Birkenhead School 11 Plus (11+) Entrance Exam Information 2026

Introduction

Birkenhead School is an independent co-educational school for pupils aged 2-18, comprising Early Years, The Prep, Seniors and Sixth Form. In 2010, Birkenhead marked its 150th anniversary and was thrilled to have the Earl of Wessex open an extension to The Prep and the Sixth Form Centre.

The Seniors curriculum is broad and balanced, designed to stretch pupils so they can reach their full potential. Students begin their GCSE and IGCSE studies in Year 9, starting with 13 subjects, which, in Year 10, reduces to ten. This approach works, with 59% of grades in 2024 being in the 9-7 range.

An extensive co-curricular programme at Birkenhead enables pupils to have fun while developing their talents. Available clubs for Seniors include orienteering, cake decorating, chess and darts. Additionally, pupils can sign up for a range of residential trips, such as a geography trip to Iceland and a Spanish and art trip to Madrid. A vibrant life outside the classroom helps pupils grow into confident young adults.

Pastoral care is at the heart of school life at Birkenhead. Small class sizes mean tutors and teachers get to know their pupils well, putting them in an excellent position to offer support and guidance when necessary. Students can also turn to the school chaplain, nurse or Sixth Form mentors to discuss any concerns they have.

Please read on if you want your child to join Birkenhead School in Year 7.

11+ Admissions Process for Birkenhead School

The best way to start the admissions process is by visiting Birkenhead School. A visit will allow you to learn more about the school’s ethos, view the facilities and meet staff members and current pupils.

If the school is a good fit for your child, Birkenhead recommends registering early, as there is a high demand for places.

Your child will then be invited to the school for an assessment day, when they will sit the AAT and participate in a group interview. The school is looking to see if your child has the academic ability to access its challenging curriculum and the desire to engage fully in school life. 

As part of the admissions process, a reference will be requested from your child’s current school.

If your child is offered a place and you accept it, you must pay an acceptance deposit. 

Birkenhead School: Scholarships and Bursaries for Year 7 Entry

Scholarships

Academic and music scholarships are available for Year 7 entry. They are awarded to candidates who demonstrate outstanding potential in the relevant area.

Bursaries

Bursaries are means-tested awards worth up to 100% of the school fees. If your child excels on assessment day and has a glowing reference from their current school, but you cannot afford the full fees, you might be entitled to a bursary.

If you require further information about scholarships or bursaries, please contact Birkenhead School using the email address in this post.

Birkenhead School: 11 Plus (11+) Adaptive Admissions Test

The Adaptive Admissions Test (AAT) is an online multiple-choice test your child will sit for Year 7 entry to Birkenhead School.

It is an adaptive test, meaning it will find the appropriate level for your child’s ability. For example, if your child is getting all the answers correct, the questions will get trickier.  

The test comprises four modules:

1. English: The English module will assess your child’s comprehension, spelling and punctuation. It will also evaluate their grammar using sentence-completion questions.
2. Maths: The maths module will test your child’s mathematical knowledge and skills across a range of topics, including algebra, fractions, decimals, percentages, measurements, sequences and statistics.
3. Non-Verbal Reasoning: The non-verbal reasoning module will examine how well your child can solve problems using shapes and diagrams rather than words.
4. Verbal Reasoning: The verbal reasoning module will measure your child’s proficiency in solving problems using words.
   
   

There is plenty you can do to help your child prepare for their 11+ Birkenhead School entrance exam, so please don’t worry if you’re unsure where to start — support and resources are available. 

Tips to Help Your Child Prepare for the AAT

We have compiled the following tips to help your child be ready for their entrance exam and be able to approach it with confidence:

1. Revise. Your child can review their Year 5 English and maths work to give them a solid foundation for the 11+ AAT exam. Doing so will cement key information in their mind that they may need to recall in the English and maths modules, such as what a simile is and how many degrees are in a triangle. Keep study sessions short because most ten-year-olds can only focus effectively for 20-30 minutes at a time.
2. Read. If your child reads regularly, they will expand their vocabulary and improve their reading comprehension, which will be highly beneficial for the English and verbal reasoning modules.
3. Be positive. A positive attitude will help keep your child motivated. Please encourage them to have a growth mindset (the belief that hard work will improve their skills). Also, praise their achievements, no matter how small, and make sure they understand that mistakes are an essential part of the learning process.
4. Schedule breaks. Breaks are a crucial opportunity for your child to relax and for their brain to process the information they have learnt. They will also help prevent your child from feeling overwhelmed.
5. Sleep. Sufficient sleep is essential for your child’s emotional wellbeing and brain function. Their study sessions will be more productive if they are well-rested, and, importantly, they will feel happier and more able to cope with the pressures of an entrance exam.
6. Practice tests. Practice tests are vital to the preparation process, particularly as verbal and non-verbal reasoning are not part of the national curriculum. We have produced AAT practice tests that will help your child get used to the AAT’s layout, timings, difficulty levels and question types. Working through our tests will remove any fear of the unknown, meaning your child can approach the AAT entrance exam with confidence.         

Please have a look at our targeted Birkenhead School 11+ entrance exam resources below.

Birkenhead School: AAT Practice Materials

These full mock tests are designed to provide your child with highly accurate practice for the Adaptive Admissions Test. Each practice test covers Verbal reasoning, Non-Verbal reasoning, English and Mathematics, replicating the sections, timings and question types used in the actual exam.

Each test contains unique content, but they are all pitched at the same difficulty level as the AAT. This means you can easily benchmark your child’s progress as they work through the practice tests, quickly identifying their strengths and weaknesses.

Full Practice Tests

AAT – Practice Test 1

AAT – Practice Test 2

AAT – Practice Test 3

AAT – Practice Test 4

AAT – Practice Test 5

AAT – Practice Test 6

AAT – Practice Test 7

AAT – Practice Test 8

AAT – Practice Test 9

AAT – Practice Test 10

✂️ Save 30% (compared to buying the ten tests individually) by purchasing our AAT Practice Test bundle, including all ten tests. Click the button below to learn more:

Alternatively, click the buttons below to purchase Bundles of five of our AAT Practice Tests. You will save 25% compared to buying each product individually.

Skill Practice Tests

Our Skill Practice Tests are designed to focus on one specific question type that will come up in the  AAT. They are ideal for targeted practice and an efficient way to quickly improve your child’s scores in the relevant topic.

AAT – Comprehension

AAT – Sentence Completion

AAT – Spelling and Punctuation

AAT – Mathematics

AAT – Non-Verbal Reasoning

AAT – Verbal Reasoning

✂️ Save 25% (compared to buying the six tests individually) by purchasing our AAT Skill Practice Test bundle, including all six tests. 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 have any questions about our resources or need guidance, feel free to reach out to us! We’re here to help your child succeed in their AAT.

The information in this post was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of possible future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the post.

Please note that Pretest Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and not affiliated with or endorsed by the publishers of the AAT or any other test publisher.