Entrance Exams

There is a variety of Scholarships available for particularly able or talented candidates
ranging from Academic, Art and Performing Arts (Choral, Drama, Music and Musical Theatre including Dance) to Sport. In addition, exceptional candidates who are both academically able and gifted and talented across a number of areas may be considered for an All-Rounder Scholarship, which would be awarded at the discretion of the Headmaster.

Additionally, for the Sixth Form there are Academic, Music, Art, Drama and Sports Scholarships available.

More information is available on our Scholarships and Bursaries page.

Candidates should wear comfortable, casual clothing and bring a coat. Candidates should bring two pens, two pencils, eraser.

Candidates for Years 8 to 10 should bring two pens, two pencils, an eraser and a ruler. 

Candidates sit papers in English and Maths and for those looking at Year 9 and 10 a French or Spanish language paper. The papers vary in length from 45 minutes to 1 hour. Candidates for Years 7 to 9 also sit a 50 minute online assessment which includes Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and Numerical Reasoning. Candidates for Year 10 sit a verbal reasoning paper.

The day is planned to give plenty of time between the exams for breaks, a hot lunch and time to play outside if the weather allows.

The online assessment is provided by Durham University’s Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM). The test is designed to enable all children to demonstrate their academic potential without the need for excessive preparation.

For more information on the online assessment please visit the CEM website at;

https://plus.cem.org/cemselectfam/

(If you experience difficulties opening this link please try Internet Explorer.)

There are no practice papers available for the online assessment. CEM advises parents that children can best prepare for their online assessment by learning to work quietly on their own, completing homework set by their school, and by reading and making sure they understand all the words in any books they read. Children should also, wherever possible, be encouraged to try to solve problems by looking things up for themselves. Children should be familiar with using a keyboard and a mouse including the ability to click, drag and slide with a mouse.

Children with a special educational need or disability (SEND)* will be considered for access arrangements in the Entrance Examinations. Any access arrangements granted will be based on the child’s normal way of working in their current educational environment, for which evidence will be required.

Following receipt of a registration form from any candidate with a learning need, the registration form and all supporting documents (including for example, Personal Learning Plan/Pupil Passport/One Page Profile (PLP), Individualised Education Plan (IEP), Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), Educational Psychologist Report, SEND Specialist Assessment Report, Autism Diagnosis Report, Medical Report or Therapist Report) will be reviewed by a panel of experts from our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Team.

The panel will decide upon any appropriate access arrangements for the Entrance Exams based on the evidence provided and the candidate’s normal way of working. In more complex cases or if the panel has specific questions a meeting with one of our SEND Team will be arranged by the Registrars. Please ensure the Registrars receive your registration in good time, to enable this important review to take place.

Parents will be notified prior to the Entrance Examinations Day of the nature of any access arrangements granted or reasonable adjustments to be made. 

*Cognition and learning, e.g. dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, SEMH – social, emotional and mental health, Communication and interaction, e.g. Autism Spectrum, speech, language communication needs or Physical, medical, sensory impairment or mobility.