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Introduction
St. Swithun’s School is an independent day and boarding school for girls in Winchester, Hampshire. It was founded in 1884 by Miss Anna Bramston, daughter of the Dean of Winchester, with the aim of educating “daughters of worthy citizens of Winchester”.
Girls in Senior School study art, biology, chemistry, classics and classical civilisation, computing, design and technology, digital learning, drama and theatre studies, economics, English, food and textiles, geography, government and politics, history, history of art, IT, learning support, mathematics, MFL, music, physics, religion, philosophy and ethics, psychology and sport.
The broad curriculum is in perfect blend with after-class activities, which range from music, drama and sports (such as Polo club, scuba diving, karate and fencing) to sessions across a range of subjects such as biology, maths, chemistry, linguistics and debating.
Although the school sets high academic standards, it also nurtures a low-pressure environment in which girls are encouraged to do their own personal best rather than compete with peers. The vibrant Swithun’s community consists of genuinely kind students, who act in line with the motto Charity, Humility, Sincerity and enjoy their individuality as they simultaneously seek ways to collaborate and learn from others.
St. Swithun’s School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Information 2025
Address: Alresford Road Winchester SO21 1HA
County: Hampshire
Admissions info: admissions@stswithuns.com or 01962 835703
School type: Independent day boarding school for girls
Number of students: 720 (approx.)
Open day: February, May and June
11+ Exam date: November of Year 6
11+ Exam type / Board: ISEB Pretest and school’s own
Open Events for St. Swithun’s School 11 Plus (11+) Entry
The Senior School holds Open Days throughout the school year and Open Afternoon in February, offering a chance to visit the school on a normal working day. The events include a welcome from the Head, followed by a pupil-led tour of the school.
You will also have the opportunity to meet members of the teaching, admissions and pastoral staff and current parents, and ask them questions over tea. The events last approximately two hours. To book, please reach out to the Admissions Team. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:
St. Swithun’s School 11 Plus (11+) Admissions
The admissions process starts with registration. To complete it, you should submit the registration form together with a payment of a £250 non-returnable registration fee.
Entry at 11+ for external applicants is by means of a two-stage exam, held in November of the year preceding entry. Successful applicants will be invited back to attend an interview. As part of the admissions process, a current-school refernce will be requested.
To accept the offer of a place, you will be asked to pay a deposit of £1000. £500 of this will be offset against the first term’s fees, while the remaining £500 will be refunded in your daughter’s final term.
St. Swithun’s School 11 Plus (11+) Scholarships and Bursaries
The school offers academic scholarships at 11+, which hold a value of up to 20% of the fees and are awarded at the discretion of the scholarship awards committee. Candidates are selected on the basis of their performance throughout the 11+ admissions process. Music Scholarships and Exhibitions are also available.
Means-tested awards cover up to 100% of tuition fees and are offered to girls who meet the school’s entrance criteria and whose applications were submitted by the deadline in September in the year prior to entry. In rare cases, applications may be considered outside this timescale.
A means-tested award will be valid for the duration of your daughter’s time at the school. It is, however, conditional on satisfactory educational progress and an annual financial review. For more information, please contact the school.
St. Swithun’s School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Format
The St. Swithun’s School 11+ entrance exam consists of an online pre-assessment (Stage 1) and written papers (Stage 2).
For the pre-assessment, St. Swithun’s School uses the following test:
- ISEB Common Pretest
The ISEB Pretest examines your daughter’s ability in skills such as numeracy, problem solving and vocabulary, with emphasis on how she thinks and how she responds to the curriculum. The test includes modules covering Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
For the written exam, St. Swithun’s School uses the following papers:
- English
- Mathematics
The English paper focuses on both writing and comprehension skills, including spelling, grammar and inference.
The maths exam tests pupils’ problem-solving and arithmetic skills. The paper will include questions on number, measurement, geometry, algebra and statistics.
Please see below for further details and recommendations on how to prepare for the St. Swithun’s School 11+ entrance exam.
How to Prepare for the St. Swithun’s School 11 Plus (11+) Exam
One of the best ways to prepare your daughter for the St. Swithun’s School 11+ exam is to make use of our up to date practice tests. By becoming familiar with the exam format and doing the tests under timed conditions, your daughter will significantly improve their skills ahead of the actual exam.
With the help of our practice tests, you will be able to calm any potential nerves and stress from the preparation process through a carefully thought-out revision plan that focuses on studying ‘little and often’, and thus transform the entire preparation process into a more pleasant experience.
Such a methodical and structured approach towards preparation includes making a habit of responding to questions quickly and effectively, under time pressure.
Successfully used by hundreds of thousands of students every year, our practice tests are available for immediate use after purchase. Our recommendations to help your daughter prepare for the St Swithun’s School 11 Plus exam can be found below.
St. Swithun’s School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Practice Tests
Stage 1: Pre-assessment
ISEB Common Pretest
To successfully prepare your child for the St. Swithun’s School ISEB Pretest, we recommend the following online resources, which are specifically designed to help students familiarise themselves with the online 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 St. Swithun’s School ISEB Pretest exam at a large discount. These are available on our other site, Pretest Plus. Click the button below to learn more:
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✅ Alternatively, you can choose a bundle of five of our recommended full practice tests for the St. Swithun’s 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%
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The following video courses cover everything your daughter needs to know to do well in the ISEB Pretest:
NEW ISEB Pretest English 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 St. Swithun’s School ISEB Pretest exam at a large discount. These are available on our other site, Pretest Plus. Click the button below to learn more:
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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 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 St. Swithun’s School ISEB Pretest exam at a large discount. These are available on our other site, Pretest Plus. Click the button below to learn more:
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Stage 2: Written Exam
English
To prepare for the St. Swithun’s School 11+ English paper, the following packs are highly recommended. They help improve comprehension and writing skills, including spelling, vocabulary and inference:
Comprehension
11+ Complete Comprehension Guide
Writing
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended 11+ resources for the St. Swithun’s School English exam 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
To prepare your child for the St. Swithun’s School 11+ mathematics paper, the following resources will be of great use:
Full Practice Tests
Skill Specific Practice
11+ Fractions, Decimals & Percentages
11+ Reflection, Rotation & Symmetry
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended 11+ resources for the St. Swithun’s School mathematics exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
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Get 10% off orders over £70 and 20% off orders over £250 if you don’t buy a Bundle. Use the code eppdiscount at checkout.
The information provided about St. Swithun’s School, Winchester 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 St. Swithun’s School, Winchester.
Other entry points for St. Swithun’s 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 9 entry via the 13 Plus (13+) Exam
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Author(s)
Louise Lang
Director of Learning
