Barnard Castle School 7 Plus (7+) Entrance Exam Information – Key Details
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Barnard Castle School is a co-educational, independent day and boarding school in the market town of Barnard Castle in Durham. Founded in 1883, the school occupies a 50-acre campus, including tennis, netball and squash courts, a number of purpose-built classrooms and a £1.5 million physics & ICT block. [1]
In Year 3, pupils study English, mathematics, science, computing, art & technology, history, geography, music, PE, religious education, PSHCEE and MFL.
The school’s outstanding sports facilities ensure childrens’ physical development through co-curricular activities such as Judo, Athletics, Football, Netball, Cricket, Swimming and Taekwondo. Pupils can also engage in other types of pursuits via various enrichment clubs, ranging from Prep Orchestra and Chess, to Philosophy and Mindfulness.
In their most recent report for Barnard Castle, the ISI inspectors concluded that the school provides a caring and supportive environment, characterised by positive and trustworthy relationships between children and staff. According to the report, ‘children feel safe’ and have a clear understanding of the standards of behaviour set by the school. [2]
Committed to maximising pupils’ potential by providing an outstanding educational experience, Barnard Castle promotes a love of learning and academic rigour. The wealth of sporting, cultural and co-curricular activities allows pupils to acquire a sense of duty and selflessness, along with leadership roles which serve them well throughout their later lives.
Barnard Castle School 7 Plus (7+) Exam Information
Address: Westwick Road, Barnard Castle DL12 8UW
County: Durham
Admissions info: admissions@barneyschool.org.uk or +44(0)1833 696030
School Type: Independent, co-ed day and boarding school
Open events: In The Spring and Autumn Terms
7+ Exam Date: Arbitrary
Open Events for Barnard Castle School 7 Plus (7+) Entry
The school invites all prospective families to visit the campus during its open days. The events include tours of facilities, meetings with key staff members and an address by the Head. Pre-registering for these is mandatory. Please click here to learn more.
Barnard Castle School 7 Plus (7+) Admissions
The registration form must be completed and submitted in order for the admissions process to formally begin.
The school will then reach out to confirm the date of the assessment. Please note that your child’s reports and a reference from their current Headteacher will be requested.
Barnard Castle School 7 Plus (7+) Scholarships and Bursaries
Scholarships and bursaries are only available to Senior School applicants.
Barnard Castle School 7 Plus (7+) Exam Format
The Barnard Castle School 7 Plus (7+) exam consists of the following assessments:
- English
- Mathematics
- Non-Verbal Reasoning
The English assessment examines comprehension and writing skills, including spelling, punctuation and grammar, as well as the fluency of your child’s reading and their oral skills.
The Maths exam assesses your child’s problem-solving abilities and arithmetic skills, including their knowledge of times tables.
The Non-Verbal Reasoning paper measures their ability to understand, interpret and problem-solve, testing logic and intelligence rather than knowledge.
Please see below for further details and recommendations on how to prepare for the Barnard Castle School 7 Plus entrance examination.
How to Prepare for the Barnard Castle School 7 Plus (7+) Entrance Assessment
Our practice tests help students become familiar with the style and layout of the Barnard Castle School 7+ exam, 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 7+ 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.
The majority of our 7+ resources are accompanied by detailed step-by-step video tutorials for every question. These are available for free with all purchases. It’s like having a world-class tutor explain each question to your child at no extra cost!
Our practice tests are used successfully every year by tens of thousands of students targeting schools with a competitive entrance exam. They are age-appropriate, reflecting the demands of the actual exam.
Our recommendations to help your child prepare for the Barnard Castle School 7 Plus entrance exam can be found below.
Barnard Castle School 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 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 Barnard Castle School 7+ English exam. They cover everything your child needs to know about comprehension and writing:
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
Writing Skills
Writing Guide
Starting from the foundational basics, this guide works its way through all the key skills your child needs to develop to become an excellent writer within the framework of what’s expected at the 7+ level.
The Complete Illustrated Guide to 7+ 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
The following 7+ packs will help your child develop the key skills needed to do well in the mathematics section of the Barnard Castle 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
Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR)
To help your child master Non-Verbal Reasoning skills ahead of the Barnard Castle School 7+ exam, we highly recommend the following resources:
Full Practice Tests
7+ Reasoning Pack 1 (NVR sections only)
7+ Reasoning Pack 2 (NVR sections only)
7+ Reasoning Pack 3 (NVR sections only)
7+ Reasoning Pack 4 (NVR sections only)
7+ Reasoning Pack 5 (NVR sections only)
Non-Verbal Reasoning Guide
The following guide covers everything your child needs to know to ace the 7+ Non-Verbal Reasoning exam. It is packed with insights, tips and advice to help your child develop the key frameworks needed to succeed.
The Complete Guide to 7+ Non-Verbal Reasoning
Listening
The following pack is ideal for developing listening skills ahead of the Barnard Castle School 7+ entrance exam, helping your child learn how to follow instructions carefully:
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Our practice tests aim to show the sorts of questions that have been included in Barnard Castle School 7+ past papers. The information provided about Barnard Castle 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 Barnard Castle School:
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
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