Highgate School 11 Plus (11+) Entrance Exam Information – Key Details 2024
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Highgate School is a co-educational day school for pupils aged 3–18 in North London. It was originally a boys’ school but became fully co-educational in 2004. Today, the balance of girls and boys is roughly half and half, with pupils coming from a mixture of independent schools and state schools based locally and further afield.
Highgate School was founded by the Lord Chief Justice of England in 1556 and is governed as a charitable foundation. The school celebrated its 450th anniversary in 2015 with the opening of a museum to commemorate its founder and history. Whilst the school has a Christian heritage, it accepts pupils from all faiths and backgrounds.
Most senior school lessons take place at the site on North Road, but pupils also play sports and take some lessons (art, design, engineering and technology) at the Bishopswood Road site, where the pre-prep and junior schools are based.
Highgate School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Information 2024
Address: North Road, London, N6 4AY
County: Greater London
Admissions info: admissions@highgateschool.org.uk or 020 8347 3564
School type: Co-ed independent day school
Open Day date: In the Summer and Autumn Terms
Exam date: December of Year 6
Exam type / Board: School’s own & GL Assessment
Pass mark: Aim for 80%+ in our practice tests. See below for more details.
Highgate School 11 Plus (11+) Open Days
Highgate School hosts busy and vibrant Open Days, providing families with an opportunity to meet with current pupils and the Head. Guided tours are the highlight of the events programme, allowing prospective pupils to explore various departments and facilities. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:
Highgate School 11 Plus (11+) Admissions
Highgate School is academically selective. The school looks for academically able pupils who will also contribute to the extra-curricular aspects of school life. All applicants sit a paper-based exam in the December of the year prior to entry. A report is also obtained from their current school to help with decision-making.
In order for your child to be considered for 11+ entry into Year 7 at Highgate School, you must complete the application form and pay an application fee of £150. The closing date for applications is in November in the year prior to entry.
A significant number of candidates are invited back for an interview in the following January based on their test results and report. Candidates are interviewed in small groups by a team of staff, aiming to gauge a range of characteristics, including interpersonal skills and problem-solving ability.
Highgate sends out offers of places in December, to be accepted by the deadline in March. This includes a payment of a deposit, which amounts to £4,000.
Highgate School 11 Plus (11+) Scholarships and Bursaries
Highgate offers Music awards to pupils who gained a place at the school. Their maximum value is 10%, but they can be coupled with a means-tested bursary and cover a larger portion of annual fees, if necessary.
Music Scholarships and Exhibitions are offered to candidates of exceptional ability, who perform at Grade 5-8 standard on their first instrument and Grade 3+ standard on their second instrument. Music Potential Awards are available to talented applicants who perform at Grade 3-5 standard on an orchestral instrument.
Means-tested bursaries are also available and the application deadline is in November of the year preceding entry. As part of the evaluation procedure, the school will look into your income, outgoings, assets, liabilities, etc. Families whose annual income is £30,000 or less are typically considered for a free place. Please click here for more details.
Highgate School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Format
The 11+ exam at Highgate School consists of the following papers:
- English
- Mathematics
- Non-Verbal Reasoning
The English papers, which test reading comprehension, analysis and creative writing skills, reflect the requirements of the National Curriculum Key Stage 2 Programme of Study. Technical knowledge of grammar, spelling and vocabulary is important.
The Maths exam tests pupils’ problem-solving and arithmetic skills. The paper will include questions on number, measurement, geometry, algebra and statistics.
The Non-Verbal Reasoning paper, produced by GL Assessment, measures 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 the Highgate School 11+ examination.
How to Prepare for the Highgate School 11 Plus (11+) Exam
One of the best ways of preparing for competitive entrance exams is to use practice papers. These help students to familiarise themselves with the format and question types they will encounter in the actual test in an efficient and effective manner. They also provide an excellent opportunity for students to practise working under time pressure.
Our practice papers, which are available for immediate download, print and use after purchase, offer excellent practice and preparation for the Highgate School entrance exam. They cover all the key skills and can be used to identify any weaker areas that require additional work ahead of the exam and to help build confidence.
Our 11+ practice papers are thoroughly researched and up to date. Every year, they are used successfully by tens of thousands of students targeting schools with a competitive entrance exam. They are designed to be age appropriate but challenging, to reflect the demands of such an exam.
Highgate School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Pass Marks and Target Scores
Pupils who are able to score 80%+ consistently in our 11+ practice tests should be on track to pass the Highgate School 11+ test.
Whilst there are no guarantees, this has historically been a fairly strong indicator that your child should do well in the Highgate School 11+ exam.
Don’t worry if your child is not scoring well in our practice papers from the outset. With targeted practice and focus, it’s possible to make big improvements in a short amount of time!
Highgate 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
To prepare for the Highgate School English examinations, we would highly recommend using the following practice papers, which will help to improve comprehension and writing skills, including spelling and vocabulary:
Comprehension
11+ Complete Comprehension Guide
Writing
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended 11+ resources for the Highgate School English papers 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.
Mark Schemes
Highgate School 11+ English 2009 Sample Paper
Highgate School 11+ English 2011 Sample Paper
Highgate School 11+ English 2017 Sample Paper A
Highgate School 11+ English 2017 Sample Paper B
Mathematics
To prepare for the Maths paper, we would highly recommend using the following practice papers:
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 Highgate School mathematics exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
11+ Mathematics Bundle - Save 30%
Mark Schemes
Highgate School 11+ Mathematics 2016 Sample Paper A
Highgate School 11+ Mathematics 2016 Sample Paper B
Non-Verbal Reasoning
To prepare for the GL Non-Verbal Reasoning paper, we would highly recommend using the following resources:
Full 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
Masterclasses
11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning Masterclass
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended 11+ resources for the Highgate 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 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 Highgate School 11+ past papers. The information provided about Highgate 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 Highgate School:
Click here to learn about Year 3 entry via the 7 Plus (7+) Exam
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