Dean Close Preparatory School 8 Plus (8+) Entrance Exam Information – Key Details
Bookmark this page? Pop your email into the box below to receive a link to this article so you can easily refer back to it later.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Basic information: Dean Close School is an independent co-ed day and boarding school in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Founded in 1886, it produces competitive results, thus leavers often pursue further education at Russell Group universities. [1]
Curriculum: In line with the National Curriculum requirements, Dean Close provides strong academic and non-academic education in the following areas: English, mathematics, science, MFL, humanities, art, DT, ICT, drama, music, PE and games. Form teachers and specialist staff are equally invested in maximising pupils’ skills, adapting their teaching so that it stimulates a love of learning.
Co-curricular: Through a wide and varied range of clubs and activities, such as chess, gardening, fencing, origami and swimming, Dean Close Prep takes learning outside the classroom and into its superb facilities. In this way, the school encourages pupils to always make full use of everything that’s available to them, both at school and in life. [2]
ISI Inspection report: As expected from a high-performing school with high standards of achievement and conduct, Dean Close Prep has been rated as ‘excellent’ across all assessed areas in their most recent ISI inspection report. The learning environment was characterised as extremely supportive, celebrating effort and success equally, while the focused teaching provision was identified as integral to pupils’ strong performance.
Rooted in an Evangelical Christian foundation, the Dean Close ethos regards pupils as unique individuals, encouraging them to challenge the status quo through independent and critical thought. Respect for others is at the heart of the school’s philosophy, inspiring positive relationships between children and fostering their sense of belonging to a welcoming community.
Dean Close Preparatory School 8 Plus (8+) Exam Information
Address: Lansdown Road, Cheltenham GL51 6QS
County: Gloucestershire
Admissions info: dcpsregistrar@deanclose.org.uk or 01242 258001
School type: Independent, co-ed day and boarding school
Open days: In the Spring and Summer terms
8+ Exam date: On Taster Day
Open Events for Dean Close Prep School 8 Plus (8+) Entry
To get a feel for the atmosphere on campus, Dean Close invites all prospective families to attend the Open Mornings events. During these, you and your child will meet current pupils and explore the cutting-edge facilities through tours. The events typically start with an address from the Head and end with refreshments. Please click here to learn more.
Dean Close Prep School 8 Plus (8+) Admissions
Registration is an important part of the admissions process. In order to be processed, registration forms should be submitted with a registration fee of £100.
Entrance assessments can be completed on Taster Day or at a mutually convenient date.
Dean Close Prep School 8 Plus (8+) Scholarships and Bursaries
Scholarships and bursaries are not available to 8+ applicants.
Dean Close Prep School 8 Plus (8+) Exam Format
The Dean Close Prep School 8 Plus (8+) exam consists of the following assessments:
- English writing
- Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT)
The English exam examines writing skills, including punctuation and spelling. Marks will be awarded for good use of imagination, creativity, form, purpose, organisation, cohesion and sentence structure.
The CAT4 test aims to assess developed abilities via modules testing Verbal, Non-Verbal, Spatial and Quantitative Reasoning.
Please see below for further details and recommendations on how to prepare for the Dean Close Prep School 8 Plus entrance examination.
How to Prepare for the Dean Close Prep School 8 Plus (8+) Entrance Assessment
Our practice tests help students become familiar with the style and layout of the Dean Close Prep 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 assessments 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 8+ exam preparation, you will be able to remove unnecessary stress from the preparation process and make it more manageable for your child.
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 Dean Close Prep School 8 Plus entrance exam can be found below.
Dean Close Prep School 8 Plus (8+) Exam Practice Papers
Recommendations for each section of the Dean Close Prep School 8 Plus exam can be found below:
English
We highly recommend the following packs to prepare successfully for the Dean Close Prep School 8 Plus English assessment. They will help improve your child’s writing skills:
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.
Listening
The following pack is ideal for developing listening skills ahead of the Dean Close Prep School 8 Plus entrance exam:
Get 10% off orders over £70 and 20% off orders over £250. Use the code eppdiscount at checkout.
Online CAT Test
The following packs will significantly boost your child’s Reasoning abilities ahead of the Dean Close Prep School 8 Plus CAT exam:
CAT4 – Level Y – Practice Test 1
CAT4 – Level Y – Practice Test 2
CAT4 – Level Y – Practice Test 3
CAT4 – Level Y – Practice Test 4
CAT4 – Level Y – Practice Test 5
✅ Save 25% by purchasing our CAT4 Level Y Practice Tests Bundle, including all five tests. Click the button below to learn more:
CAT4 Level Y Practice Tests Bundle - Save 25%
Skill Practice Tests
To boost your child’s Verbal Reasoning (Words) abilities in the lead-up to the 8+ CAT4 Level Y exam, we recommend that you use the following topic exercises:
For effective Quantitative Reasoning (Numbers) practice in the lead-up to the 8+ CAT4 Level Y exam, we recommend that you use the following skill exercises:
To enhance your child’s Non-Verbal Reasoning (Figures) abilities ahead of the 8+ CAT4 Level Y exam, we specifically recommend the following skill exercises:
To improve your child’s understanding of Spatial Reasoning (Shapes) in preparation for the 8+ CAT4 Level Y exam, we advise the use of the following topic exercises:
✅ Save 15% by purchasing our CAT4 Level Y Skill Practice Tests Bundle, including all four tests. Click the button below to learn more:
CAT4 Level Y Skill Practice Bundle - Save 15%
Don’t forget to use the code ppdiscount at checkout to get 10% off orders over £80 and 20% off orders over £200 if you don’t buy a bundle.
Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions were included in Dean Close Preparatory School 8+ past papers. The information provided about Dean Close Prep 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 Dean Close School:
Click here to learn about Year 3 entry via the 7 Plus (7+) Exam
Click here to learn about Year 7 entry via the 11 Plus (11+) Exam
Bookmark this page? Pop your email into the box below to receive a link to this article so you can easily refer back to it later.
