Bond and CGP 11 Plus Books Compared

Bond or CGP for 11+? If your child is sitting a confirmed GL test soon, compare current CGP GL-labelled books with Bond titles whose product descriptions specify GL suitability. Check contents and answer format against your local test before buying. Bond offers products organised by age and subject, but the catalogue alone does not establish a gentler or more effective progression. A child may use a workbook to practise skills and a format-matched pack closer to the test.

• Confirmed GL test within a year: compare a current CGP GL title and a current Bond GL-suitable title for the actual subjects and answer format.
• More than a year to go, or uneven skills: try one Bond book at the child's working level before buying a series.
• Test provider or format has changed: use the admissions authority's current specification and free familiarisation material before choosing a final practice pack.

For September 2028 entry, check again before buying a GL-labelled set. Kent says Quest Assessments will deliver its test, while keeping the current structure and timing; Slough also names Quest and expects a similar format. The Trafford Grammar School Consortium names FSCE and says its tested content will change. These are different local decisions, not one new national paper. English, maths and reasoning practice can still build useful skills, but use the relevant area's published familiarisation materials before paying for a stack of mock papers. Our Kent Test guide and Trafford grammar schools guide track those two routes.

We sell no Bond or CGP books and receive no affiliate commission from either publisher. The rest of this comparison looks at question format, explanations, cost and where each range is less helpful.

Myth one: "Bond or CGP" is the first decision

Reality: the local test and entry year come before the brand.

There is no single national 11+ exam. A local test may be commissioned from GL, Quest or FSCE, or written by the school itself. The provider and the tested subjects can also change between entry years, as the 2028 announcements above show. Ask which entry year and school or consortium the book is intended for before asking which publisher produced it.

GL Assessment itself warns that "11+ tests vary from area to area" and that "The exact timings for, and number of questions in, your local 11+ test may differ from those in our familiarisation and practice materials", advising parents to check their admissions authority's website (gl-assessment.co.uk). If the publisher of the actual test says that, a workbook cannot promise otherwise.

So before you spend anything, find your local authority or target school's admissions page and write down which subjects are tested, how long each paper is, and whether answers go on a separate sheet. Our guide to the 11 plus exam and how it works walks through how to find that for your area. Then, and only then, choose books.

Myth two: the two ranges are the same product in different covers

Reality: they are built on different organising principles, and it shows in the catalogue.

Bond, an Oxford University Press imprint, organises its products by subject and age band, with ranges in English, maths and reasoning. The exact ages and features vary by series, so compare the individual title rather than assuming one continuous path.

CGP offers titles labelled for specific boards and age bands, including GL-labelled books. Bond also labels some current Assessment Practice titles as suitable for GL. Treat labels as guidance about a product's intended audience, then check sample pages and local admissions details: neither label guarantees an exact match to every local test.

A catalogue can help you find products by age or test style, but which is useful depends on your child's current needs and the local test.

Age bands are product guidance, not a measure of a child's ability. Compare a sample and choose a level that the child can work through with an appropriate amount of support.

Myth three: any decent practice book prepares a child for any question type

Reality: you can grade fidelity against a published syllabus, and the brands score differently.

Take Buckinghamshire, which publishes exactly what its GL-produced Secondary Transfer Test contains. Children sit two multiple-choice papers. One assesses "verbal skills including comprehension, technical English and verbal reasoning". The other covers "mathematics and non-verbal skills including spatial reasoning". "Each paper is about 45 minutes long (60 minutes including the introduction and examples)" (buckinghamshire.gov.uk). That gives us four things to grade a book against.

Multiple choice throughout. Do not assume every book from either publisher uses the format your child will meet. CGP's GL Practice Book and Assessment Tests titles link to multiple-choice answer sheets that you can download. Bond sells both standard and multiple-choice test-paper packs, while its broader skill-building books are not all test simulations. Read the product title and sample pages, not just the logo. A child who has not used multiple-choice options or a separate answer sheet may benefit from practising those formats before test day.

Separate answer sheets. Buckinghamshire runs a shorter, unmarked practice test beforehand specifically to familiarise children with question types, test style and "using a separate answer sheet". Some packs include answer sheets; verify the exact edition. A short practice using the same answer-transfer method as the local test can help a child notice how to keep their place.

Spatial reasoning. One possible content gap to check is spatial reasoning. Buckinghamshire's second paper explicitly includes spatial reasoning, which is not the same thing as standard non-verbal reasoning. Cube nets, 3D rotation, folding and hole punches behave differently from matrices and sequences. Neither publisher's brand name proves that the particular title in your basket covers every subtype. If your test names spatial reasoning, check the contents page before you buy.

Technical English. The phrase covers grammar, punctuation, spelling and vocabulary as testable knowledge rather than as writing craft. Both ranges cover these skills, but the presentation differs. The page design and explanation style differ between titles. Compare sample pages with the child who will use the book.

Myth four: an answer key is an answer

Reality: what a book does when a child is wrong matters more than what it does when they are right, and edition dates matter here.

A bare key tells you the answer was C. It does not tell you why the child chose B, which is the information a parent actually needs. CGP's Practice Book and Assessment Tests include detailed answers. Current revised Bond Assessment Practice books and 10 Minute Tests with Answer Support advertise explanations; check the exact ISBN and edition, especially when buying second-hand. Check the exact ISBN if buying second-hand, because an older cover can mean an older answer section.

For question types that a child may not have met before, an explanation can help a parent understand the method. GL Assessment notes that children may not have encountered some verbal and non-verbal question types before. Check whether the exact edition provides worked or fully explained answers.

Both publishers offer some parent-facing guidance and product-specific support. Check the publisher's current site and the exact edition for what is included. The useful comparison is whether that product supplies the explanations and format support your family needs.

Myth five: the cheaper cover price means the cheaper preparation plan

Reality: the number of suitable books you need matters more than a single cover price.

At the time of this review, Bond lists an individual revised Assessment Practice English Book 1 at £7.99 and its four-subject Book 1 bundle at £32. Prices and offers can change. Compare the current cost of the subjects and paper packs your child will actually use, including delivery, rather than a single book against a bundle.

Bond's model makes it tempting to buy several books across several age bands. CGP's catalogue can also multiply quickly if you buy 10-minute tests, practice books, stretch books and paper packs together. Start with one book or free sample, then buy for the weakest subjects and the final confirmed format.

Both publishers offer products for different ages and subjects, so compare the relevant title and total cost rather than buying a broad set by default. Before buying, consider free familiarisation material: our roundup of free 11 plus practice papers with answers includes GL's own PDFs.

Comparing the product ranges

Bond has several product types, including workbooks, short tests and test-paper packs. Check the exact product description and sample pages; a general practice book should not be assumed to be a mock exam.

The ranges are organised differently, and a particular child may prefer one page style over another. Check the age label and sample pages rather than treating either publisher as a single uniform product.

A note on reviews, since parents will find them. Separate comments about a publisher's online subscription, delivery or account handling from reviews of a specific printed title. They are different products, and a review of one is weak evidence about the other.

What neither brand can do

Books cannot produce an official age-standardised result. In Buckinghamshire, GL Assessment marks the papers and the marks are then standardised, with the child's age taken into account. Check the current marking guidance for that area's qualifying threshold and standardisation details.

Now consider what "32 out of 40" in the back of a Bond or CGP book tells you against that. A raw book mark does not show where your child sits in a cohort. It is not age-adjusted, and it cannot be translated into an official qualifying score.

Timed practice is a different activity from working through a book. Smart Cub Learning's mock tests provide GL-style formats and subject and topic breakdowns. These are reports on the practice materials, not official scores or evidence of future outcomes.

An optional way to organise practice

The outline below is an example of how a family might organise practice, not a research-tested schedule or a recommendation for every child. Follow the local test information, schoolwork and the child's wellbeing.

1. Start by checking the local test. Note the tested subjects and question formats. Use a small sample to identify topics that need attention, rather than treating a score as a prediction.
2. Practise a manageable amount. Choose a topic or question type and review the explanation together when an answer is unclear.
3. Add timing only when appropriate. Short timed sets can familiarise a child with pace, but stop if timing is causing unnecessary stress.
4. Use a full practice paper only if it matches the local format. Follow the published instructions and answer-sheet method.
5. Leave time for rest and ordinary activities. A practice plan should fit the child rather than displace sleep, schoolwork or play.

If you have longer than a few weeks, use the additional time flexibly and revisit the local test guidance as it is updated. Our year by year preparation plan sets out what belongs in each earlier stage.

So which should you buy?

Consider a CGP GL-labelled title if your child sits a confirmed GL test and the book's age band, subjects and answer format fit. Check the current product details and local admissions information.

Consider a Bond product if its particular age band, subject coverage and explanation style suit your child. Do not infer a specific progression or effect from the publisher name alone. If using a product for GL preparation, check that the current product description identifies it as suitable for GL and compare its sample pages with local test information.

Using both in sequence can make sense if you have the time and a clear purpose for each. Whichever you choose, use timed papers that match the confirmed local format, because a workbook mark is not an official standardised score.

Frequently asked questions

Are CGP books good for 11+?

It may suit a child whose local test uses GL, provided the specific title matches the child's age, subjects and preferred format. Check the edition and sample pages. Local timings and question mixes can differ from practice materials.

Is Bond harder than CGP?

Not systematically. Difficulty varies by product, age band and whether the task is standard-answer or multiple choice. Bond also publishes books for ages 11 to 12, above the usual exam year, so one of those may feel harder than a CGP book for ages 10 to 11. Compare equivalent ages and formats before drawing a conclusion.

Which books are best for 11 Plus?

A useful starting point is a book whose subjects, age band and answer style fit your child and the local test. That is a different book for a Year 4 child in an area with school-set papers than for a Year 6 child sitting a GL test in eight weeks. Check the admissions page first.

Can I just use free PDFs?

You can get a long way. GL Assessment publishes 10 hours of free familiarisation materials as downloadable PDFs (gl-assessment.co.uk), your council may publish a familiarisation booklet, and both Bond and CGP offer free samples. What free material rarely gives you is volume at consistent difficulty or reliable answer explanations. We do not link to pirated papers, and neither should anyone else.

Do book scores predict a pass mark?

No. A workbook mark has no cohort comparison or age adjustment and cannot be compared with an official qualifying score. It can be used to review performance on that book, but it does not predict a pass. Formats, thresholds and subjects vary by area, so confirm details with your admissions authority.

Comparing books with an online subscription

Keep a book purchase separate from a digital subscription. Our Bond Online comparison distinguishes the standard, Premium and Premium Plus offers. You can also compare preparation options using real demonstration screens and a trial checklist before adding another resource to the plan.