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 9

11+ Essex (CSSE) Practice Test 10

 

✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our CSSE Practice Tests for the Essex 11+ Exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:

 

11+ Essex CSSE Tests 1-10 Bundle - Save 20%

 

✅ Alternatively, you can choose a bundle of five of our CSSE Practice Tests for the Essex 11+ Exam, and still save 15%. Select the relevant bundle below to learn more:

 

11+ Essex CSSE Tests 1-5 Bundle - Save 15%

 

11+ Essex CSSE Tests 6-10 Bundle - Save 15%

 


English

 

The CSSE 11+ English paper can include both multiple-choice and open-answer comprehension questions, as well as a writing section and a reasoning section.

 

Multiple-Choice Comprehension

 

For multiple-choice comprehension practice, we’d highly recommend:

 

Full Practice Tests

11+ English – Pack 1

11+ English – Pack 2

11+ English – Pack 3

11+ English – Pack 4

11+ English – Pack 5

 

Skill Specific Practice

11+ Comprehension – Pack 1

11+ Comprehension – Pack 2

11+ Inference Skills – Pack 1

11+ Inference Skills – Pack 2

 

Standard Format Comprehension

 

For open-answer (standard format) comprehension and writing practice, we’d highly recommend these resources:

 

Comprehension

11+ English – Pack 1

11+ English – Pack 2

11+ English – Pack 3

11+ English – Pack 4

11+ English – Pack 5

11+ Complete Comprehension Guide

11+ Poetry Comprehension

11+ Reading Workbook

 

Writing

11+ Essex (CSSE) Continuous Writing Guide

11+ Complete Writing Guide

11+ Writing Prompts

11+ Rewrite & Improve

11+ Spelling – Pack 1

11+ Spelling – Pack 2

 

If you’d like to have your child’s writing assessed and marked, you may be interested in our Writing Marking Service. Please click here to learn more.

 

✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended resources for the English section of the Essex 11+ Exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:

 

11+ Essex English Bundle

 

Applied Reasoning Section

 

For the reasoning section, we’d highly recommend these practice tests:

 

Full Practice Tests

11+ Essex (CSSE) Applied Reasoning

 

Skill Specific Practice

11+ Anagrams

11+ Analogies

11+ Codes

11+ Compound Words

11+ Embedded Words

11+ Form a Word

11+ Insert a Letter

11+ Letter Analogies

11+ Letter Calculations

11+ Letter Codes

11+ Letter Sequences

11+ Move a Letter

11+ Number Analogies

11+ Number Calculations

11+ Number Sequences

11+ Related Words

11+ Rhyming Synonyms

11+ Shuffled Sentences

11+ Synonyms

11+ Word Completion

11+ Word Match

11+ Word Opposites

11+ Word Pairs

11+ Word Puzzles

11+ Word Relationships

Masterclasses

11+ Verbal Reasoning Masterclass

 

✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended resources for the Applied Reasoning section of the Essex 11+ Exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:

 

11+ Essex Applied Reasoning Bundle

 

Mathematics

 

The CSSE 11+ Maths paper covers the KS2 syllabus (including problem solving and arithmetic) as well as some non-verbal reasoning. The maths questions are not multiple-choice.

 

Standard Format Mathematics

 

We recommend using the following resources to help prepare for the maths exam:

 

Full Practice Tests

11+ Mathematics – Pack 1

11+ Mathematics – Pack 2

11+ Mathematics – Pack 3

11+ Mathematics – Pack 4

 

Skill Specific Practice

11+ Problem Solving – Pack 1

11+ Problem Solving – Pack 2

11+ Mental Arithmetic 

11+ Algebra

11+ Angles & Degrees

11+ BODMAS

11+ Estimation & Place Value

11+ Factors & Multiples

11+ Fractions, Decimals & Percentages

11+ Measurements

11+ Money

11+ Operations

11+ Perimeter, Area & Volume

11+ Position & Direction

11+ Probability

11+ Properties of Shapes

11+ Ratio & Proportion

11+ Reflection, Rotation & Symmetry

11+ Sequences

11+ Special Numbers

11+ Speed, Distance & Time

11+ Statistics

 

✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended resources for the Maths section of the Essex 11+ Exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:

 

11+ Essex Mathematics Bundle

 

 

If you don’t buy a Bundle, don’t forget to use the code eppdiscount at checkout to get 10% off orders over £70 and 20% off orders over £250.

 

 

The Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE): Results & Leavers’ Destinations 

 

Essex (CSSE) Grammar Schools – Progress 8 Scores

Progress 8 is a metric that evaluates students’ progress from the end of Key Stage 2 in primary school to the end of Key Stage 4 in secondary school. It provides insights into the educational effectiveness of schools by assessing students’ academic development.

 

The Progress 8 score is calculated by comparing students’ actual achievements in eight core subjects, such as English, mathematics, sciences, humanities and languages, with their expected achievements based on their prior performance in primary school. The score represents the average progress students make across these subjects.

 

📊 Please refer to the chart below for details on Progress 8 scores at grammar schools in Essex:

progress 8 scores for Essex grammar schools
Source: Gov.uk

 

A positive Progress 8 score indicates that students, on average, have made more progress than expected, while a negative score suggests that they have made less progress than expected. A score of zero means that students have progressed as expected.

 

Essex (CSSE) Grammar Schools – Leavers’ Destinations

Leavers’ destinations here refer to the next steps that students take after completing their studies at Essex grammar schools. 

 

Russell Group universities are widely respected educational institutions, recognised for their exceptional achievements. These universities showcase exceptional research output, housing renowned scholars and groundbreaking discoveries. Their academic standing is exemplary, attracting talented individuals from across the globe.

 

Among the esteemed members of the Russell Group are the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, both renowned for their prestigious history, academic excellence and rigorous educational programs. With distinguished faculty and a commitment to excellence, these universities have maintained their reputation for centuries.

 

📊 The chart below shows the recent leavers’ destinations for grammar schools in Essex:

top-performing grammar schools in Essex

Source: Gov.uk

 

As the chart above shows, a significant number of students from The Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex are offered places at top universities in the UK.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About The 11 Plus (11+) Exam at The Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex

 

Does Essex have grammar schools?

 

Yes, Essex has ten selective grammar schools. They all use the same 11+ exam to assess Year 7 applicants. Click here to access the articles we have for each of these schools, addressing their history and ethos, as well as all the details about their 11+ entry procedure.

 

What is CSSE?

 

CSSE stands for Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex. It is a collaboration of grammar schools in Essex who administer the 11+ entrance examination for admission to their schools. The CSSE exam is taken by students in Year 6 (ages 10-11) who are seeking entry into selective grammar schools in the region.

 

When should I register my child for the Essex CSSE 11+ exam?

 

The deadline for submissions of the  Supplementary Information Form (SIF) is in late June. You will also be asked to complete a Common Application Form (CAF) before the closing date in October.

 

When are the 11+ exams held for Essex (CSSE) grammar schools?

 

The Essex CSSE 11+ exam in held in September.

 

Which areas does the Essex CSSE 11+ exam assess?

 

The Essex CSSE 11+ exam consists of two tests that assess English (comprehension, applied reasoning and creative writing) and Mathematics.

 

What is the pass mark at the Essex CSSE Consortium?

 

Historical data shows that most schools in the area do not admit applicants who have a standardised score less than 303 in the CSSE. Exam results from previous years suggest this correlates with a score of roughly 80-85%+ in our 11+ Essex practice tests.

 

Who is the 11+ exam provider for Essex?

 

Schools in the Essex Consortium use the CSSE exam board.

 

 

The information provided about The Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE) was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of future changes. We advise you to contact the schools directly if you are unsure of anything. Contact details are provided within individual school posts.

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