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

Introduction

 

Clayesmore School is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 2-18, located in the village of Iwerne Minster in Dorset. It was founded by Alexander Devine in Enfield, Middlesex in 1896 and was moved to its current premises in 1933.

 

Situated on a 62-acre campus in the rural area of Dorset, the school includes a number of facilities such as the Astro-turf pitch, a theatre, a sports centre and an extensive range of subject facilities including an art department, a science block, a business school and a design and technology department.

 

The curriculum comprises the core subjects plus history, RS, music, modern foreign languages, art, design and technology, Latin, computing, PSHE, PE and games. Through versatile and exciting learning methods, the school allows children to extend themselves in ways they never thought possible. 

 

They further develop higher-order thinking skills through the many extra-curricular activities available, particularly via the UK Maths Challenge, the Model United Nations, the Japanese club and national writing competitions as well as through coding and cryptography activities. The creative abilities of children are nurtured in the context of various art, music and drama activities.

 

Plenty of outdoor activities are available for pupils, such as fossil hunting on the Jurassic coast, becoming vikings at the Ancient Technology Centre, learning about William the Conqueror in Bayeux and re-living the battle for Pegasus Bridge in Normandy. 

 

The wide variety of other options that appeal to all ages include Horse riding, Sailing, Football, Cooking, Computer skills, Pottery, Photography, LAMDA and many others.

 

Devoted to high standards in educating children for the sake of their academic advancement, the school, under the motto Dieu premier donc mes frères (God first then my brothers), cherishes and fosters values like respect, acceptance, consideration and appreciation, whilst preparing pupils for productive and proactive adulthood that will benefit their community, society and beyond.

 

Clayesmore School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Information 2026

 

Address: Iwerne Minster Blandford Forum DT11 8LL

County: Dorset

Admissions info: admissions@clayesmore.com or 01747 812122

School type: Independent co-ed day and boarding school

Number of students: 710 (approx.)

Open day: February, May, September

11+ Exam type / Board: School’s own 

 

Open Events for Clayesmore School 11 Plus (11+) Entry

 

Open Mornings offer a great opportunity for families to explore life on Clayesmore School’s campus. The events include pupil-guided tours and a meeting with the Head, staff and current pupils. Book your place here.

 

Private visits can be scheduled with the Admissions team. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:

 

 

Clayesmore School 11 Plus (11+) Admissions

 

Visiting the school is the first step in the admissions process. Then follows registration, after which your child will be invited to attend a Taster Day. During Taster Day, they will sit a brief examination.

 

Your child will also attend an interview with the Head of Prep. As part of the admissions process, a current-school reference will be requested.

 

The registration form needs to be completed and returned with a registration fee of £100. Prior to entry, you will be asked to pay a £500 deposit to secure the place.

 

Clayesmore School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Format

 

The 11+ Taster Day examination at Clayesmore School is likely to cover the following areas:

 

• English
• Mathematics

 

The English paper focuses on both writing and comprehension skills, including spelling, grammar and inference.

 

The maths exam tests problem-solving and arithmetic skills. The paper may include questions on number, measurement, geometry, algebra and statistics.

 

Please see below for further details and recommendations on how to prepare for the Clayesmore School 11+ entrance assessment.

 

How to Prepare for the Clayesmore School 11 Plus (11+) Exam

 

To successfully prepare your child for the Clayesmore School 11+ exam, we recommend that you utilise resources that provide an insight into the types of questions that they may be asked in the actual exam. Our practice papers offer exactly that and much more.

 

Aside from reflecting the demands of the Clayesmore School 11+ exam, our practice tests will help you identify any weaker areas that require additional work, and thus enable you to adjust your child’s study schedule accordingly. 

 

Students who approach preparation in such a methodical way generally have a competitive advantage over their peers who prefer a less structured approach. 

 

Our practice tests are age-appropriate, yet challenging, and are available for immediate download, print and use after purchase. Please see below our recommended packs to help you prepare your child for the Clayesmore School 11 plus entrance examinations.

 

Clayesmore School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Practice Papers

---

NOTE: The following English and Mathematics practice tests are in standard format, which means that students need to write in their own answers rather than choose from a list of multiple-choice options. This matches the 11+ Exam format used by the school.

---

English

 

The following practice papers are highly recommended for successful preparation for Clayesmore School 11+ English paper. They will help improve your child’s comprehension and writing skills, including spelling, vocabulary and inference:

 

Comprehension

11+ English Pack 1

11+ English Pack 2

11+ English Pack 3

11+ English Pack 4

11+ English Pack 5

11+ Inference Skills

11+ Poetry Comprehension

11+ Complete Comprehension Guide

11+ Reading Workbook

 

Writing

11+ Complete Writing Guide

11+ Writing Prompts

11+ Rewrite & Improve

11+ Spelling Pack 1

11+ Spelling Pack 2

 

✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended 11+ resources for the Clayesmore School English test at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:

 

11+ English Bundle - Save 30%

 

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 skills within the examination context of the Clayesmore School 11+ maths test:

 

Full Practice Tests

11+ Mathematics Pack 1

11+ Mathematics Pack 2

11+ Mathematics Pack 3

11+ Mathematics Pack 4

 

Skill Specific Practice

11+ Problem Solving Pack 1

11+ Problem Solving Pack 2

11+ Mental Arithmetic 

11+ Algebra

11+ Angles & Degrees

11+ BODMAS

11+ Estimation & Place Value

11+ Factors & Multiples

11+ Fractions, Decimals & Percentages

11+ Measurements

11+ Money

11+ Operations

11+ Perimeter, Area & Volume

11+ Position & Direction

11+ Probability

11+ Properties of Shapes

11+ Ratio & Proportion

11+ Reflection, Rotation & Symmetry

11+ Sequences

11+ Special Numbers

11+ Speed, Distance & Time

11+ Statistics

 

✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended 11+ resources for the Clayesmore School mathematics test at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:

 

11+ Mathematics Bundle - Save 30%

 

 

Don’t forget to use the code eppdiscount at checkout to get 10% off orders over £70 and 20% off orders over £250 if you don’t buy a bundle.

 

 

Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions have been included in Clayesmore School 11+ past papers. The information provided about Clayesmore School 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 is an independent publisher of practice tests and resources, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Clayesmore School.