The Leys School 13 Plus (13+) Entrance Exam Information
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Table of Contents
Introduction
The Leys School is a co-ed independent school in Cambridge. Catering for both day and boarding pupils, it occupies a magnificent 50-acre site with a number of sports facilities, including AstroTurf tennis courts and a football pitch. [1]
The educational focus at The Leys centres on ensuring the happiness of each child as essential to academic success. As such, it includes a personalised curriculum, aimed at catering to a broad range of abilities. Lessons are vigorous and interactive, maximising pupils’ competencies in the areas of computing, design technology, languages, politics, humanities and many other disciplines.
Within the scope of the enrichment programme, the school places strong emphasis on outdoor education. The opportunities on offer include climbing, sailing and canoeing, boosting pupils’ confidence as they explore their capacity to thrive when challenged. Cross-border expeditions are organised annually, and typically include far-flung destinations such as India. [2]
In a recent display of academic prowess, 59.5% of pupils achieved outstanding grades 9-8. This high standard of achievement often secures students’ acceptance into prestigious universities upon graduation from Leys. Leavers’ destinations include esteemed institutions such as Oxford, St Andrews, University College London and Warwick, reinforcing the school’s standing as one of the region’s most sought-after educational establishments. [3]
The Leys School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Information
Address: Cambridge, CB2 7AD
County: Cambridgeshire
Admissions info: admissions@theleys.net or +44 (0)1223 508904
School type: Independent co-ed day and boarding school
13+ Exam date: January of Year 8
Open Events for The Leys School 13 Plus (13+) Entry
Open Mornings provide an excellent opportunity for interested families to discover the broad array of opportunities on offer. These events, usually held on Saturdays, involve guided tours and casual meetings with staff over coffee, enabling you and your child to immerse yourselves in The Leys’ distinctive learning environment.
The school also organises Small Group Visits, which mirror Open Mornings but maintain a more intimate setting by restricting the participation to six families per occasion. You can book a spot via this online form. You can view The Leys’ exact location on the map below:
The Leys School 13 Plus (13+) Admissions
At 13+, the application deadline is in November of the year preceding entry and the assessment is held the following January. The registration form can be accessed through this page and should be submitted with payment of a non-refundable registration fee.
Please note that, if a place is offered, you will be asked to pay a £600 deposit to accept it. This will be refunded to you in full upon your child’s departure from the school.
The Leys School 13 Plus (13+) Scholarships and Bursaries
The Leys offers Academic, Art, Drama, Music and Sport Scholarships to Year 9 applicants. These carry a 5% fee remission, regardless of the number of scholarships held. Exhibitions in the areas of music and drama are also available.
Bursaries are means-tested awards that are offered to families who struggle with paying the fees. Their value ranges from 5-100% of fees, depending on the level of financial need. Your child’s academic potential, exhibited throughout the admissions process, will be taken into careful consideration. Details about the school’s criteria for awarding a bursary are available in the Guidance on Bursaries document.
The Leys School 13 Plus (13+) Exam Format
The Leys School 13+ entrance exam consists of the following assessments:
- English
- Mathematics
- Verbal Reasoning
The English paper consists of comprehension and writing sections. In the comprehension section, your child will be provided with a fictional extract, followed by questions, which may be straightforward or more open-ended, involving reasoning.
The writing section will require your child to write a story, and will assess their ability to be creative and original. Marks will also be awarded for form, purpose, organisation, cohesion and sentence structure.
The maths exam will assess problem-solving abilities and arithmetic skills, including questions on number, measurement, geometry, algebra and statistics.
The Verbal Reasoning paper is primarily designed to test and assess your child’s logical thinking, use of English language and vocabulary.
Please see below for further details and recommendations on how to prepare for The Leys School 13+ entrance examinations.
How to Prepare for The Leys School 13 Plus (13+) Exam
Our 13+ practice tests provide a useful way for students to become familiar with the layout and style of The Leys School assessment, boosting their confidence as the exam approaches. They cover all types of questions your child might face on the big day and can help pinpoint areas that require more attention.
We advise students to take our practice tests under timed conditions. This helps them get used to answering questions promptly and effectively, while also handling the pressure of time limitations.
Our practice tests are suitable for your child’s age, but still provide a challenge, aligning well with the expectations of a competitive independent school’s 13+ entrance exam. Our recommendations to help your child prepare for The Leys School entrance examination can be found below.
The Leys School 13 Plus (13+) Practice Papers
The Leys 13+ English Exercises
Pitched at the accurate difficulty level, the following packs will help successfully prepare your child for The Leys School 13+ English paper:
13+ English: Rewrite & Improve
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.
The Leys 13+ Maths Exercises
These exercises are specifically designed to prepare your child for The Leys School 13+ Maths paper at the right difficulty level:
The Leys 13+ Verbal Reasoning Exercises
The following resources are specifically designed to prepare your child for The Leys School 13+ Verbal Reasoning test:
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Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions were included in The Leys School 13+ past papers. The information provided about The Leys 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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