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UK boarding schools boast a long tradition of excellence in education. There are a number of options for boarding including:

• Weekly boarding: Students will live at school Monday to Friday and spend weekends with their parents.
• Flexi boarding: Parents can choose how many nights a student spends at school or at home.
• Full boarding: Students live at school all the time apart from exeat weekends (designated weekends each term where students can leave) and school holidays. This is the most common choice for international families as it allows parents to live outside the UK.

There are many schools that will have both day and boarding options.

We have summarised below the admissions procedures to some of the UK’s most popular boarding schools and provided links to sample papers (where provided), familiarisation materials and test-specific guides written by Keystone. We have not included specific timelines as these will vary each year; as such, you will need to check each school’s website and/or contact their admissions department to ensure you are aware of key dates and deadlines. 

In the cases of the co-educational and Boys’ schools listed, we have detailed the admissions procedures for 13+ entry as this is the first and largest entry point in terms of the number of students admitted. For the Girls’ schools listed, we have detailed the admissions procedures for 11+ entry, however they do have later entry points too; if you are looking to apply for a 13+ place, for example, please do check each school’s website as the admissions procedures often vary between entry points. 

Please kindly note that each school’s admissions process may also differ for international applicants and/or students applying later than the registration deadline – in such cases, we would recommend carefully checking each school’s website and contacting their admissions department for the most up-to-date guidance.

Benenden School

The 11+ admissions process for Benenden consists of two stages:

1. A residential weekend at Benenden during which the candidate’s English and Maths will be assessed and an interview completed. In advance of this, the admissions department at Benenden will have requested a confidential report from each applicant’s current school and this will include the applicant’s most recent CAT results (or similar).
2. Completion of the ISEB Common Pre-Test.

Bradfield College

The 13+ admissions process for Bradfield consists of three stages:

1. Completion of the ISEB Common Pre-Test. The results of this are considered alongside a confidential reference from the candidate’s current school.
2. Two interviews, along with a group problem-solving challenge.
3. Offers are subject to the candidate achieving a satisfactory end of Year 8 exam, or PSB performance, or 55% in the core subjects at Common Entrance, or Bradfield’s own entrance exams for non-CE candidates.

Brighton College

The 13+ admissions process for Brighton College consists of two stages:

1. Completion of the ISEB Common Pre-Test. The results of this are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.
2. Orientation Day which involves assessments and interviews. This day will also give candidates a chance to get to know the College through a day of exciting lessons and activities.

Bromsgrove School

The 13+ admissions process for Bromsgrove consists of three stages:

1. Online CAT4 (Cognitive Ability Testing)
2. Creative Writing test (45 minutes)
3. Video presentation – applicants should submit a three-minute video presentation. The title/subject of the presentation will be given to candidates a week before the entrance examination date.

The results of the assessments above are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.

Keystone’s Guide to the CAT4 Test

Charterhouse

The 13+ admissions process for Charterhouse consists of three stages:

1. Completion of the ISEB Common Pre-Test. The results of this are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.
2. Interview and Activity Afternoon – this involves an informal interview and a selection of activities.
3. Children who are offered a place are expected to continue in their Schools and work towards either the Common Entrance examinations or their own end of Year 8 curriculum exams, which Charterhouse expect them to pass comfortably.

Cheltenham Ladies College

The 11+ admissions process for Cheltenham Ladies College consists of one stage:

1. Registered candidates will be invited to take part in an assessment day which comprises of group discussions, activities and adaptive online tests in English, Maths, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. The 1st session will involve online reasoning tests, group activities and team challenges. The results of the assessment day are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.

Assessment practice materials are available upon request in the months leading up to the assessment day and a Briefing Paper, summarising the subject content and skills they assess, is available each year, along with a suggested reading list.

Downe House School

The 11+ admissions process for Downe House School consists of two stages:

1. Assessment Day during which candidates take part in a variety of activities – from drama and design technology to team building workshops. Every girl has an interview with the Headmistress, completes a piece of creative or persuasive writing and has a tour of the School as well as lunch with some of our current girls.
2. Completion of the ISEB Common Pre-Test. The results of this are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.

Eton College

The 13+ admissions process for Eton College consists of three stages:

1. Completion of the ISEB Common Pre-Test. The results of this are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.
2. An Assessment Day which will consist of an individual interview and an online predictive test of academic ability and potential.
3. Boys who are successful at stage 2 will be offered a place but offers are subject to a satisfactory performance in one of the following: King’s Scholarship, Common Entrance or Eton Entrance examinations.

Read more about admissions to Eton in our article on the Eton List Test

Haileybury

The 13+ admissions process for Haileybury consists of one stage:

1. An Assessment day which consists of Haileybury’s entrance examinations (which cover maths and English) and an online CAT4 test. These are followed by an interview. The results of the assessment day are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.

Keystone’s Guide to the CAT4 Test

Harrow School

The 13+ admissions process for Harrow consists of three stages:

1. Completion of the ISEB Common Pre-Test. The results of this are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.
2. The Harrow Test - comprises two 15-minute interviews (one with a House Master and another with a Senior Beak), a computerised English and Maths assessment (one hour in total) and a classroom-based group activity (30 minutes).
3. Boys who are successful at stage 2 will be offered a place but offers are subject to a satisfactory performance in one of the following: Academic Scholarship examinations or Common Entrance.

Read more about admissions to Harrow in our detailed article on The Harrow Test

King's School Canterbury

13+ Entry to King's School Canterbury:

Students are required to sit the King’s entry exam (KEE). This consists of an online assessment and an English Paper. The exam is then followed by an interview.

Marlborough College

The 13+ admissions process for Marlborough consists of two stages:

1. Completion of the ISEB Common Pre-Test. The results of this are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.
2. Assessment Day, which consists of two short writing tasks (no preparation required), an interview with a housemaster or housemistress, an interview with a boarding house tutor and some informal group activities.

Oundle School

The 13+ admissions process for Oundle is as follows:

Candidates applying from within the UK are initially assessed on the basis of a school report and reference from the Head of the candidate’s school and successful candidates will receive one of two types of offer: 

1. A firm offer, whereby Oundle expect the candidate to confirm their place with ease in the Year 8 Common Entrance examinations.
2. An offer subject to continued progress and the sitting of Oundle’s Practice Common Entrance exams early in the Autumn Term of Year 8.

The above processes are adapted for those applying from overseas and for those whose current school does not offer common Entrance. Instead of sitting Common Entrance exams, the candidate will sit the Oundle Entrance assessment, set and marked by Oundle staff. This consists of an informal interview alongside a Cognitive Ability Test and papers in Mathematics, English, Science and normally a Modern Foreign Language.

Radley College

The 13+ admissions process for Radley consists of two stages:

1. Completion of the ISEB Common Pre-Test. The results of this are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.
2. An Assessment Day which includes an interview and a tour.

Boys who receive unconditional offers are required to sit Common Entrance at 13+ largely for setting purposes.

Rugby School

The 13+ admissions process for Rugby consists of 3 stages:

1. Registered candidates are initially assessed on the basis on a comprehensive school report and their most recent verbal reasoning test score from their current school. If the school cannot provide these scores, Rugby will arrange a test themselves.
2. Registered applicants will be invited to an interview with a Housemaster or Housemistress. Ahead of this, they will complete a pre-interview questionnaire. They will also be asked to bring their recent maths and English exercise books along with a price of Year 7 work they are most proud of – this will form the basis of a further 20-30 minute discussion to help the school assess the candidate’s academic ability.
3. If a conditional place is offered, the next step is to pass either Common Entrance (with an average of at least 55 per cent). Alternative arrangements are made for children whose schools do not prepare for Common Entrance.

Sevenoaks School

The 13+ admissions process for Sevenoaks consists of 1 stage:

1. An Assessment Day at Sevenoaks during which all candidates take an English, Maths and Verbal Reasoning test. All candidates subsequently take part in a 40 min group discussion. Candidates sitting the tests at Sevenoaks will additionally take part in a co-curricular activity during the afternoon, and boarding candidates spend the night before the tests in one of our boarding houses. The results of the assessment day are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.

Unconditional offers are made to successful candidates and offer holders who are studying at a UK Preparatory School will usually take either the Academic scholarship examinations in the May of Year 8 or the Common Entrance examinations in the June of Year 8. The Common Entrance results of these candidates will be used for setting purposes and Sevenoaks encourage candidates to aim for an average of 70% or above in their core subjects. Those candidates not attending UK Preparatory Schools are not expected to sit the Common Entrance examinations.

Sherborne Girls School

The 13+ admissions process for Sherborne Girls’ consists of 1 stage:

1. An Assessment and Boarding Taster Weekend, during which candidates will be required to sit an online assessment (designed by Atom Learning) which has two sections covering Verbal Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning, English, Mathematics, Problem Solving and Creative Writing. Candidates will also complete papers in English, Maths and Science, take part in a Science practical and have an interview. The results of the assessment day are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.

Sherborne School

The 13+ admissions process for Sherborne School consists of two stages:

1. Completion of the ISEB Common Pre-Test. The results of this are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.
2. A formal Assessment Day at the school which will involve an interview with a senior member of Sherborne’s academic staff, a creative writing task and a group task.

Unconditional offers are made to successful candidates and offer holders who are studying at a UK Preparatory School will take Common Entrance examinations in the June of Year 8; the results of these tests will be used by Sherborne for setting purposes.

Shrewsbury School

The 13+ admissions process for Shrewsbury School consists of one stage:

1. The school assesses UK prep school candidates based on their school reference and performance in Common Entrance examinations which are taken at the candidates’ own schools in June prior to entry in September. Pupils at schools that do not prepare for Common Entrance will be required to sit Shrewsbury’s own entrance examination which comprises of papers in English, Maths and French (if they have studied it previously). Past papers are available on request from the Admissions Office.

St Edward's Oxford

13+ Entry to St Edward’s consist of 3 stages.

1. ISEB Common Pre-Tests
2. Candidate’s will be invited to visit St Edward’s for an interview and a report will be sought from their school.
3. Places are then offered to registered children subject to entrance exams - either Common Entrance, the Prep School Baccalaureate, or the 13+ online Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning Assessment.

St Mary's Ascot

The 11+ admissions process for St Mary’s Ascot consists of one stage:

1. Candidates are invited to complete assessments and interviews at the school. The assessments are made up of three papers: English, Mathematics and a general paper (which could include: graded spelling; non-verbal puzzles; listening skills). Candidates will also have an interview with the Head. The results of the assessment day are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.

The school does not issue past papers but will supply guidelines to the current school or parents upon request. 

St Mary's School, Calne

The 11+ admissions process for St Mary’s School, Calne consists of one stage: 

1. Candidates will sit an online test (assessing for verbal and non-verbal skills, in addition to English and Maths), take part in some fun team-building activities, and sit an English paper with a Comprehension and a Creative Writing section. Girls will also have an individual interview, and a small group interview with the Head. The results of the assessment day are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.

St Swithun's School

The 11+ admissions process for St Swithun’s consists of two stages:

1. Completion of the ISEB Common Pre-Test. The results of this are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.
2. An assessment day at the school in which candidates sit entry papers in English and mathematics.

Stowe School

The 13+ admissions process for Stowe consists of two stages:

1. All registered candidates are expected to privately visit the School for their interviews when they are in Year 6
2. Completion of the ISEB Common Pre-Test for candidates for whom English is their first language. Candidates for whom English is not their first language will be asked to sit a UKiset test. Where it is difficult for a pupil to take the ISEB Pre-Tests or their application is received in the year of entry, the School will accept CAT4 tests or midYIS scores as a means of academic evidence. The results of these assessments are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.

Tonbridge School

13+ Entry at Tonbridge consist of 2 stages:

1. Completion of the ISEB Common Pre-Test
2. Candidate will attend an assessment afternoon at Tonbridge where they will sit a Maths and English exam.

Uppingham School

The 13+ admissions process for Uppingham School consists of four stages:

1. Completion of online Pre-Tests - thirty minutes each of verbal and non-verbal reasoning, thirty-five minutes of maths and twenty-five minutes of English. The results of this are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.
2. Candidates also undertake a twenty minute interview with a member of Uppingham staff.
3. Pupils also need to complete a thirty minute extended writing task, either at Uppingham School when attending for interview or separately, if required.
4. Prospective pupils at prep-schools that offer Common Entrance are required to sit these exams in Year 8. The School expects a 55% average pass mark. Pupils from schools that do not offer common entrance, fulfil their offer by sitting Uppingham’s non-common entrance papers; these comprise two tests in Maths (40 minutes) and English comprehension (40 minutes).

Wellington College

The 13+ admissions process for Wellington College consists of two stages:

1. Completion of the ISEB Common Pre-Test. The results of this are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.
2. Selected candidates attend an Assessment Day, consisting of a series of collaborative, problem-solving activities and also an interview with a senior member of staff.

Winchester College

The 13+ admissions process for Winchester College consists of three stages:

1. Completion of the ISEB Common Pre-Test. The results of this are considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.
2. Successful candidates will be invited to an interview with their chosen Head of House and, at this stage, they will also be required to complete a Maths test.
3. Candidates who are offered a place following their interview will need to sit either Election or Winchester Entrance exams.

Wycombe Abbey

The 11+ admissions process for Wycombe Abbey consists of three stages:

1. Completion of an online Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4)
2. The second stage is an Assessment Day. Candidates will have an individual interview with a senior member of staff and will take part in small group activities. Candidates will also sit entrance examinations in English (1 hour) and Mathematics (1 hour).  The results of the assessment day will be considered alongside a reference from the candidate’s current school.

Keystone’s Guide to the CAT4 Test

You can request sample English and Maths papers from the Admissions team in the months leading up to the Assessment Day.

Tutors for the 11 Plus, Pre-tests and 13 Plus exams for UK Boarding Schools

Each year Keystone supports many students preparing for 11+ and 13+ entrance exams to top UK boarding schools. The 11 Plus and 13 Plus tutors we represent are experienced in the intricacies of the exams and how they differ between schools. We would normally recommend that preparation begins around 12 – 18 months before the exams.

For more details on how Keystone can help with 11+, Pre-test and 13+ preparation, please call the office for a chat with one of our client managers, or contact us via our request a tutor form.