11+ Entrance Exams | CEM 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning: Everything You Need To Know!

What is the purpose of the CEM 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning exam?

The CEM 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning exam is a method of testing a students aptitude levels. It can be used to determine a candidate's potential to think logically and recognise patterns.

How will my child be tested?

As you may be aware, CEM have 2 exam papers. Each exam contains a mixture of topics. You can normally expect Non-Verbal Reasoning to be included in one of the papers but not both. Non-Verbal Reasoning tends to account for fewest marks on any CEM test out of any topic.

What will my child be required to do in the CEM 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning exam?

• Process graphic or pictorial information

• Apply logical thinking and problem-solving skills

• Use spatial awareness – how objects relate to each other in space

• Find and follow patterns and rules

• Apply maths skills – rotation, reflection and symmetry

• Work systematically

Why is it important to prepare your child for their CEM 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning exam?

Non-Verbal Reasoning is not part of the National Curriculum in state primary schools, and this style of assessment may feel quite strange for children who have not seen questions presented in this way before. This is why practising these kinds of questions at home is so important: it helps familiarise children with a style of testing that they won’t experience at school.

It is important to provide your child with experience of lots of different question types as the exam is less predictable than the GL Non-Verbal Reasoning exam. Your child will need to learn flexibly to ensure they have the capacity to adapt on the day to whichever question format is set.