Shiplake College 11 Plus (11+) Entrance Exam Information 2026

Introduction

Shiplake College is an independent boarding and day school in Shiplake, by the River Thames just outside Henley-on-Thames. Founded as a boys’ school in 1959 by Alexander and Eunice Everett, Shiplake admits girls in the sixth form since the late 20th Century.

The Lower School’s resourceful curriculum is delivered through the following departments: Maths, English, Science, MFL, Arts and PE.

Beyond the classroom, boys engage in a wide variety of Clubs and activities, such as Music & Drama, Parkour, Science Club, DT Club, Mindfulness, Taekwondo, Photography, Psychology Club, Quiz Club, Rugby and many more.

The school’s innovative teaching and learning framework, Shiplake Seven, helps boys develop seven key interpersonal qualities: curiosity, open-mindedness, motivation, reflection, determination, creativity and independence. These qualities enable them to achieve success across the curriculum and beyond, and enter the next stage of their lives as confident, self-reliant and talented young adults.

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

The school’s Open Mornings consist of a pupil-led tour of the College, a presentation by the Head and an opportunity to speak with staff over refreshments. Advanced booking is highly recommended by the school. It can be done via an online form.

Individual visits can be arranged with the Admissions Team. During the visit, you will meet with the Head or a senior member of staff and attend a pupil-led tour of the school.  

The school also offers the opportunity for small groups of parents to have lunch with the Headmaster followed by a pupil-led tour of the College (Headmaster’s Lunch). It is recommended by the school that you attend these events without your son. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:

Shiplake College 11 Plus (11+) Admissions

The admissions process typically begins with a visit to the school, followed by a Taster Day for your son in November. The deadline for both registrations and Scholarship and Bursary applications is in December.

In the same month, the school will request references from your son’s current school. He will be asked to sit entrance examinations and attend an interview in January. Scholarship Assessments take place later the same month. Unconditional offers are sent in February, to be accepted by the deadline in March.

Shiplake College 11 Plus (11+) Scholarships and Bursaries

At 11+, the school offers Academic, Music, Drama, All-Rounder and Sport Scholarships. They are awarded on the basis of merit and are held for two years, but only if your son’s conduct, effort and commitment to his area of scholarship continue to meet the school’s criteria. Scholarships offer a 10% fee discount whilst exhibitions offer 5% off. 

The school provides means-tested financial support (bursary) to parents or guardians in need of assistance with the payment of school fees. It is usually awarded in the form of a discount on tuition fees on the grounds of your financial, compassionate or other pertinent circumstances.

To apply for a bursary, you should complete a bursary application form, which covers the mean-testing element. This will be followed up by a home visit from the independent company Bursary Administration Ltd, which will complete the evaluation and provide the school with a detailed report of your financial situation. 

The bursary application form is available on the school’s website. Please note that significant financial support is unlikely for 11+ applicants unless the boy is the recipient of the Year 7 All-rounder Scholarship.

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

One of the best ways to prepare your son for the 11+ entrance exam is to use our practice tests. Getting to know the types of questions and the format of the actual exam will help boost his confidence.

Aside from becoming familiarised with the exam format, our practice tests will ensure that your son responds to the questions in an efficient and effective manner. They also provide an excellent opportunity for him to practise working under time pressure. Whilst doing the tests under timed conditions, he can get used to answering questions quickly, with a close attention to detail.

Our 11+ practice tests are thoroughly researched and up to date. They are designed to reflect the demands of a competitive entrance exam and are successfully used by hundreds of thousands of students every year. Our recommendations to help your son prepare for the Shiplake College 11 plus entrance examination can be found below.

Shiplake College 11 Plus (11+) Exam Practice Papers

English

15 Products

We highly recommend the following packs to prepare successfully for the Shiplake College 11+ English paper. They will help improve your son’s comprehension skills, such as inference, and writing skills, including spelling, vocabulary and punctuation.

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

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Mathematics

26 Products

We highly recommend the use of the following packs to help develop your son’s arithmetic and problem-solving skills within the examination context of the Shiplake College 11+ maths test.

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

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