Oundle School 13 Plus (13+) Entrance Exam Information
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Oundle School is an independent day and boarding school in Oundle, Northamptonshire. The third largest boarding school in England, it boasts exclusive facilities and has educated numerous esteemed professionals, including architects, businessmen, engineers, politicians and scientists. [1]
Well-integrated and relevant, Oundle’s curriculum is largely autonomous, featuring a vast number of core and optional subjects that reflect the school’s ambitious educational model. Staff aim to inspire pupils’ imagination and challenge their view of the world through a creative approach to teaching, expanding their academic and social literacy in the process.
With 50+ extracurriculars on offer, the school champions exploration of interests, maximising the enjoyment of learning for each pupil on campus. Photography, climbing, dissection, rowing, swimming, MedSoc and chess are just a few to mention, complementing a competitive provision that aims to prepare children for happy, productive and proactive lives. [2]
Oundle School’s campus features magnificent buildings, scattered across town so that the cohort can co-exists with the local community and engage in activities that benefit it. With a history spanning back to 1556, the establishment boasts an unparalleled reputation and a traditional ethos, yet remains forward-looking when exposed to the fluid nature of modernity.
Oundle School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Information
Address: The Great Hall, New Street, Oundle, Peterborough PE8 4GH
County: Northamptonshire
Admissions info: admissions@oundleschool.org.uk or +44 (0)1832 277125
School type: Independent co-ed day and boarding school
13+ Exam date (Non-CE): January of Year 8
13+ Exam date (CE): June of Year 8
Open Events for Oundle School 13 Plus (13+) Entry
The school strongly encourages prospective families to come and see them in person prior to applying for a place, either during Open Days or by scheduling an individual visit. This should be arranged as early as possible, ideally three to four years prior to entry. The programme of activities includes a tour of facilities, meet ups with current pupils and delicious lunch. For more details, please reach out to the Registrar.
Oundle School 13 Plus (13+) Admissions
Registration for places, including a payment of a £250 non-refundable fee, should also be completed early on (three to four years before entry).
The 13+ admissions process centres on entrance examinations. There are two possible routes:
- Non-Common Entrance (Non-CE) exam, better known as Oundle Entrance, held in January of Year 8.
- Common Entrance (CE) exam, held in June of Year 8.
Please note that offers are made while your child is still in Year 6, subject to positive school reports and references. There are two types of offers:
- A firm offer: to be confirmed with a strong performance in the Oundle Entrance or Common Entrance exams;
- An offer subject to success in the Practice Common Entrance Examination, held in the Autumn Term of Year 8.
Oundle School 13 Plus (13+) Scholarships and Bursaries
Pupils of exceptional ability can apply for Academic, Art, Music, Drama, Sports and Design Engineering Technology Scholarships. Although these awards don’t carry any fee remission, competition for them is high as they are prestigious recognitions which can be coupled with a means-tested bursary. Scholarship applications should be made from October to January of Year 8.
Academic scholars are students who, throughout the admission process, exhibited high levels of general ability or exceptional talent in a particular academic area. Drama Scholarships are awarded on the basis of participation in a workshop and short performance.
Design, Engineering and Technology awards are offered following strong performance in an aptitude test, a practical assessment and interview. Students who wish to apply for an Art Scholarship must submit a portfolio and partake in a practical assessment / creative task and analytical discussion, as well as perform well in an interview. More details about scholarships are available on this page.
Means-tested bursaries are offered to families who struggle with paying the fees. They may cover 100% of fees including costs for extras, ensuring that your child doesn’t miss out on the many co-curricular opportunities.
Decisions regarding the allocation of financial assistance are made approximately two years prior to entry. Once awarded, bursaries are reviewed annually, and this includes reassessment of your financial circumstances and review of your child’s academic and non-academic progress.
Oundle School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Format
The Oundle Entrance 13 Plus (Non-CE) examination consists of the following assessments:
- Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4)
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- MFL
The Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) test aims to examine developed abilities via modules testing Verbal, Non-Verbal, Spatial and Quantitative Reasoning.
The English paper examines comprehension and writing skills, including inference, vocabulary and punctuation. Marks will be awarded for good use of imagination, creativity, form, purpose, organisation, cohesion and sentence structure.
The maths exam assesses problem-solving abilities and arithmetic skills. The paper will include questions on number, measurement, geometry, algebra and statistics.
The Science paper tests acquired knowledge in the areas of Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
The MFL paper is optional, offered only to applicants with previous knowledge in a foreign language.
The Oundle School 13+ Common Entrance examination will include the following assessments:
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
Similarly to the Non-CE exam, the English section assesses comprehension and writing skills, while the mathematics test evaluates problem-solving abilities and arithmetic skills. The Science paper tests Biology, Chemistry and Physics skills.
Please see below for further details and recommendations on how to prepare for the Oundle School 13+ entrance examinations.
How to Prepare for the Oundle School 13 Plus (13+) Exam
One of the best ways to prepare for a competitive 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 your child’s confidence.
Aside from becoming familiarised with the exam format, our practice tests will ensure that your child responds to the questions in an efficient and effective manner.
They also provide an excellent opportunity for your child to practise working under time pressure. While doing the tests under timed conditions, children can get used to answering questions quickly, with a close attention to detail.
Our practice tests are age-appropriate, yet still challenging, corresponding perfectly with the demands of a competitive independent school’s 13+ entrance exam. Our recommendations to help your child prepare for the Oundle School 13 plus entrance examination can be found below.
Oundle School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Practice Papers
Online CAT4 Test
The following Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) online practice tests are highly recommended for successful preparation for the Oundle School 13+ CAT test. They help familiarise students with the various modules and question types that will come up in the CAT4 Level E, which is taken for Year 9 (13+) entry.
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 1
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 2
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 3
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 4
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 5
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 6
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 7
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 8
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 9
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 10
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The following Skill Practice Tests each focus on one module that will come up in the CAT4 Level E assessment, allowing you to target the specific modules that your child finds most challenging.
Non-Verbal Reasoning
CAT4 Level E – Figure Matrices
CAT4 Level E – Figure Classification
Verbal Reasoning
CAT4 Level E – Verbal Classification
CAT4 Level E – Verbal Analogies
Quantitative Reasoning
CAT4 Level E – Number Analogies
Spatial Reasoning
CAT4 Level E – Figure Analysis
CAT4 Level E – Figure Recognition
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The following video courses cover everything your child needs to know to do well in the Oundle School CAT4 exam:
CAT4 Quantitative Reasoning Course
CAT4 Non-Verbal Reasoning Course
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CAT4 Level E Video Courses Bundle
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English
We highly recommend the following packs to successfully prepare your child for the 13 Plus English paper. They will prove useful for both the Oundle School CE and Non-CE English exams:
13+ English: Rewrite & Improve
Mathematics
We highly recommend the use of the following papers to help develop your child’s arithmetic and problem-solving skills within the examination context of the Oundle School 13 Plus maths test. They are relevant to both the CE and Non-CE Mathematics exams:
Science
We highly recommend the following practice papers to help your child prepare for the Oundle School 13 Plus Science exam. They can help your child successfully prepare for both the CE and Non-CE Science exams:
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Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions were included in Oundle School 13+ past papers. The information provided about Oundle School was 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 post.
Other entry points for Oundle School:
Click here to learn about Year 7 entry via the 11 Plus (11+) Exam
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