Bedales School, Dunhurst, 8 Plus (8+) Entrance Exam Information – Key Details
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Basic information: Bedales School is a co-ed boarding and day school in the village of Steep in Hampshire. Founded in 1893, it occupies a 120-acre estate comprising playing fields, woodland and a nature reserve, alongside two Grade I listed buildings. Featuring a very long and impressive notable alumni list, Bedales has a Prep Department also known as Dunhurst. [1]
Curriculum: Dunhurst is noted for its broad education, offering specialist teaching for mathematics, science, music, French and IT, among others. Outdoor Work lessons are considered vital to children’s all-round development, as is cross-curricular learning, delivered through a range of educational programmes. [2]
Co-curricular: Non-academic endeavours are strongly encouraged, hence the selection of extracurriculars is vast and impressive. The offer of exceptional facilities further enables pupils’ skills acquisition, as they engage in everything from hockey, orchestra and swimming to horse riding, tap-dance and fencing. [3]
ISI Inspection report: According to the ISI, the quality of teaching at Bedales is of the highest standard, producing independent and responsible individuals with a deep appreciation of different cultures and aesthetics. The pupils’ achievements are well beyond the average, thus they progress into further education with skills of lifelong value. [4]
One of Dunhurst’s biggest strengths is its extraordinary scenery and close proximity to the South Downs. The school’s vibrant community lies at the heart of this breathtaking setting, where pupils’ needs are closely understood and urgently addressed, and where a culture of excellence exists in abundance.
Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 8 Plus (8+) Exam Information
Address: Church Road, Steep, Petersfield GU32 2DG
County: Hampshire
Admissions info: admissions@bedales.org.uk or 01730 711558
School type: Independent, co-ed day and boarding school
Open days: Each term
8+ Exam date: January of Year 3
Open Events for Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 8 Plus (8+) Entry
If you’d like to learn more about Dunhurst, you and your child should visit the school during Open Events. The events typically commence with an introductory speech from the Head, followed by guided tours of facilities and refreshments. Booking details are available here.
Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 8 Plus (8+) Admissions
Registration forms can be accessed through this page. They should be submitted with a £200 registration fee, which is non-refundable.
The admissions process for 8+ entry involves assessments and an interview. The acceptance deposit of £1000 will be refunded during your child’s last term at the school.
Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 8 Plus (8+) Scholarships and Bursaries
Scholarships are not available to 8+ applicants. Depending on circumstances, bursaries may be offered.
The application process for bursaries includes registration and application forms, which should be submitted together with a statement of financial circumstances. The deadline is in late October of the year preceding entry.
As part of the evaluation procedure, your child will be interviewed and tested. Results will be made known in February. For more details, please contact the Admissions Team.
Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 8 Plus (8+) Exam Format
The Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 8 Plus (8+) exam consists of the following assessments:
- English
- Mathematics
The English assessment examines comprehension and writing skills, including spelling, punctuation and grammar, as well as the fluency of your child’s reading and oral skills.
The Maths exam assesses problem-solving abilities and arithmetic skills, including your child’s knowledge of times tables.
Please see below for further details and recommendations on how to prepare for the Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 8 Plus entrance examination.
How to Prepare for the Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 8 Plus (8+) Entrance Assessment
Practice tests are an effective tool for preparation for the Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 8+ exam. With the help of our practice tests, designed and formatted to match the actual exams, your child will learn to deal with various 8+ exam question types quickly and confidently.
The benefits for your child are numerous: the tests provide focused practice and familiarity with a wide variety of possibilities and examples, serving as an indicator of any weaker areas that require additional work ahead of the exam. We suggest starting early with your revision so that you have plenty of time to identify subject areas that need additional work.
The majority of our 8+ 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 Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 8 Plus entrance exam can be found below.
Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 8 Plus (8+) Exam Practice Papers
Recommendations for each section of the Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 8 Plus exam can be found below:
English
We highly recommend the following packs to prepare successfully for the Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 8 Plus English assessment. They will help improve your child’s comprehension and writing skills:
Full Practice Tests
Comprehension Skills
8+ English: Comprehension Pack 1
8+ English: Vocabulary and Grammar
The Complete Guide to 8+ Comprehension
Writing Skills
The Complete Guide to 8+ 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 packs to help develop your child’s arithmetic and problem-solving skills within the examination context of the Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 8 Plus maths test:
Full Practice Tests
Targeted Skill Development
8+ Mathematics: Mental Arithmetic
8+ Mathematics: Problem Solving
Listening
The following pack is ideal for developing listening skills ahead of the Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 8 Plus entrance exam:
Get 10% off orders over £70 and 20% off orders over £250. Use the code eppdiscount at checkout.
Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions were included in Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 8+ past papers. The information provided about Bedales Prep, Dunhurst, 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 Bedales Prep, Dunhurst:
Click here to learn about Year 7 entry via the 11 Plus (11+) Exam
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