Oxford High School (OHS) 13 Plus (13+) Entrance Exam Information

Introduction

 

Oxford High School is a day school for girls in Oxford. Member of the GDST, it is the oldest girls’ school in the city, regularly featured among the top performing independent schools nationally. Its alumni list boasts a number of eminent academics, mathematicians and poets. [1] 

 

To prepare students for the world of tomorrow, Oxford High encourages academic excellence through a challenging yet inspiring curriculum that features a number of disciplines. Classics, computer science, MFL, humanities and maths are just a few to mention, aiming to meet the changing learning needs of the cohort as part of their journey of discovery. 

 

The enrichment programme is designed to further develop girls’ understanding and talents, providing them with numerous opportunities to try new activities and test their limitations. Clubs range from animation and robotics to Film Club and string ensemble, while educational visits, which boost cultural understanding, include thrilling destinations such as Iceland, Nepal and China. [2]

 

OHS maintains strong links with Oxford University and the Oxford University Hospitals, and thus welcomes esteemed visiting speakers to help extend girls’ familiarity with the world of work. The close proximity to the city’s museums, theatres and galleries allows them to develop aesthetic awareness, which complements their capacity for social adjustment and allows them to access the next chapter of their lives with a balanced personality. 

 

Open Events for Oxford High School 13 Plus (13+) Entry

 

OHS’ Open Events provide prospective students with an insight into the school’s extensive offering. The events’ programme comprises guided tours, informal meetings with staff and a presentation from the Head, familiarising visiting families with the school’s ethos and philosophy. Details on how to book are available here.

 

Oxford High School 13 Plus (13+) Admissions

 

Year 9 entry into Oxford High is through two possible routes: pre-test entry and standard 13+ entry. Pre-test entry applicants are assessed while they are in Year 7. Standard 13+ entry applicants are assessed while in Year 8.

 

The application deadline for pre-test entry applicants is in February of Year 7, and for standard 13+ exam applicants, it is in September of Year 8. 

 

• Pre-test applicants will sit a paper-based exam and attend an interview. A confidential reference from their current school will be obtained. Results will be made known in April of Year 7. If your daughter receives an offer of a place, you must accept it by the deadline in July with a payment of a £1,000 deposit. 

 

• Standard entry applicants sit paper-based exams in October of Year 7 and attend an interview with the Head. As part of the admissions process, OHS will request your daughter’s reference. Offers are made in November, to be accepted by the deadline in March. A £1,000 deposit is payable upon acceptance.

 

Oxford High School 13 Plus (13+) Scholarships and Bursaries

 

Oxford High offers Academic, Drama, Art, Music, Sports and Head’s Scholarships to 13+ applicants. These are only available to applicants who have received an offer for a Year 9 place.

 

Academic and Head’s Scholarships are awarded on the basis of performance in the entrance examinations and interview, hence no separate application is required.

 

Drama award applicants are assessed on the basis of audition and interview. Music award applicants will also be asked to attend an audition, as well as an interview to discuss their musical interests and experience. 

 

In order to be considered for a Sports Scholarship, applicants must be County Level or above in the following disciplines: hockey, football, netball, gymnastics, swimming, cricket, tennis and athletics. More details about 13+ scholarships are available here. 

 

To cover fees in full or in part, scholarships can be coupled with means-tested bursaries. When awarded independently, bursaries can be worth 30–100% of fees. 

 

Bursaries are available to children from low-income families. They are offered following a thorough means-testing procedure, repeated annually. Please note that families with gross annual income of over £87,500 would typically be considered ineligible. More details are available on this page. 

 

Oxford High School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Format

 

The Oxford High pre-test 13+ entrance examination consists of the following assessments:

 

• English (60 mins)
• Mathematics (60 mins)
• Modern language (60 mins)
• Reasoning (90 mins)

 

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 your daughter’s problem-solving abilities and arithmetic skills. The paper will include questions on number, measurement, geometry, algebra and statistics.

 

The Reasoning paper is primarily designed to test and assess logical thinking and the use of English language and vocabulary, as well as the ability to understand, interpret and problem-solve.

 

The Oxford High 13+ standard entry exam consists of the same assessments, but at a more difficult, age-appropriate level. 

 

Please see below for further details and recommendations on how to prepare for the Oxford High School 13+ entrance examinations.

 

How to Prepare for the Oxford High School 13 Plus (13+) Exam

 

Our practice tests help students become familiar with the style and layout of the Oxford High School exams, which can help boost their confidence in the lead up to the big day. They cover all the question types that could be asked in the entrance exam and can be used to identify any weaker areas that require additional work.

 

Once you devise a specific study schedule and a structured approach towards 13+ exam preparation, you will be able to remove unnecessary stress from the preparation process and make it more manageable for your child.

 

We highly recommend that students take our practice tests under timed conditions to get used to answering questions quickly and under time pressure.

 

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 Oxford High School 13 plus entrance examination can be found below.

 

Oxford High School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Practice Papers

 

 

  

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Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions have been included in Oxford High School (OHS) 13+ past papers. The information provided about Oxford High School (OHS) 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 Oxford High School (OHS).

 

Other entry points for Oxford High 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 7 entry via the 11 Plus (11+) Exam