8 Plus (8+) Exam – Westminster Cathedral Choir School (WCCS) – Key Details 2024
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Westminster Cathedral Choir School is a Roman Catholic prep school in the heart of London’s Victoria. Many leavers have gained entry to some of the country’s top-performing senior schools, including Eton College, Harrow School, St Paul’s School and Westminster School. [1]
Teaching pupils how to think instead of what to think, WCCS provides them with a broad curriculum, aimed at boosting their skills in the areas of communication & language, literacy, numeracy, physical development, creative arts & design and personal, moral & social development.
Noted for its exceptional standard of music, the school trains choristers to the highest level and provides all pupils with the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. WCCS also produces strong and competitive teams in football, rugby and cricket, and runs numerous extra-curricular clubs and activities, cultivating individual interests and enabling boys to excel in all areas. [2] [3]
Westminster Cathedral Choir School 8 Plus (8+) Exam Information
Address: Ambrosden Avenue, London, SW1P 1QH
County: Greater London
Admissions info: lauger@choirschool.com or 020 7798 9081
School type: Independent preparatory school for boys
Open days: Throughout the year
8+ Exam date: January of Year 3
Westminster Cathedral Choir School 8 Plus (8+) Open Days
The school highly recommends that you and your child visit the site prior to applying for a place. Booking is made through this page. The visits provide a fantastic opportunity to explore the extensive facilities and meet current pupils. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:
Westminster Cathedral Choir School 8 Plus (8+) Admissions
All boys who apply for 8+ entry to WCCS will be asked to sit an entrance exam. Prior to this, they need to be registered with the school. Please note that the £200 registration fee is non-refundable.
The registration deadline is in December of the year preceding entry, while your child is in Year 3. The entrance examinations are held the following January.
Westminster Cathedral Choir School 8 Plus (8+) Exam Format
Exams and the assessment for Westminster Cathedral Choir School 8+ entry take place on the same day in the January of the year of entry.
Their admission procedure has five elements:
- academic and, in the case of chorister applications, musical assessment tests
- boarding assessments for all chorister applicants
- interviews for boys
- academic, character and, where applicable, musical references
- disability assessments (if applicable)
These procedures apply at the main points of entry: 7+ or 8+, and also to boys for available places in other year groups (which happens very occasionally).
There are four papers in total:
- a 70-minute comprehension and composition paper (picture prompt)
- a 30-minute punctuation paper
- a 15-minute spelling paper
- a 45-minute maths paper
The assessment includes reading out loud and a friendly chat with either the Head, Deputy Head or Registrar. There are no reasoning or IQ tests.
Westminster Cathedral Choir School 8 Plus (8+) Practice Papers
English
We highly recommend the following packs to prepare successfully for the WCCS 8 Plus English assessment. They will help improve your child’s comprehension, punctuation and spelling skills:
Full Practice Tests
Comprehension Skills
8+ English: Comprehension Pack 1
8+ English: Vocabulary and Grammar
Comprehension Guide
This guide covers all the key comprehension question types in a clear, step-by-step manner so that both you and your child know exactly what to expect on exam day.
The Complete Guide to 8+ Comprehension
Writing Skills
Writing Guide
Starting from the foundational basics, this guide works its way through all the key skills your child needs to develop to become an excellent writer within the framework of what’s expected at the 8 Plus level.
The Complete Guide to 8+ Writing
If you’d like to have your child’s writing assessed and marked, you may be interested in our Writing Marking Service. Please click here to learn more.
Mathematics
We highly recommend the use of the following packs to help develop your child’s arithmetic and problem-solving skills within the examination context of the WCCS 8 Plus maths test:
Full Practice Tests
Targeted Skill Development
8+ Mathematics: Mental Arithmetic
8+ Mathematics: Problem Solving
Listening
The following pack is ideal for developing listening skills ahead of WCCS 8 Plus entrance exam:
Get 10% off orders over £70 and 20% off orders over £250. Use the code eppdiscount at checkout.
Westminster Cathedral Choir School: Destination Schools at 13+
Destinations include:
Charterhouse
City of London School for Boys
Downside School
Dulwich College
Eton College
Harrow School
King’s Canterbury
London Oratory School
Radley College
St Edward’s Oxford
St Paul’s Boys School
Tonbridge School
University College School (UCS)
Wetherby School
Winchester College
Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions were included in Westminster Cathedral Choir School 8+ past papers. The information provided about Westminster Cathedral Choir School was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the post.
Other entry points for Westminster Cathedral Choir School:
Click here to learn about Year 3 entry via the 7 Plus (7+) Exam
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