7 Plus (7+) Exam – University College School (UCS) – Key Admissions Details 2024
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Table of Contents
Introduction
A friendly yet competitive school, UCS The Junior Branch is nestled at the top of Hampstead in North London. Its close proximity to the Senior School provides boys with access to a large sports hall and swimming pool. In addition, 25 acres of playing fields and an all-weather pitch at the school’s Ranulf Road site (West Hampstead) are only 10 minutes away. [1] [2]
The Junior Branch boasts an exceptional standard of music, drama and art, with nearly every boy playing a musical instrument from the many offered. Additionally, all pupils take part in engaging drama productions throughout the academic year, including shows in the in-house Little Acorn Theatre. [3]
By allowing boys to develop at their own academic pace, the school secures their strong academic and non-academic outcomes. The supportive pastoral care provision and culture of high achievement enable the cohort to cope with UCS’ exemplary standards and extensive demands, hence students tend to effortlessly progress onto further education and thrive.
University College School (UCS) 7 Plus (7+) Exam Information
Address: 11 Holly Hill, Hampstead, London, NW3 6QN
County: Greater London
Admissions info: jbadmissions@ucs.org.uk or 020 7435 3068
School type: Independent, day school for boys
Open events: In the Autumn Term
7+ Exam date: January of Year 2
Pass mark: Aim for 70%+ in our practice tests. See below for more details.
University College School (UCS) 7 Plus (7+) Open Days
All 7+ applicants are invited to the school during the Autumn Term in small groups. Parents and children will have an informal meeting with the Head, followed by a tour of facilities (for the parents) and exercises and a short reading assessment (for the boys).
There is a further opportunity to visit the school. Open Evening takes place in June and September, including a tour of the school with a present pupil and the opportunity to talk to staff and meet the Head. Booking is essential. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:
University College School (UCS) 7 Plus (7+) Admissions
Approximately 60 boys across three classes will be admitted into Year 3. It is expected that between 180 and 200 will make an initial application. Registration takes place between January and September in the year prior to entry and the fee for this is £150.
At 7+, your son’s ability to read well and confidently, and to understand what he has read, is a very important entrance criterion. As a guide, the school is looking for boys who are about two years ahead of their national average reading age.
Considerable attention is paid to how they socially interact with their peers. Their approach and ability to engage in teamwork and play will also be carefully assessed. Confident readers who have demonstrated good social skills during the Autumn Term visit to the school will be asked back to take the exams in January.
The January 7+ entrance assessment will measure your child’s skills across two areas of the curriculum. As part of the admissions process, a confidential report from his current school will be obtained.
University College School (UCS) 7 Plus (7+) Scholarships and Bursaries
Scholarships and bursaries are not available to 7+ applicants.
University College School (UCS) 7 Plus (7+) Exam Format
The 7 Plus entrance examination at UCS consists of papers in the following areas:
- English
- Mathematics
The English paper focuses on your child’s comprehension skills, including inference and vocabulary.
The mathematics paper aims to evaluate and assesses problem-solving and arithmetic skills.
The tests will be administered in a classroom setting. Group work, play and having fun are also very much part of the assessment.
Please see below for further details and recommendations on how to prepare for the UCS 7 Plus examination.
University College School (UCS) 7 Plus (7+) Exam Pass Marks and Target Scores
Pupils who are able to score 70%+ consistently in our 7+ practice tests should be on track to pass the UCS 7+ assessment.
Whilst there are no guarantees, this has historically been a fairly strong indicator that your child should do well in the University College School 7 Plus exam.
Don’t worry if your child is not scoring well in our practice papers from the outset. With targeted practice and focus, it’s possible to make big improvements in a short amount of time!
University College School (UCS) 7 Plus (7+) Exam Practice Papers
If you are at the very beginning of your 7+ journey, you may wish to start with our range of 6+ resources. These cover the core Maths and English skills your child needs to develop but at a slightly easier level.
Our 6+ range will help your child develop confidence and a strong foundation before they progress further with the 7+ material listed below.
English
We highly recommend the following practice papers to help your child prepare for the University College School 7+ English exam. They cover everything your child needs to know about comprehension:
Full Practice Tests
Comprehension Skills
7+ English: Comprehension Pack 1
7+ English: Vocabulary and Grammar
Comprehension Guide
This guide covers all the key comprehension question types in a clear, step-by-step manner so that both you and your child know exactly what to expect on exam day.
The Complete Illustrated Guide to 7+ Comprehension
Mathematics
The following 7+ packs will help your child develop the key skills needed to do well in the mathematics section of the University College School entrance exam:
Full Practice Tests
Targeted Skill Development
Each of the following skill practice 7+ mathematics packs focuses on just one specific topic, covering all the possible variations your child may face on exam day:
7+ Mathematics: Mental Arithmetic
7+ Mathematics: Problem Solving
7+ Mathematics: Addition & Subtraction
7+ Mathematics: Multiplication & Division
7+ Mathematics: Number & Place Value
Mathematics Guide
This guide covers the full 7+ maths syllabus step-by-step, teaching your child everything they need to know in a fun and interactive manner.
The Complete Illustrated Guide to 7+ Mathematics
Listening
University College School is keen to find students who can listen to instructions, process information and respond accurately. This pack will help develop these key skills:
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended practice resources for the University College School (UCS) 7 Plus exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
7+ UCS Bundle
If you’re not buying a Bundle, you can use the code eppdiscount at checkout to get 10% off orders over £70 and 20% off orders over £250.
Our practice tests aim to show the sorts of questions that have been included in University College School (UCS) 7+ past papers. The information provided about University College School (UCS) 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 University College School (UCS):
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
Click here to learn about Year 12 entry via the 16 Plus (16+) Exam
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