The King’s School, Canterbury: Entry Procedure for 13 Plus (13+)/Year 9/Shell for Non-Prep School & International Applicants
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Table of Contents
Introduction
The King’s School (King’s) is a co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 3-18. It comprises three schools: The King’s School (the Senior School), Junior King’s and The King’s International College. Founded in 1541, the school started with 50 pupils. Since then, it has gone from strength to strength, earning itself an excellent reputation globally.
Pupils at King’s are dynamic and enthusiastic learners, who are encouraged to ask questions. The Shell (Year 9) curriculum is broad and balanced, encompassing traditional subjects, such as maths, English and the sciences, as well as modern subjects, such as drama, music and DT.
The co-curricular programme at King’s is extensive, giving pupils every opportunity to pursue their interests and take up new hobbies. In fact, there are over 200 clubs and societies to choose from! Music is of particular importance because the school has strong links to Canterbury Cathedral.
Pastoral care at King’s is superb. Tutor groups contain only about ten pupils, meaning tutors know their tutees very well and can offer appropriate guidance and support when necessary. Students can also use the services of the school’s qualified counsellors and turn to the chaplaincy team when they need a listening ear.
The King’s School: Admissions Process for 13 Plus (13+)/Year 9/Shell Entry for Non-Prep School & International Applicants
The best place to start the admissions process is by visiting King’s. Open Mornings are held in May and September. You can also arrange an individual tour. A visit will include a tour of the facilities and a meeting with a member of the admissions team.
The next step is to fill out the registration form and pay the £200 registration fee. This must be done by the November deadline when your child is in Year 8. However, you can apply much earlier than this if you wish. The advantage of applying earlier is that you will receive regular updates about the school.
Non-prep school and international applicants will sit the King’s Entrance Exams (K.E.E) in January of Year 8. UK-based applicants can sit the exams at King’s, and international candidates can sit them at an approved test centre.
The K.E.E for non-prep school and international applicants comprise the following:
- An online assessment (CAT4)
- A maths written paper
- An English written paper
Additionally, candidates who sit the exams at King’s will have an interview on the same day as the exams. Successful candidates who sit the exams overseas will have an interview via a video link.
Offers are made in early February. If your child is offered a place, and you decide to accept it, you will need to pay a £2,000 acceptance deposit if you are based in the UK. If you are based overseas, you will need to pay an additional deposit of two terms’ fees. Deposits are refunded through a credit against the final payment of fees.
The King’s School: Scholarships and Bursaries
For 13+ entry, the following scholarships are available:
- Academic
- Music
- Art
- Sports
- DT
- Drama
- Dance
Please click here for detailed information about the scholarships.
A limited number of bursaries are available to families who cannot afford the school’s fees but whose children would thrive at King’s and make the most of all it has to offer. To apply for a bursary, you will be required to complete the Statement of Financial Circumstances form. Bursaries can be worth up to 100% of the full boarding fees. They are reviewed annually, and their value can go up or down, depending on changes to your financial situation.
The King’s School: School Details and Information for Non-Prep School & International Applicants for Year 9 Entry
Senior School address: 25 The Precincts, Canterbury, CT1 2ES
County: Kent
Admissions info: admissions@kings-school.co.uk or 01227 595727
School type: Independent co-educational day and boarding school
Registration deadline: November of Year 8
Entrance assessments: Online assessment (CAT4), maths written paper, English written paper and interview
K.E.E for Non-Prep and International Applicants for Year 9/Shell Entry
CAT4 (Cognitive Abilities Test):
Candidates will take three sections of this online test – the Spatial reasoning section (30 minutes), the Verbal reasoning section (40 minutes) and the Quantitative (Numerical) reasoning section (40 minutes).
- The Spatial reasoning questions will require your child to think about objects in three dimensions.
- The Verbal reasoning questions will rate your child’s ability to solve problems using written information.
- The Quantitative (Numerical) reasoning questions will evaluate how well your child can solve problems using numbers.
Given that your child will be in Year 8 when they take the CAT4, they will take Level E of the test.
The Written Maths Paper:
This paper will last 40 minutes and calculators are allowed. Your child’s mathematical reasoning skills will be put to the test and their knowledge of topics covered in the relevant national curriculum stage.
The Written English Paper:
This paper will also last 40 minutes. It will have a comprehension exercise and a creative writing task.
- The comprehension exercise will assess your child’s ability to understand a written passage and make inferences.
- The creative writing task will assess, amongst other things, the standard of your child’s spelling, punctuation and grammar, their ability to use language effectively and their ability to use a range of sentence structures for effect.
Preparing for the K.E.E for Year 9/Shell Entry for Non-Prep School & International Applicants
At Exam Papers Plus, we believe that spending time preparing for highly competitive entrance exams is time well spent, as it can give your child the edge over fellow candidates.
Knowing what to study and where to find the right practice materials can be challenging, which is why we’re here to help. Our carefully curated resources are designed to guide your child through every aspect of the King’s entrance exams, ensuring your child strengthens their skills in the areas that will be tested. By using our materials, your child will build the confidence needed to excel and deliver a polished performance on exam day.
Resources for K.E.E for Year 9/Shell Entry for Non-Prep School & International Applicants
Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4)
The following Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) online practice tests are highly recommended for successful preparation for the The King’s 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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English
We highly recommend the following packs to successfully prepare your child for the 13 Plus English paper.
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 The King’s School 13 Plus maths test.
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If you have any questions about any of our resources, please contact us.
The information provided about The King’s School 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 Exam Papers Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and resources and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publishers of the CAT4, the publishers of King’s maths and English papers or any other test publisher.
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