Harrow School 13 Plus (13+) Entrance Exam Information – Key Details
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Harrow School is an independent school for boys located in Harrow on the Hill, London. It was founded in 1572 by John Lyon under a Royal Charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I. It is also one of the original seven public schools regulated by the Public Schools Act 1868.
Pupils study art, biology, chemistry, computing, design and technology, English, history, geography, Latin or Classical Civilisation, mathematics, music, physics, theology and philosophy. They also take lessons in two languages, choosing from Classical Greek, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian or Spanish.
The broad co-curricular programme includes learning musical instruments, playing in ensembles, singing in choirs and performing in plays, whilst the school’s acres of sports fields offer a number of activities taking place on astroturf pitches, a golf course, a swimming pool, a sports centre and numerous tennis courts.
The school’s notable alumni include statesmen such as Peel, Palmerston, Churchill, Nehru and King Hussein of Jordan; writers including Byron, Sheridan, Trollope and Richard Curtis, as well as influential social reformers, a Nobel prize-winner and 19 winners of the Victoria Cross.
These great men and the overall rich history of the school further motivate and empower pupils, many of whom have gone on to distinguished careers in business, law, medicine, the armed forces, the arts and the media.
Harrow School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Information
Address: 5 High Street, Harrow on the Hill HA1 3HP
County: Middlesex
Admissions info: admissions@harrowschool.org.uk or +44 (0)20 8872 8007
School type: Independent boarding school for boys
Number of students: 800 (approx.)
Open day: March, April, May (upcoming)
13+ Exam date (Stage 1): In the Autumn term of Year 6
13+ Exam date (Stage 2): In the Autumn term of Year 7
Pass mark (Stage 1): Aim for 70%+ in our practice tests.
Pass mark (Stage 2): Aim for 60%+ in our practice tests.
Open Events for Harrow School 13 Plus (13+) Entry
Open Mornings take place on Saturdays and include a talk by the HeadMaster and a tour of the school and Boarding House. It is highly recommended that you and your son attend an Open Morning when he is in Year 4 or above. You can book a spot via an online form available on the school’s website.
Harrow School 13 Plus (13+) Admissions
Following the visit to the school, you need to register your child. For standard applicants who will not be applying for a scholarship or bursary, the Year 9 Registration Form needs to be submitted along with a non-refundable Registration Fee of £350.
The school will request a confidential reference from your son’s current school at the end of Year 5. He will then be expected to sit an an ISEB Common Pretest between October and the end of the Autumn term of Year 6. The strongest applicants will be invited to meet House Masters during Year 6.
Additionally, if they pass the ISEB Common Pretest, your son will sit the Harrow Test in the Autumn term of Year 7. The Harrow Test comprises two 15-minute interviews (one with a House Master and another with a Senior Beak), a computerised English and maths assessment (similar to CEM Select) and classroom-based group activity.
In the first week of December of Year 7, you will receive one of the following results:
- an offer of a place in a specific House
- an offer of a place with a House to be confirmed later on
- an offer of a place on the Waiting List
- no offer
Harrow School 13 Plus (13+) Scholarships and Bursaries
A boy may apply for more than one scholarship. For some pupils, a scholarship serves primarily as an acknowledgement of their achievements since it has a modest financial award, usually covering 5% of the school fees. For others, a scholarship may secure significant financial support via a means-tested bursary, which may cover up to 100% of the fees.
Regarding bursaries, you as a parent will be expected to complete a confidential statement of financial circumstances in order for the level of assistance to be determined. Some of the bursaries do not require your child to win a scholarship, but most have specific standards that he must meet in order to be considered.
Awards follow an overall assessment, which takes into account:
- your son’s character and suitability for boarding
- his academic capacity
- the needs and demands of the school
- his peer group of applicants
For more information about Harrow’s scholarships and bursaries, please visit the school’s website.
Harrow School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Format
Your son will sit entrance examinations consisting of:
- ISEB Pretest (2.5 hours)
- Harrow Test (online, 60 mins)
The ISEB Pretest examines your son’s ability in skills such as numeracy, problem solving and vocabulary, with emphasis on how he thinks and how he will respond to the curriculum. The test includes modules that assess Maths, English, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
The online Harrow Test assesses Verbal and Numerical Ability through a series of online modules.
Please see below for further details and recommendations on how to prepare for Harrow School 13+ entrance examinations.
How to Prepare for the Harrow School 13 Plus (13+) Exam
One of the best ways to prepare your child for a highly competitive 13+ entrance exam is to familiarise them with the types of questions and the format of the actual exam. You can achieve this with the use of our practice tests.
Consisting of thoroughly researched and up to date questions, our practice tests will help you identify the strong and weak areas in your child’s knowledge base, and thus remove unnecessary stress from the exam preparation process.
By getting used to answering questions quickly and under time pressure, your child will gain a significant advantage over other candidates who prefer a less structured approach towards preparation for a competitive Year 9 entrance exam.
Harrow School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Pass Marks and Target Scores
Pupils who are able to score 70%+ consistently in our ISEB Pretest practice tests should be on track to make it through to Stage 2. Pupils who are able to score 60%+ consistently in our CEM practice tests are very likely well-prepared to succeed in the Harrow Test.
Whilst there are no guarantees, this has historically been a fairly strong indicator that your child should do well in the Harrow 13+ exam.
Don’t worry if your child is not scoring well in our practice tests from the outset. With targeted practice and focus, it’s possible to make big improvements in a short amount of time!
Harrow School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Practice Papers
Recommendations for each part of the Harrow School 13+ exam can be found below:
Stage 1 – ISEB Pretest
To successfully prepare your child for the Harrow School ISEB Pretest, we recommend the following online resources, which are specifically designed to help students familiarise themselves with the online test format in all four key subjects:
NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 1
NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 2
NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 3
NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 4
NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 5
NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 6
NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 7
NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 8
NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 9
NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 10
NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 11
NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 12
NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 13
NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 14
NEW ISEB Pretest Practice Test 15
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended full practice resources for the Harrow School ISEB Pretest at a large discount. These are available on our other site, Pretest Plus. Click the button below to learn more:
ISEB Pretest Practice Tests 1-15 Bundle - Save 35%
Alternatively, you can choose a bundle of five of our recommended full practice tests for the Harrow School ISEB Pretest and still save 25%. Select the relevant bundle below to learn more:
ISEB Pretest Practice Tests 1-5 Bundle - Save 25%
ISEB Pretest Practice Tests 6-10 Bundle - Save 25%
ISEB Pretest Practice Tests 11-15 Bundle - Save 25%
The following video courses cover everything your child needs to know to do well in the ISEB Pretest:
ISEB Pretest Non-Verbal Reasoning Course
ISEB Pretest Verbal Reasoning Course
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended video courses for the Harrow School ISEB Pretest at a large discount. These are available on our other site, Pretest Plus. Click the button below to learn more:
ISEB Pretest Video Courses Bundle - Save 25%
Our Skill Practice products consist of focused tests that allow your child to improve targeted skills ahead of the ISEB Pretest:
NEW ISEB Pretest English – Reading Comprehension
NEW ISEB Pretest English – Cloze Sentences
NEW ISEB Pretest English – Shuffled Sentences
NEW ISEB Pretest English – SPAG
NEW ISEB Pretest 2D Non-Verbal Reasoning
NEW ISEB Pretest Spatial Reasoning
NEW ISEB Pretest Verbal Reasoning
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended skill practice resources for the Harrow School ISEB Pretest at a large discount. These are available on our other site, Pretest Plus. Click the button below to learn more:
ISEB Pretest Skill Practice Bundle - Save 30%
Stage 2 – The Harrow Online Test
The following full practice and skill practice tests are specifically designed to help students familiarise themselves with the demands of online predictive tests, such as the Harrow School online test. These practice tests will help your child accustom themselves to answering unusual question formats under time pressure. Those who have taken the Harrow Test in previous years have found these full practice and skill practice online tests relevant and helpful:
Full Practice
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended full practice resources for the Harrow School online test at a large discount. These are available on our other site, Pretest Plus. Click the button below to learn more:
CEM Select Practice Tests 1-10 Bundle - Save 30%
Alternatively, you can choose a bundle of five of our recommended full practice tests for the Harrow School online test and still save 25%. Select the relevant bundle below to learn more:
CEM Select Practice Tests 1-5 Bundle - Save 25%
CEM Select Practice Tests 6-10 Bundle - Save 25%
The following resources consist of focused tests that allow students to target specific question formats that may appear in the online assessment:
Skill Practice: Verbal Ability
CEM Select – Comprehension Pack 1
CEM Select – Comprehension Pack 2
CEM Select – Missing Words Pack 1
CEM Select – Missing Words Pack 2
CEM Select – Shuffled Sentences
CEM Select – Letter Connections
CEM Select – Multiple Meanings
Skill Practice: Non-Verbal Ability
Skill Practice: Numerical Ability
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended skill practice resources for the Harrow School online test at a large discount. These are available on our other site, Pretest Plus. Click the button below to learn more:
CEM Select Skill Practice Bundle - Save 30%
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.
Guide – Group Activity
The following Interview Guide will help your child prepare for the classroom-based group activity:
11+ Interviews – The Complete Guide
Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions were included in Harrow School 13+ exam past papers. The information provided about Harrow 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.
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