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

Introduction

Exeter School is an independent day school for children aged 7–18 located in the cathedral city of Exeter, which is the administrative centre for Devon. The school, which has been fully co-educational since 1997, was named ‘South-West Independent School of the Year 2018’ by The Sunday Times.

Exeter School started life in 1633 as the Exeter Free Grammar School. It has stood on its current 25-acre site since 1880 and many of its impressive red-brick buildings date back to that period.

In recent years, 98.6% of GCSE grades achieved by Exeter School entrants were A*–C and 74.9% were in the top A*–A range. The school states that its aim is ‘to realise the academic, personal and physical potential of each pupil.’

To this end, its broad and challenging curriculum is supplemented by many additional opportunities for academic development, including lectures and masterclasses. Numerous extra-curricular activities are also on offer, including 25 different sports, supported by excellent facilities.

Exeter School 11 Plus (11+) Open Days

Exeter School holds a number of events throughout the year for prospective pupils and their parents. These include two Open Evenings (in July and September) and a taster morning for 10–11 year-olds in November. Exeter’s Whole School Open Event takes place in October and November, allowing you and your child to tour the campus and discuss different aspects of the school’s provision with staff members. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:

Exeter School 11 Plus (11+) Admissions

Parents of prospective pupils should address an initial enquiry to the Registrar’s Office. This can be made via the online prospectus request form or by post. The school will then send out an information pack, which includes a prospectus and information about registration, bursaries and scholarships.

To be eligible for the entrance exam and considered for a place at Exeter School, you should register your child. The completed form must be returned to the school by the registration deadline at the very beginning of December, along with a passport-sized photograph and a non-refundable registration fee of £150.

Exeter School is academically selective and looks for pupils from the local area who have broad academic potential. Places are offered based on a report from the candidate’s current school and their performance in an entrance exam and interview.

The entrance exam is usually held in January. Subject to successful performance, your child may receive an offer of a place, to be accepted with a payment of a £400 deposit.

Exeter School 11 Plus (11+) Scholarships and Bursaries

A limited number of bursaries are available to 11+ applicants. They are reviewed annually and are usually offered to families whose gross income is below £60,000 per annum.

Exeter is able to offer nine free places each year. The Foundation Bursaries, funded by alumni, secure three more free places. Please click here to learn more.

Top-performing candidates in the entrance examinations will be considered for Academic Scholarships. The school also offers Art, Music, Drama and Sport Scholarships on the basis of separate assessments.

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

One of the best ways of preparing for competitive entrance exams is to use practice papers. These help students to familiarise themselves with the format and question types they will encounter in the actual test in an efficient and effective manner. They also provide an excellent opportunity for students to practise working under time pressure.

Our practice papers, which are available for immediate download, print and use after purchase, offer excellent practice and preparation for the Exeter School entrance exam written papers and computer-based assessment. They cover all the key skills and question types and can be used to identify any weaker areas that require additional work ahead of the exam and to help build confidence.

Our 11+ practice papers are thoroughly researched and up to date. Every year, they are used successfully by tens of thousands of students targeting schools with a competitive entrance exam. They are designed to be age appropriate but challenging to reflect the demands of such an exam.

Exeter School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Practice Papers

English

15 Products

To prepare for the Exeter School written English paper, we would highly recommend using the following practice papers, which will help to improve comprehension and writing skills, including spelling and vocabulary:

Practice Papers

11+ English (Independent Schools) Pack 1

11+ English (Independent Schools) Pack 2

11+ English (Independent Schools) Pack 3

11+ English (Independent Schools) Pack 4

11+ English (Independent Schools) Pack 5

The Complete Guide to 11+ Comprehension

11+ English: Poetry Comprehension

11+ Reading Workbook

11+ English: Inference Skills Pack 1

11+ English: Inference Skills Pack 2

11+ English: Writing Prompts

11+ English: Rewrite & Improve

11+ English: Spelling Pack 1

11+ English: Spelling Pack 2

The Complete Guide to 11+ Writing

English 11+ Bundle – Standard Format Comprehension & Writing

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

View Bundle

Mathematics

26 Products

To prepare for the maths written paper, we would highly recommend using the following practice papers:

Practice Papers

11+ Mathematics (Independent Schools) Pack 1

11+ Mathematics (Independent Schools) Pack 2

11+ Mathematics (Independent Schools) Pack 3

11+ Mathematics (Independent Schools) Pack 4

11+ Mathematics: Problem Solving (Independent Schools) Pack 1

11+ Mathematics: Problem Solving (Independent Schools) Pack 2

11+ Mathematics: Mental Arithmetic

11+ Mathematics: Algebra (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Angles & Degrees (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: BODMAS (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Estimation & Place Value (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Factors & Multiples (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Fractions, Decimals & Percentages (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Measurements (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Money (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Operations (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Perimeter, Area & Volume (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Position & Direction (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Probability (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Properties of Shapes (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Ratio & Proportion (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Reflection, Rotation & Symmetry (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Sequences (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Special Numbers (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Speed, Distance & Time (Independent Schools)

11+ Mathematics: Statistics (Independent Schools)

Mathematics 11+ Bundle – Standard Format

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

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CEM Select

The following full practice online tests are specifically designed to help your child become familiar with the demands of the Exeter School CEM Select assessment:

Full Practice

CEM Select Practice Test 1

CEM Select Practice Test 2

CEM Select Practice Test 3

CEM Select Practice Test 4

CEM Select Practice Test 5

CEM Select Practice Test 6

CEM Select Practice Test 7

CEM Select Practice Test 8

CEM Select Practice Test 9

CEM Select Practice Test 10

✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended full practice resources for the Exeter School CEM Select exam 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 Exeter School CEM Select exam and still save 25%. Select the relevant bundle below to learn more:

The following resources consist of focused tests that allow students to target specific question formats that appear in CEM Select:

Skill Practice: Verbal Ability

CEM Select – Comprehension Pack 1

CEM Select – Comprehension Pack 2

CEM Select – Missing Words Pack 1

CEM Select – Missing Words Pack 2

CEM Select – Related Words

CEM Select – Anagrams

CEM Select – Shuffled Sentences

CEM Select – Letter Connections

CEM Select – Multiple Meanings

CEM Select – Selected Letters

Skill Practice: Non-Verbal Ability

CEM Select – Pictures

Skill Practice: Numerical Ability

CEM Select – Arithmetic

CEM Select – Data Problems

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

The information provided about Exeter 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 CEM Select or any other test publisher and Exeter School.

Other entry points for Exeter School:

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

Click here to learn about Year 8 entry via the 12 Plus (12+) Exam

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