What Is the 13+ Exam? The Truth About Grammar Entry
Here's the thing almost nobody explains clearly: when most families say "13+ entry to grammar school," they're actually describing something else entirely — independent school entry, sat at the same age, sometimes at a school with "Grammar" literally in its name, but a completely different system from the state-selective 11+ world. Genuine 13+ entry into a state grammar school exists, but it's far smaller, far more limited, and far less reliable than most families assume.
This guide untangles the two. If you're picturing 13+ as a second, guaranteed shot at a state grammar place after missing out at 11+, this is worth reading before you plan around it.
Quick summary
Quick tips:
- Don't plan around a state grammar 13+ vacancy as a backup — treat it as a long shot, not a plan.
- Check whether "Grammar School" in a name means state-selective or independent — both exist, and they work completely differently.
- If independent 13+ is genuinely on the table, Common Entrance preparation starts years earlier than families expect.
Two completely different systems, one shared name
A genuine source of confusion: several well-known "Grammar Schools" in England — Reigate Grammar School is a commonly cited example — are actually independent, fee-paying schools, not part of the state-selective system, despite the name. Always check whether a specific school is state-selective or independent before assuming how its 13+ entry (if it has any) actually works.
State grammar 13+: how it really works
Almost every English state grammar school takes its main intake at 11+. Late transfer at 12+ or 13+ exists at some schools, but it is entirely dependent on a vacancy arising in Year 8 or Year 9 — a child leaving, a place going unfilled — and there's no guarantee one will exist in any given year.
| Area | How late-transfer 12+/13+ works there |
|---|---|
| Buckinghamshire | The most formal, council-managed 12+/13+ late transfer process among English grammar counties — but even here, places depend entirely on vacancies, and some years have offered very few or none |
| Kent | No county-wide coordinated late-entry system equivalent to the 11+ Kent Test — individual grammar schools manage in-year applications separately, often using CAT4 assessments |
| Bexley | Individual grammar schools run their own late-transfer test (commonly Cambridge Insight, formerly CEM), on their own dates — passing does not by itself guarantee a place |
The pattern across every area: passing whatever assessment is used does not guarantee admission. A place still depends on an actual vacancy existing, and waiting lists are common. This is a genuinely different proposition from 11+, where a fixed, published number of places is allocated from a known applicant pool each year.
Independent 13+: the well-established route
By contrast, 13+ entry into independent senior schools is a large, mature, well-understood system — typically via Common Entrance (CE), sat in Year 8, used by roughly 170 independent senior schools to confirm a Year 9 place. This isn't a rare, vacancy-dependent long shot; it's the standard route for many families choosing independent education, usually planned years in advance via a preparatory school. We cover exactly how Common Entrance itself works in a separate, dedicated guide.
Parent advice
Don't build a backup plan around state grammar 13+. Given how vacancy-dependent it genuinely is, families who don't secure a grammar place at 11+ are almost always better served researching strong non-selective or independent alternatives seriously, rather than counting on a late-transfer place that may not exist.
If independent 13+ is a real option for your family, start researching early. Many independent senior schools effectively make their real selection decision around age 11 (via registration and pre-testing), with Common Entrance at 13 confirming rather than deciding — waiting until Year 8 to start thinking about it can be too late for some schools.
Verify exactly which system a specific school uses before assuming. "Grammar School" in a name is not a reliable signal of state vs independent status — check directly.
Student tips
If you didn't get the result you wanted at 11+, it's worth knowing that a 13+ state grammar place is genuinely rare, so it's not something to pin your hopes on. That doesn't mean your options have narrowed to nothing — plenty of children thrive at non-selective and independent schools, and how well you do over the next couple of years matters far more to your future than which type of school you're at right now.
Tutor notes
- Set realistic expectations about state grammar 13+ early with any family treating it as a guaranteed fallback — the vacancy-dependent reality is worth explaining plainly and early, not after a disappointing search.
- Confirm which specific assessment a late-transfer school uses before recommending preparation material — CAT4, Cambridge Insight and the standard 11+ format are not interchangeable.
- Distinguish state and independent "Grammar Schools" explicitly when discussing options with families, since the name alone doesn't reveal which system applies.
So what should you actually do?
If a state grammar place didn't come through at 11+, contact your specific target school(s) directly to ask about their actual late-transfer process and recent vacancy history, rather than assuming a standard "13+ exam" exists everywhere. Treat any answer as informative, not a plan to build around.
If independent 13+ genuinely fits your family's circumstances, start that research now rather than waiting until Year 8 — much of the real decision-making in that system happens earlier than the Common Entrance exam itself, and starting late can close doors that would otherwise have been open.
Frequently asked questions
Is 13+ a real second entry point into state grammar schools?
In a formal, guaranteed sense, no — not the way 11+ is. Almost all English state grammar schools take their main intake at 11+. A small number of counties and individual schools (notably Buckinghamshire's council-run late transfer process, and some Kent and Bexley grammar schools) run a 12+/13+ test, but places depend entirely on whether a vacancy exists that year, and are often extremely limited or zero.
Which county runs the most formal state grammar 13+ process?
Buckinghamshire operates the most formal, council-managed 12+ and 13+ late transfer testing process among English grammar counties. Even there, places are entirely dependent on vacancies arising in Year 8 or Year 9 that year — passing the test does not guarantee a place, and some years have offered very few or no places at all.
What does 13+ usually mean if it's not a state grammar school?
For the large majority of families using the term "13+", it refers to entry into an independent (private, fee-paying) senior school at Year 9, typically via Common Entrance or a school's own 13+ assessment — a well-established, standard route used by many independent schools, distinct from the state grammar system entirely.
Do state grammar schools use the same test for 12+ and 13+ late entry as they do for 11+?
Not usually the same test. Many schools running late-transfer entry use a different assessment, such as CAT4 or Cambridge Insight (formerly CEM), rather than the same GL Assessment or Kent Test paper used for standard 11+ entry — always confirm the specific format directly with the school.
Should a family plan around getting a state grammar place at 13+ if they miss out at 11+?
It's not a reliable backup plan. Given how vacancy-dependent and limited late-transfer places genuinely are, families who don't get a grammar place at 11+ are generally better served researching strong non-selective or independent alternatives seriously, rather than counting on a 13+ vacancy that may not materialise.
Related SharpY Mind resources
Where to go from here
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