The Abbey School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Information – Key Details 2024
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Table of Contents
Introduction
The Abbey is an independent day school for girls aged 3–18. It began life in 1887 as Reading High School, when the Church School’s Company took over the privately-owned Blenheim Ladies’ School.
The school moved to its current site, just south of Reading town centre, in 1905 and its name was changed to The Abbey School ten years later. The name change was made to pay tribute to Jane Austen, who had been a pupil at a boarding school situated next to the gateway of Reading Abbey.
The school’s location in Reading means that it has good transport links to London. It is also served by an extensive school coach service that covers much of the surrounding area.
The Abbey offers a rigorous academic curriculum alongside a wide range of extra-curricular activities. It achieves consistently high exam results, with 62% of GCSE entries achieving a grade A*/9/8 and over 90% achieving a grade A/7 or above in recent years. Girls in the sixth form have the option to take the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma instead of A-levels.
The Abbey School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Information 2024
Address: Reading RG1 5DZ
County: Berkshire
Admissions info: admissions@theabbey.co.uk or 0118 987 2256
School type: Girls’ independent day school
Number of pupils: 1060 (approx.)
Exam date: January of Year 6
Exam type / Board: School’s own
Pass mark: Aim for 75%+ in our practice tests. See below for more details.
The Abbey School 11 Plus (11+) Open Days
The families of all prospective pupils are encouraged to visit The Abbey prior to submitting an application. The school holds Open Mornings throughout the year and informal Open Evenings in the Autumn Term. Dates for upcoming open events are posted on the website and bookings can be made via an online form. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:
The Abbey School 11 Plus (11+) Admissions
Applications can be made by completing an online registration form and paying a non-refundable registration fee of £100 (£250 for overseas applicants). The deadline is in December of the year prior to entry. The school acknowledges receipt of all applications and will send out details of the admissions process in due course.
All applicants for Upper III (Year 7) entry to The Abbey attend Interview Day, usually held in the Autumn Term of Year 6. The event includes a workshop, activity session and short informal interview to help provide an insight into your daughter’s character, interests and aptitudes.
She will also sit an entrance exam in January. Subject to a successful outcome, she may receive an offer of a place, to be accepted with a payment of a £1,000 deposit.
The Abbey School 11 Plus (11+) Scholarships and Bursaries
Academic Scholarships are awarded to the top performers in the 11+ entrance examination who also successfully complete an optional Scholarship paper. Specialist Music, Art, Drama and Sport Scholarships are offered to girls who demonstrate exceptional talent in their chosen field.
An individual pupil can only hold one specialist scholarship, as they are expected to be dedicated to that specific department. Applicants wishing to be considered for a specialist scholarship must submit a scholarship application with supporting references by 1 November.
Means-tested bursaries are also available. They are offered to families who can’t afford to pay the fees and are reviewed annually.
Applications must be submitted by the last Friday in November. Please note that, as part of the evaluation process, the school will also look into your daughter’s academic performance, ability and potential. More details are available from the Head of Finance.
The Abbey School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Format
The Abbey 11+ entrance exam comprises the following papers:
- English
- Mathematics
- Reasoning (Verbal and Non-Verbal)
The English paper focuses on both writing and comprehension skills, including spelling, grammar and inference.
The maths exam tests problem-solving and arithmetic skills. The paper will include questions on number, measurement, geometry, algebra and statistics.
The Verbal Reasoning paper is designed to test and assess logical thinking, use of English language and vocabulary.
The Non-Verbal Reasoning paper 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 Abbey School 11+ entrance examination.
How to Prepare for The Abbey 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 Abbey 11+ 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.
The Abbey School 11 Plus (11+) Exam Pass Marks and Target Scores
Pupils who are able to score 75%+ consistently in our 11+ practice tests should be on track to pass The Abbey School 11+ test.
Whilst there are no guarantees, this has historically been a fairly strong indicator that your child should do well in The Abbey 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!
The Abbey 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 Abbey’s 11+ English paper, 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 Abbey 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
To prepare for The Abbey’s 11+ mathematics paper, we would highly recommend using the following resources. They will improve your child’s problem-solving and arithmetic skills:
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 Abbey mathematics exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
11+ Mathematics Bundle - Save 30%
Reasoning
To prepare for The Abbey’s 11+ Reasoning paper, we would highly recommend using the following packs. They will improve your child’s Verbal (VR) and Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR) skills:
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 Abbey 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 Abbey 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 The Abbey School 11+ past papers. The information provided about The Abbey 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 The Abbey School:
Click here to learn about Year 3 entry via the 7 Plus (7+) Exam
Click here to learn about Year 4 entry via the 8 Plus (8+) Exam
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