Durham School 11 Plus (11+) Entrance Exam Information 2024
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Durham School is an independent boarding and day school in Durham, North East England. Founded in 1414, the school first started admitting girls in 1985 and became fully coeducational in 1998. It is the city’s oldest educational institution.
Pupils at Durham School study mathematics, English, French, science, history, geography, religious studies, music, art, drama, design and technology, ICT and PE.
The co-curricular programme offers a vast timetable of activities. Those run by members of staff are usually free of charge, whilst those offered by an outside provider are charged and payment for them is made direct to the provider.
On a weekly basis, pupils take part in a wide range of clubs, such as Bushcraft Club, Ceramics Club, Chess Club, Design Club, Debating Club, Drama Club, ICT Club Model and many more.
Nurturing a Christian ethos whilst being respectful of the beliefs of others, Durham School enhances pupils’ learning by encouraging them to succeed through the continuous provision of an outstanding education.
Durham School 11 Plus (11+) Information 2024
Address: Quarryheads Lane DH1 4SZ
County: Durham
Admissions info: admissions@dcsf.org.uk or 0191 731 9270
School type: Co-ed independent day and boarding school
Number of students: 530 (approx.)
11+ Open day: March
11+ Exam date: January of Year 6
11+ Exam type / Board: School’s own
Open Events for Durham School 11 Plus (11+) Entry
The whole school Open Morning is set in March. The school also holds Taster days for prospective pupils, during which they attend all lessons and other activities held on that particular day. They will be assisted by a hand-picked guide while staff members keep a friendly and watchful eye on them.
Individual visits include a meeting with the Head and a pupil-guided tour of the school. Each visit can be tailored in accordance with your child’s particular interests and can include a meeting with the Head of Music or the Head of Art or any other relevant member of staff. To arrange one, please reach out to the Admissions Team. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:
Durham School 11 Plus (11+) Admissions
Admissions are considered at any stage of a child’s education from nursery through to the sixth form. However, the majority of pupils join the school in Years 7, Year 9 or Year 12.
Entrance examinations for 11+ entry are held at the end of January each year, following registration and receipt of a non-refundable registration fee. Note that admission greatly depends on the reference from your child’s current school.
Durham School 11 Plus (11+) Scholarships and Bursaries
The school’s financial assistance comes in the form of scholarships and bursaries. The Headmaster’s Scholarship, worth 100% of school fees, is awarded to one outstanding boy or girl on entry at 11+ and is based on talent across a number of areas, including academic ability and the capacity for all-round contribution to the school’s community.
King’s Scholarships are awarded on the basis of performance in the entrance assessments plus an interview with the Headmaster. The scholarship is available for the entirety of a pupil’s education and is worth £1,000 per annum.
Peter Lee Scholarships are ONLY available for academically and musically elite pupils of Chinese ancestry and allow up to 100% funding for the top performing candidate. For more information about the scholarships and bursaries on offer, please follow this link.
Durham School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Format
The entrance assessment for candidates applying to join Year 7 (11+) consists of 4 papers:
- English
- Mathematics
- Verbal Reasoning
- Non-Verbal Reasoning
The English paper examines comprehension and writing skills, whilst the maths paper tests problem-solving abilities and arithmetic skills.
The Verbal Reasoning paper is primarily designed to test and assess your child’s logical thinking, use of English language and vocabulary.
The Non-Verbal Reasoning paper is designed to test the 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 Durham School 11+ entrance examinations.
How to Prepare for the Durham School 11 Plus (11+) Exam
One of the best ways to prepare for a competitive entrance exam is to use our practice tests. Getting to know the types of questions and the format of the actual exam will help boost your child’s confidence.
Aside from becoming familiarised with the exam format, our practice tests will ensure that your child responds to the questions in an efficient and effective manner.
They also provide an excellent opportunity for your child to practise working under time pressure. Whilst doing the tests under timed conditions, children can get used to answering questions quickly, with a close attention to detail.
Our 11+ practice tests are thoroughly researched and up to date. They are designed to reflect the demands of a competitive entrance exam and are successfully used by hundreds of thousands of students every year.
They are available for immediate download, print and use after purchase. Please see below our recommended packs to help prepare your child for the Durham School 11+ entrance exam.
Durham School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Practice Papers
NOTE: The following English and Mathematics practice tests are in standard format, which means that students need to write in their own answers rather than choose from a list of multiple-choice options. This matches the 11+ Exam format used by the school.
English
The following practice papers are highly recommended for successful preparation for the Durham School 11+ English paper. They will help improve your child’s comprehension and writing skills, including spelling, vocabulary and inference:
Comprehension
11+ Complete Comprehension Guide
Writing
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended 11+ resources for the Durham School English exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
11+ English Bundle - Save 30%
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 problem-solving skills within the examination context of the Durham School’s 11+ maths test:
Full Practice Tests
Skill Specific Practice
11+ Fractions, Decimals & Percentages
11+ Reflection, Rotation & Symmetry
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended 11+ resources for the Durham School mathematics exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
11+ Mathematics Bundle - Save 30%
Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning
To further develop your child’s Verbal (VR) and Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR) abilities ahead of the Durham School 11+ entrance examination, we suggest that you make use of the following packs:
VR Practice tests
VR Skill Specific Practice
VR Masterclasses
11+ Verbal Reasoning Masterclass
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended 11+ resources for the Durham School Verbal Reasoning exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
11+ Verbal Reasoning Bundle - Save 30%
NVR Practice tests
11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning Pack 1
11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning Pack 2
11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning Pack 3
11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning Pack 4
Skill Specific Practice
NVR Masterclasses
11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning Masterclass
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended 11+ resources for the Durham School Non-Verbal Reasoning exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning Bundle - Save 30%
Don’t forget to use the code eppdiscount at checkout to get 10% off orders over £70 and 20% off orders over £250 if you don’t buy a bundle.
Interviews
This interview guide covers all the key concepts your child needs to be aware of for the 11+ Interview:
11+ Interviews – The Complete Guide
Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions were included in Durham School 11+ exam past papers. The information provided about Durham 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 Durham School:
Click here to learn about Year 3 entry via the 7 Plus (7+) Exam
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