Ardingly College 11 Plus (11+) Entrance Exam Information – Key Details 2026

Introduction

Ardingly College is a selective co-educational boarding and day independent school near Ardingly, West Sussex. The school is a member of the Woodard Corporation of independent schools and is known for its strong Anglo-Catholic tradition. 

 

Founded in 1858, Ardingly became fully co-educational in 1982. It’s regularly amongst the top ten International Baccalaureate (IB) schools in the UK and was awarded by the Royal Society of Chemistry in the Top of the Bench Competition. It is also the 29th most expensive Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) day school.

 

The curriculum is both national and international due to the presence of overseas students from Europe and beyond. An IB Diploma is offered in addition to GCSEs, A-Levels and BTEC courses. 

 

Ardingly is fully committed to the cause of offering the best education through the improvement of learning for able learners. Its membership in NACE (National Association for Able Children in Education) enables the teaching staff to provide high quality guidance, support and training, and thus attain the best from able learners in the classroom as they flourish and progress.

 

The extra-curricular programme comprises visits to local museums and other places of interest and includes overseas trips, as well. Recently, geography and Latin students visited Pompeii, linguists visited France and choristers travelled to Rome and Tuscany.

 

Pastoral care is adapted to each and every child so that they are happy and well-cared for. Every teacher treats pupils as individuals and each class has its form tutor who understands them, looking after their overall well being and academic progress, whilst maintaining constant communication with the parents.

 

When visiting the campus, people often notice older pupils being considerate and helpful towards the young ones and acting in full accordance with the school’s motto Beati mundo corde (Blessed are the pure in heart).

 

 

Open Events for Ardingly College 11 Plus (11+) Entry

Open Mornings offer a fantastic opportunity to see the school and hear a talk by the Head. Personalised tours are included in these events. They end with a reception hosted by the Head, during which you will have the chance to talk to the teaching staff. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below: 

 

 

Ardingly College 11 Plus (11+) Admissions

In the initial phase of the admissions process following the open events, your child’s current school report and reference will be obtained. 

 

Entrance examinations take place on Ardingly Engagement & Assessment Day, during which your child will be assessed using an online test. There will also be an interview, arranged on a separate occasion.

 

An offer of a place will be made subject to your child’s performance, and a deposit is required to secure the offer. This amounts to £2000, half of which is credited in the first term, while the other half is refunded when your child leaves Ardingly College.

 

 

How to Prepare for the Ardingly College 11 Plus (11+) Exam

To successfully prepare your child for the selective Ardingly College’s 11+ entrance exam, we recommend using practice tests. Our resources fully reflect the actual 11+ exam by covering all the question types that could come up, whilst helping your child become familiar with the exam layout. 

 

Coupled with a structured study plan, our practice tests will help you define any weak areas that require additional work at the earliest. They will also help you recognise your child’s strengths, resulting in a significant boost of their confidence in the lead-up to the big day.

 

Our materials are designed to be age-appropriate, yet challenging, fully reflecting the demands of Ardingly’s competitive exam. Please see below our recommended packs to help you prepare your child for the Ardingly College 11 plus entrance examinations.

 

Ardingly College 11 Plus (11+) Exam Practice Tests

Ardingly College requires candidates to sit paper-based tests in English and Mathematics as part of its entrance process. To support preparation, we have highlighted a range of targeted practice materials that will help strengthen core skills and build exam confidence.

Online CAT4 Test

The following Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) online practice tests are highly recommended for successful preparation for the Ardingly College 11+ CAT test. They help familiarise students with the various modules and question types that will come up in the CAT4 Level C, which is taken for Year 7 (11+) entry.

 

CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 1

CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 2

CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 3

CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 4

CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 5

CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 6

CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 7

CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 8

CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 9

CAT4 – Level C – Practice Test 10

 

✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended practice tests for the Ardingly College 11+ online test at a large discount. These are available on our other site, Pretest Plus. Click the button below to learn more:

 

✅ Alternatively, you can choose a bundle of five of our recommended full practice tests for the Ardingly College 11+ online test and still save 25%. Select the relevant bundle below to learn more:

Online CAT4 Skill Practice Tests

The following Skill Practice Tests each focus on one module that will come up in the CAT4 Level C assessment, allowing you to target the specific modules that your child finds most challenging.

 

Non-Verbal Reasoning

CAT4 – Level C – Figure Matrices

CAT4 – Level C – Figure Classification

Verbal Reasoning

CAT4 – Level C – Verbal Classification

CAT4 – Level C – Verbal Analogies

Quantitative Reasoning

CAT4 – Level C – Number Analogies

CAT4 – Level C – Number Series

Spatial Reasoning

CAT4 – Level C – Figure Analysis

CAT4 – Level C – Figure Recognition

✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended skill practice resources for the Ardingly College CAT4 exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:

Online CAT4 Skill Practice Tests

The following video courses cover everything your child needs to know to do well in the Ardingly College CAT4 exam:

CAT4 Quantitative Reasoning Course

CAT4 Non-Verbal Reasoning Course

CAT4 Spatial Reasoning Course

CAT4 Verbal Reasoning Course

✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended video courses for the Ardingly College CAT4 exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:

 

Don’t forget to use the code ppdiscount at checkout to get 10% off orders over £80 and 20% off orders over £200 if you don’t buy a bundle.

 

 

Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions have been included in Ardingly College 11+ past papers. The information provided about Ardingly College is 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 article.

 

Please note that Exam Papers Plus and Pretest Plus are independent publishers of practice tests and resources, and are not affiliated with or endorsed by Ardingly College.

 

Other entry points for Ardingly College:

 

Click here to learn about Year 3 entry via the 7 Plus (7+) Exam

Click here to learn about Year 4 entry via the 8 Plus (8+) Exam