Downe House School 11 Plus (11+) Entrance Exam Information 2026

Introduction

 

Downe House School is a selective independent girls’ day and boarding school in Cold Ash, a village near Newbury, Berkshire. Its impressive alumni list includes Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Annette Worsley-Taylor, the founder of London Fashion Week.

 

In Year 7, girls study English, French, Latin, mathematics, science, history, geography, art and ceramics, RS, drama, music, IT, PE, design and technology and PSHE.

 

Compassion, collaboration, resilience, creativity, aspiration and effective communication skills are developed in girls through the many co-curricular activities. They comprise Film Club, drama, choir, horse-riding, astronomy and current affairs, coupled with Art and Crafts Club, Caledonian Society Club, charity activities and the Christian Union.

 

The school’s objective is to ensure that pupils feel secure and valued, whilst the provision of a sporting, cultural, academic, charitable and adventurous education enables all pupils to maximise their potential.

 

Downe House School 11 Plus (11+) Information 2026

 

Address: Cold Ash, Thatcham RG18 9JJ

County: Berkshire

Admissions info: registrar@downehouse.net or 01635 204701

School type: Independent day and boarding school for girls

Number of students: 560 (approx.)

11+ Open day: March, April, June

11+ Exam type / Board: School’s own & ISEB Common Pretest

 

Open Events for Downe House School 11 Plus (11+) Entry

 

Downe House School hosts Open Mornings twice each term. To secure a spot, please reach out to the Admissions team or fill in this form.

 

You can also schedule an individual visit, during which you will meet the Head and be shown around by a member of the staff. The school’s exact location can be viewed on the map below:

 

 

Downe House School 11 Plus (11+) Admissions

 

Downe House School is a family-friendly boarding school characterised by both traditional and forward-thinking values. The Admissions team is ready to listen to every query, answer every question and help you as you navigate the journey of finding the right school for your daughter.

 

After visiting, the next step is to register your daughter by completing the online registration form and paying the registration fee. Once your daughter is registered, she will receive an invitation to attend Assessment Day which takes place in the Autumn Term. A current-school report will be requested prior to the assessment.

 

During Assessment Day, your daughter will sit an academic assessment, but also take part in a variety of activities, from drama and design technology to team building workshops. She will also be interviewed by the Head and have a tour of the school, followed by lunch with some of the current girls. This will give her the chance to experience life on campus.

 

Following Assessment Day, candidates for entry will be asked to complete an online test (at their current school). The deadline for this is in late November of the year preceding entry.

 

Downe House School 11 Plus (11+) Scholarships and Bursaries

 

Scholarships are awarded based on girls’ academic ability, as well as their skills in art, sport, music and drama. As a Scholar or Exhibitioner, your daughter will have access to the Scholarship programme which comprises a range of specialist enrichment activities and a mentor to guide and encourage her on her journey, as well as important leadership opportunities.

 

Bursaries vary in size based on your circumstances. The school offers financial assistance as high as 100% plus an allowance towards school extras. Bursaries also take into account academic entry requirements and your daughter’s capacity to progress academically and benefit the school’s community.

 

Downe House School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Format

 

The academic test that takes place on Assessment Day consists of:

 

• English writing task (essay)

 

Marks will be awarded for good use of imagination, creativity, form, purpose, organisation, cohesion and sentence structure.

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The online test, taken in the next stage of the admissions process, is also known as:

 

• ISEB Common Pretest

 

The ISEB Pretest assesses skills in Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.

         

Please see below for further details and recommendations on how to prepare for the Downe House School 11+ entrance examinations.

 

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

 

To successfully prepare your daughter for the Downe House School 11+ entrance exam, we suggest that you make use of our targeted resources. Our practice tests enable familiarisation with the types of questions and the format of the actual exam, which will help your daughter gain confidence in the lead up to the big day.

 

With the use of our practice tests, you will be able to precisely identify your daughter’s strengths and weaknesses, which will guide you in devising a carefully thought-out revision plan that focuses on studying ‘little and often’.

 

Moreover, our practice tests will help your daughter get used to answering questions quickly and under time pressure.

 

Our thoroughly researched and up to date resources enable a structured approach towards exam preparation that results in a significant advantage over other candidates. Due to their practicality and effectiveness, our practice tests are used successfully by tens of thousands of students every year.

 

Please see below our recommended packs to help you prepare your child for the Downe House School 11 plus entrance examinations.

 

Downe House School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Practice Tests

 

Recommendations for each section of the Downe House 11+ exam can be found below:

 

English

 

The following practice papers are highly recommended for successful preparation for the Downe House School 11+ English paper. They will help improve your child’s writing skills, including spelling and punctuation:

 

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 Downe House English paper at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:

 

11+ English Bundle - Save 15%

 

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.

 

 

Get 10% off orders over £70 and 20% off orders over £250. Use the code eppdiscount at checkout.

 

 

ISEB Pretest

 

Downe House School use the online ISEB Pretest for their 11+ entrance exam. We thus recommend the following online practice tests, which are specifically designed to help students familiarise themselves with the test format in all four key subjects:

 

NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 1

NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 2

NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 3

NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 4

NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 5

NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 6

NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 7

NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 8

NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 9

NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 10

NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 11

NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 12

NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 13

NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 14

NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 15

 

✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended full practice tests for the Downe House School ISEB Pretest exam at a large discount. These are available on our other site, Pretest Plus. Click the button below to learn more:

 

ISEB Pretest Practice Tests 1-15 Bundle - Save 35%

 

✅ Alternatively, you can choose a bundle of five of our recommended full practice tests for the Downe House School ISEB Pretest exam and still save 25%. Select the relevant bundle below to learn more:

 

ISEB Pretest Practice Tests 1-5 Bundle - Save 25%

 

ISEB Pretest Practice Tests 6-10 Bundle - Save 25%

 

ISEB Pretest Practice Tests 11-15 Bundle - Save 25%

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The following video courses cover everything your child needs to know to do well in the ISEB Pretest:

 

NEW ISEB Pretest English Course

NEW ISEB Pretest Maths Course

NEW ISEB Pretest 2D Non-Verbal Reasoning Course

NEW ISEB Pretest Spatial Reasoning Course

NEW ISEB Pretest Verbal Reasoning Course

 

✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended video courses for the Downe House School ISEB Pretest exam at a large discount. These are available on our other site, Pretest Plus. Click the button below to learn more:

 

ISEB Pretest Video Courses Bundle - Save 30%

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Our Skill Practice products consist of focused tests that allow your child to improve targeted skills ahead of the ISEB Pretest:

 

NEW ISEB Pretest English – Reading Comprehension

NEW ISEB Pretest English – Cloze Sentences

NEW ISEB Pretest English – Shuffled Sentences

NEW ISEB Pretest English – SPAG

NEW ISEB Pretest Mathematics

NEW ISEB Pretest 2D Non-Verbal Reasoning

NEW ISEB Pretest Spatial Reasoning

NEW ISEB Pretest Verbal Reasoning

 

✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended skill practice tests for the Downe House School ISEB Pretest exam at a large discount. These are available on our other site, Pretest Plus. Click the button below to learn more:

 

ISEB Pretest Skill Practice Bundle - Save 30%

 

 

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.

 

 

The information provided about Downe House School 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 resources, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publishers of the ISEB or any other test publisher and Downe House School.

 

Other entry points for Downe House School:

Click here to learn about Year 9 entry via the 13 Plus (13+) Exam