Sevenoaks School 13 Plus (13+) Entrance Exam Information
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Sevenoaks School is an independent, co-educational school in Sevenoaks, Kent. Dating back to 1432, it is considered the second oldest non-denominational school in the UK.
Sevenoaks is also one of the few independent schools in the country that switched entirely from A level exams to the International Baccalaureate.
The curriculum covers subjects in the following areas: English language & literature, classical languages, modern languages, economics, experimental sciences, mathematics, expressive arts, critical thinking and theory of knowledge.
Ranging from music, art, sport and drama to CCF, DofE, various clubs and cross-border expeditions, Sevenoaks’ co-curricular programme successfully keeps up with the ever-changing interests and demands of generations of students. Numerous facilities complement the rich programme of activities, including The Space for performing arts and The Sennocke Centre for sport.
Sevenoaks also enables pupils to learn first hand about communities across the world through specific community-led projects and fundraising activities. Recently, these have concluded with trips to India (Rajasthan and Mumbai) and Cambodia, during which the Sevenoaks pupils visited the Vasind Child HIV centre and the Save the Children India HQ.
Learning at Sevenoaks has become a synonym for excellence, mainly due to the school’s rich history, tradition of innovation and consistently outstanding academic results. Offering a rigorous and all-round education, it actively prepares pupils for a future of success while simultaneously providing them with a safe and nurturing learning environment.
Sevenoaks School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Information
Address: Sevenoaks, TN13 1HU
County: Kent
Admissions info: regist@sevenoaksschool.org or 01732 467703
School type: Independent, co-ed day and boarding school
Number of students: 1120 (approx.)
Open days: September and June
Exam date: April of Year 7
Exam type / Board: School’s own
Open Events for Sevenoaks School 13 Plus (13+) Entry
Open Mornings take place in September and June. In September, you and your child will have the chance to experience life on campus on a normal school day and attend a few lessons.
The event in June includes talks from the Head and the Director of Admissions, presentations from current students, pupil-led tours of the campus, visits to boarding houses and conversations with subject teachers.
Group Visits, held on Saturdays, allow families to tour the campus and/or boarding houses and meet with the admissions team. Click here for more details.
Sevenoaks School 13 Plus (13+) Admissions
To have your child considered for Year 9 entry to Sevenoaks, you should make an application at least two years prior to entry (for both day and boarding places).
The entrance examinations consist of papers, examining skills in three areas. There is also a 40-minute group interview. As part of the admissions process, a confidential reference from your child’s current Head Teacher will be requested.
Offers are sent out in June of Year 7. Top-performing applicants will be invited to take part in academic scholarship exams in the May of Year 8.
For setting purposes, pupils will also take the Common Entrance exam in June of Year 8.
Sevenoaks School 13 Plus (13+) Scholarships and Bursaries
Sevenoaks offers 50 scholarships a year in the areas of Academic studies, Music, Art, Sport and Drama.
Scholars are offered a fixed reduction from the day or boarding fees (£1000 per year). Following means-testing, up to 50% of the day fees may also be awarded.
Following the exam taken in Year 7, applicants who do not attend UK prep schools can take Academic Scholarship exams, while those coming from a UK prep school may be recommended by their school.
The assessments for the Academic Scholarship are taken over two days, testing skills in the areas of Science, History and Geography, English and a Modern Language (French, German, Spanish or Mandarin). In addition, pupils choose two optional subjects. More details are available here.
Sevenoaks offers at least five full bursaries to day place applicants. Families with gross annual income of £40000 or less will be considered eligible and pupils residing in Sevenoaks and the immediately surrounding area will be prioritised. Performance in the entrance exam will also be taken into consideration.
Hardship Bursaries, awarded to families who have suffered an unexpected change in circumstances, are also available.
Children from families who do not qualify for a bursary award, but can’t afford to pay full fees, can apply for a supported scholarship of up to 50% of the day fee.
Bursaries and other means-tested awards are reviewed annually and may vary depending on any changes in your financial circumstances.
Sevenoaks School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Format
The Sevenoaks School 13 Plus exam consists of the following tests:
- English
- Mathematics
- Verbal Reasoning
The English paper examines both comprehension and writing skills, including inference, spelling, vocabulary and punctuation. Marks will be awarded for good use of imagination, creativity, form, purpose, organisation, cohesion and sentence structure.
The maths exam assesses your child’s problem-solving abilities and arithmetic skills. The paper may include questions on number, measurement, geometry, algebra and statistics.
The Verbal Reasoning paper is designed to test and assess their logical thinking, use of English language and vocabulary.
Please see below for further details and recommendations on how to prepare for the Sevenoaks School 13 Plus entrance examination.
How to Prepare for the Sevenoaks School 13 Plus (13+) Exam
Practice tests are an effective tool for preparation for the Sevenoaks School 13+ exam. With the help of our practice tests, designed and formatted to match the actual exams, your child will learn to deal with various 13+ 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.
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 Sevenoaks School 13 plus entrance examination can be found below.
Sevenoaks School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Practice Papers
Because the Sevenoaks 13+ exam is taken in Year 7 rather than Year 8, we recommend using our 12+ resources to prepare.
English
We highly recommend the following packs to prepare successfully for the Sevenoaks School 13+ English paper. They will help improve your child’s comprehension and writing skills, including spelling, vocabulary and punctuation:
12+ English: Rewrite & Improve
12+ English: Vocabulary & Grammar
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 Sevenoaks School 13 Plus maths test:
12+ Mathematics: Mental Arithmetic
12+ Mathematics: Problem Solving
Verbal Reasoning
We highly recommend the use of the following packs to help develop your child’s Verbal Reasoning skills ahead of the Sevenoaks School 13 Plus entrance exam:
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Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions were included in Sevenoaks School 13+ past papers. The information provided about Sevenoaks 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 Sevenoaks School:
Click here to learn about Year 7 entry via the 11 Plus (11+) Exam
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