Whitgift School 13 Plus (13+) Entrance Exam Information
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Established in 1596, Whitgift School is an independent day and boarding school in South Croydon, London. It occupies 45 acres of beautiful parkland including ponds and a spacious sports complex, alongside an array of state-of-the-art facilities. [1]
The school’s learning philosophy is based on a forward-looking approach that encourages intellectual independence, boasting a curriculum that reflects this to the full. Inspiring a love of learning, the academic provision includes lessons for STEM, languages and humanities, as well as a broad selection of creative subject options.
The non-academic provision is just as extensive, featuring numerous clubs and societies such as beekeeping, climbing, debating, fencing, Islamic Society and Japanese Calligraphy Club. For the purpose of maximising the cultural awareness and sensibility of each boy on campus, Whitgift organises trips and expeditions to thrilling destinations, including China and Hong Kong, as well as exotic countries settled in the Middle East. [2] [3]
Spanning over 400 years, the Whitgift education offers a one-of-a-kind learning experience, grounding boys in a strong sense of discipline that doesn’t prohibit exploration. The school perpetually evolves, bettering its provision to meet the growing expectations of some of the nation’s most academically curious minds.
Whitgift School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Information
Address: Haling Park Road, South Croydon CR2 6YT
County: Surrey
Admissions info: admissions@whitgift.co.uk or 020 8688 9222
School type: Independent day and boarding school for boys
13+ Exam date: November of Year 8
13+ Exam board: School’s own
Open Events for Whitgift School 13 Plus (13+) Entry
Whitgift School hosts Open Mornings, Afternoons and Evenings in the Autumn term, welcoming families on campus so that they can familiarise themselves with everything on offer. The events provide the opportunity to hear from the Head, tour facilities and meet current pupils, as well as ask questions of interest to the admissions process. More details are available on this page.
Whitgift School 13 Plus (13+) Admissions
Year 9 to Whitgift School is through two routes:
- 13+ Pre-test entry – for boarding pupils only. The registration deadline is in October (of Year 6). Testing takes place in January and the interviews are attended later the same month. Offers are made in February to be accepted by the deadline in March.
- 13+ Standard entry – for day and boarding pupils. The registration deadline is in October of Year 8. Formal examinations and interviews take place the following November. Offers are made in December, to be accepted by the deadline in February.
Please note that a place at the school must be reserved with a payment of a deposit.
Whitgift School 13 Plus (13+) Scholarships and Bursaries
The school offers a wide range of non-academic scholarships, including Art, Drama, Music and Sports awards. Please note that your child can apply for a maximum of three scholarships.
To enhance its financial benefits, a scholarship can be coupled with a bursary. Bursaries are means-tested and can only be awarded following a thorough evaluation of the household’s financial circumstances.
Bursaries may cover up to 110% of costs, which is 100% of fees plus support for school lunches, travel on the school buses, school uniform and cost of school trips. The deadline for bursary applications is in late November of the year preceding entry.
Whitgift School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Format
The Whitgift School 13+ pre-test entry entrance examination consists of the following assessments:
- English
- Mathematics
- Critical Thinking
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 son’s problem-solving abilities and arithmetic skills. The paper will include questions on number, measurement, geometry, algebra and statistics.
The Critical Thinking paper will assess his potential for creative and innovative problem solving.
The Whitgift School 13+ standard entry entrance examination consists of the following assessments:
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
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 son’s problem-solving abilities and arithmetic skills. The paper will include questions on number, measurement, geometry, algebra and statistics.
The Science paper will test acquired knowledge in the areas of Chemistry, Biology and Physics.
Please see below for further details and recommendations on how to prepare for the Whitgift School 13+ entrance examinations.
How to Prepare for the Whitgift School 13 Plus (13+) Exam
Our practice tests help students become familiar with the style and layout of the Whitgift 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. They are age-appropriate, yet still challenging, corresponding perfectly with the demands of a competitive independent school 13+ entrance exam.
Our recommendations to help your child prepare for the Whitgift School 13 plus entrance examination can be found below.
Whitgift School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Practice Papers
13+ Pre-test Entry
English
We highly recommend the following packs to successfully prepare your child for the Whitgift School 13+ Pre-test English paper:
Comprehension
11+ Complete Comprehension Guide
Writing
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
We highly recommend the use of the following papers to help develop your son’s arithmetic and problem-solving skills within the examination context of the Whitgift School 13 Plus pre-test maths test:
Full Practice Tests
Skill Specific Practice
11+ Fractions, Decimals & Percentages
11+ Reflection, Rotation & Symmetry
Critical Thinking
The following packs will help develop your child’s skills ahead of the Whitgift School 13 Plus pre-test Critical Thinking exam:
11+ Critical Thinking & Analysis Pack 1
11+ Critical Thinking & Analysis Pack 2
11+ Critical Thinking & Analysis Pack 3
Interviews
11+ Interviews – The Complete Guide
13+ Standard Entry
English
We highly recommend the following packs to successfully prepare your child for the Whitgift School 13+ standard entry English paper:
Mathematics
We highly recommend the use of the following papers to help develop your son’s arithmetic and problem-solving skills within the examination context of the Whitgift School 13 Plus standard entry maths test:
Science
The following practice papers will provide useful preparation for the Whitgift School 13+ standard entry Science paper:
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Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions were included in Whitgift School 13+ past papers. The information provided about Whitgift 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.
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