Canford School: Entry Procedure for 13 Plus/Year 9 (Shells)

Introduction

Canford School is an independent full-boarding and day school for girls and boys aged 13-18. It boasts a beautiful 250-acre campus that is only 5 miles from the Dorset coast. Founded in 1923, it started as a boys’ school. In 1969, girls were admitted into the Sixth Form, and in 1995, Canford School became fully co-educational.

Results in public exams are excellent at Canford School. Superb teaching, small class sizes and motivated students ensure that leavers secure places at prestigious universities. Over 80% of students receive offers to Russell Group universities, and in the last 5 years, 45 Oxbridge offers have been made to Canford students.

Co-curricular activities are hugely important at Canford School, enabling pupils to develop their talents, build their confidence and become highly accomplished young people. Available activities include climbing, kayaking and clay pigeon shooting. Additionally, students can join the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) and sign up for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) from the Fourth Form (Year 10).

The promotion of good mental health is at the heart of school life. Every pupil belongs to one of 10 houses, giving them a sense of belonging and a caring community in which they can thrive. The school has also developed an award-winning sleep programme, recognising that sufficient sleep is crucial for wellbeing. The programme gives pupils the knowledge they need to make sensible decisions, and support is available for those struggling to sleep. 

Admissions Process for Year 9 (Shells) Entry to Canford School

The best way to start the admissions process is by visiting the school for one of the open mornings in April and October. Canford recommends that you do this while your child is in Year 5. You will have a guided tour of the school, listen to a presentation by the Head and can ask the admissions staff any questions you have. 

Once you have attended an open morning, you can book a private tour to learn more about Canford. This will enable you to visit one of the houses and have a meeting with a day or boarding houseparent.

If you register your child before the end of Year 5, they will be invited to attend the Explore Day at the beginning of Year 6, giving them the chance to experience what life is like at Canford School.  

Your child will then ideally attend the Assessment Day in January or February of Year 6. (They can attend an Assessment Day in Year 7 instead, but Canford advises that Year 6 is preferable.)

The Assessment Day comprises the following:

• Activities
• Tests (online Quest assessments)
• Informal interviews

A reference from your child’s current school will also be requested and reviewed.

There are two possible outcomes for your child:

• A firm offer of a place
• A place on the waiting list

If your child receives a firm offer, they will be expected to have a satisfactory reference when they are in Year 8. 

Canford School: Scholarships and Bursaries for Year 9 Entry

Scholarships

For Year 9 entry, scholarships are available in the following areas:

• Academic
• Art
• Drama
• Design technology
• Music
• Sport

In October of Year 8, information about scholarships will become available. You can apply for a scholarship for your child whether they have a firm offer of a place or not. The deadline for applying is in December of Year 8.

Scholarships have a monetary value of 5-20% of the school fees. They can be supplemented with a bursary.

Bursaries

Bursaries are means-tested awards designed to enable gifted children to attend independent schools that they would be unable to attend without financial assistance. If you would need financial support for your child to attend Canford School, it is worth discussing this with the Bursar at the earliest opportunity (01202 847551). 

Canford School: Online Quest Entrance Assessments for Year 9 Entry

For entry to Year 9 (Shells), your child will sit the following online Quest assessments:

• Maths

The maths assessment will cover topics your child has been taught at school: number, measurement, geometry and statistics. Some questions will evaluate your child’s ability to reason mathematically and solve problems, which may involve working through several steps to reach the answer. 

• English

The English assessment will include a reading comprehension. Your child must answer questions on a passage to demonstrate that they have understood the text. There will also be questions testing spelling, punctuation, grammar and vocabulary.

• Verbal Reasoning

The verbal reasoning assessment will require your child to solve problems using written information, such as letters and words. They will find this test easier if they have a mature vocabulary.   

• Non-Verbal Reasoning

The non-verbal reasoning assessment will have questions assessing your child’s ability to solve problems using visual information, such as pictures and diagrams. They might, for example, have to work out how a folded piece of paper with shapes cut out of it would look when it is unfolded.  

Altogether, the assessments will last one hour and 10 minutes. 

Your child might answer different questions from other candidates because parts of the entrance exam are adaptive, meaning that the questions will get harder if your child is consistently answering them correctly. 

Tips to Help Your Child Prepare for the Online Quest Assessments  

We know that preparing for entrance exams can feel daunting, and it can be hard to know where to start. For this reason, we have put together the following tips for preparing for the Canford School online Quest assessments:

• Keep study sessions short 

Most children around the age of 10-11 can focus effectively for about 30 minutes at a time, meaning long sessions are not productive. Short sessions will also feel less overwhelming and can fit in with your child’s other activities.

• Schedule plenty of breaks

Breaks are essential so that your child’s brain has time to recharge and put new information into its long-term memory. Also, breaks help to reduce stress and maintain motivation.

• Revise schoolwork

Your child will need to know the topics that have been covered in their maths and English lessons, so revising their schoolwork is a great place to start. Writing out the key information for each topic can be helpful.   

• Read a lot

Encourage your child to read widely. Reading will improve their reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and grammar. It is also a great way to relax before bedtime.

• Promote a growth mindset

A growth mindset is the belief that putting in time and effort will lead to the development of skills. Knowing that their hard work will reap results will help your child stay positive and be determined to do their best. Teach them that mistakes provide them with opportunities to learn and move forward, and praise them for all their achievements, no matter how small.

• Use online Quest practice tests

We have produced online Quest practice tests that your child can work through to become familiar with what to expect in their entrance exam, which will remove any fear of the unknown. They can get used to the types of questions that will come up, improve their time management skills and become adept at navigating the online interface. Additionally, they can use the answers and explanations we provide to learn from their mistakes, leading to a polished performance on the day.  

Please take a look at the resources below, specifically designed for the Canford School 13+ entrance exam.

Canford School: Resources for the Online Quest Assessments

Our Canford School 13+ Online Entrance Assessment Practice Tests are available on our other website, Pretest Plus, and provide realistic and highly accurate preparation for the actual exam. Each full mock test replicates the modules, timings and question types used in the real assessment, ensuring your child becomes familiar with the format and expectations. Covering Maths, English, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, these tests are all pitched at the same difficulty level, allowing you to benchmark your child’s progress, track improvement and identify key areas for further practice.

These practice tests are suitable for students preparing to sit the Canford School assessment in Year 6.

Canford School 13+ Online Practice Tests 

13+ Canford School Practice Test 1

13+ Canford School Practice Test 2

13+ Canford School Practice Test 3

13+ Canford School Practice Test 4

13+ Canford School Practice Test 5

13+ Canford School Practice Test 6

13+ Canford School Practice Test 7

13+ Canford School Practice Test 8

13+ Canford School Practice Test 9

13+ Canford School Practice Test 10

13+ Canford School Practice Test 11

13+ Canford School Practice Test 12

13+ Canford School Practice Test 13

13+ Canford School Practice Test 14

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Canford School 13+ Skill Practice

The following Skill Practice exercises focus on one module that will come up in the Canford School 13+ Online Test, allowing you to target the specific exam sections that your child finds challenging.

13+ Canford School Mathematics

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If you have any questions about our resources, please contact us. We are here to help your child succeed in their entrance exam.

The information provided about Canford School was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware that there may be 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 Exam Papers Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and resources and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Quest Assessments or any other test publisher.