With the ongoing uncertainty during the pandemic, there are no final answers as to how 11+ academic testing will look in the autumn term, but at least there are plans, some of which might change. Here is an overview of what different schools in London are planning at the moment.
Co-educational Schools
Co-educational schools are mostly planning to run their own entrance exam papers using their own papers in Maths, English and Reasoning whereever possible. Some of those that participated in the ISEB last year felt that they had a far higher number of applicants who had not visited the school or had any intention to accept offers, so it was hard for the schools to manage their waiting lists. As a result, if at all possible, most schools in this category will run their own process this autumn / winter:
- Emanuel School will set its own papers in Maths, English and Verbal Reasoning, the exam is to take place on December 3rd 2021
- Highgate School will set its own exam in Maths, English and Reasoning (VR and NVR), to be held on Monday December 6th 2021
- Kingston Grammar School will set its own exams in Maths and English, to be held on January 6th and 7th
- Latymer Upper School will set its own papers in Maths and English, the 11+ exam will take place on January 11th 2022
- The Harrodian School has decided to use ISEB results again this year, asking that candidates sit the test at their current school if possible
- Ibstock Place School: all candidates are required to sit a computer-based (CEM) test and participate in a Learning Workshop either on Tuesday 4 January or Wednesday 5 January 2022. All candidates also then sit Entrance Examinations which take place on Saturday 15 January 2022
Girls’ schools
All 11+ Consortium Schools will use the ISEB Pre-Test as their preliminary assessment tool, along with school reports and interviews. The 11+ consortium includes the following schools: Channing, Francis Holland (SW1 and NW1), Godolphin & Latymer, More House, Northwood College, Notting Hill & Ealing High, Queen’s College, Queen’s Gate, South Hampstead High School, St Augustine’s Priory, St Helen’s, St James, St Margaret’s School.
The following girls’ schools are currently planning to conduct their own 11+ entry process instead:
- St Paul’s Girls’ School: all registered candidates will sit an hour-long cognitive abilities pre-test at the school during the week of Monday 22 November. Successful candidates from the computer assessment will be invited to sit the entrance examinations in English, Mathematics and Comprehension on Wednesday January 5th 2022
- City of London School for Girls: candidates will sit the CEM pre-test the week of Monday 22 November, those successful will be invited for a Maths and English exam at the school on January 10th 2022
- Lady Eleanor Holles has decided to set papers in verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and problem-solving only as candidates have had a variety of educational experiences over the last year. The exam will be held at LEH on Sunday December 5th
- North London Collegiate School: All girls will take an Entrance Exam on 10 December 2021, consisting of written papers in English and Maths
- Wimbledon High School will base their initial decision on verbal and non-verbal reasoning tests, which will be held as a paper-based test on November 16th / 17th.
- Putney High School will set their own papers in Maths and English, the exam will take place on Friday 26 November 2021
Boys’ schools 11+ process
The ISEB features prominently among the boys’ schools, as you would expect, but there are notable exceptions, as you will see below:
- St Paul’s Junior: All candidates are required to take the ISEB online pre-test. They will be entered for this test and can sit the test at St Paul’s. Those 11+ candidates who are successful in the ISEB pre-test are invited back to sit written examinations in English and Mathematics in January 2022
- Westminster Under School: Candidates will sit the ISEB pre-test during the week beginning Monday 22 November either at WUS or their current school. Some boys will be invited to visit the School on Saturday 22nd January 2022 to sit additional written papers.
- King’s College School, Wimbledon: Tests in Maths, English and Verbal Reasoning will take place at the school on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th December 2021
- City of London School: All registered candidates will be invited to sit written examinations in English and Mathematics on Friday 3 December 2021. Shortlisted candidates will be invited back to the School in January 2022 to sit written papers in Verbal and Non Verbal Reasoning; they will also be invited for an interview, usually in late January 2022.
- UCS Hampstead: The Maths and English entrance exam will take place at UCS on Thursday January 6th 2022
- Hampton School: Candidates will sit the entrance examination on Saturday November 27th. The exam will consist of written papers in Maths, English and Reasoning
- Dulwich College: all candidates will sit reasoning test either on Saturday 13th or Saturday 20th November 2021. The top 300 candidates will be invited back for examinations in Maths and English on Wednesday 15th or Thursday 16th December