The Perse School 8 Plus (8+) Entrance Exam Information – Key Details 2024
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Basic information: The Perse School is an independent day school in Cambridge. Established in 1615, it has educated an impressive number of notable alumni, including aviation engineers, writers, journalists, diplomats, astronomers and mathematical physicists. [1]
Curriculum: The breadth and depth of school life are rooted in a broad curriculum that comprises computing, Classics, languages, science and PSHE, among others. As such, it stimulates intellectual growth and skill development, allowing pupils to acquire knowledge to the maximum of their abilities.
Co-curricular: Beyond the classroom, children playfully engage in co-curricular activities, growing in a sense of personal responsibility and awareness of their potential. Fun and often thrilling, the opportunities on offer maximise the learning experience, including a range of pursuits such as gardening, orienteering, outdoor cooking, martial arts and fencing. [2]
Pastoral care: Perse offers a safe environment where children easily identify and seamlessly develop their strengths while benefitting from excellent pastoral care provision. The school’s community is characterised by positive relationships thanks to the high levels of discipline and the healthy lifestyles that thrive within its confines. [3]
Traditional yet innovative at the same time, Perse Prep offers a friendly ethos that caters for a diverse pupil body. The educational journey reflects the school’s vibrant atmosphere, providing an education of vigorous character which results in exceptional academic and non-academic outcomes.
The Perse School 8 Plus (8+) Exam Information
Address: Trumpington Road, Cambridge CB2 8EX
County: Cambridgeshire
Admissions info: prephmsec@perse.co.uk or +44 (0) 1223 403920
School type: Independent, co-ed day school
Open days: In the Summer and Autumn terms
8+ Exam date: January of Year 3
Pass mark: Aim for 70%+ in our practice tests. See below for more details.
Open Events for The Perse School 8 Plus (8+) Entry
Open Events are held twice a year, in May and October, allowing you and your child to meet staff members and explore the school’s grounds through guided tours. Personal visits can be booked through the Admissions Office. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:
The Perse School 8 Plus (8+) Admissions
The deadline for applications is in December of the year preceding entry. Admissions depend on your child’s performance in formal assessments and the quality of their current-school reference.
Exam results are made known in January. Please note that there will also be an informal group interview, conducted by the Head.
The registration fee is £150 and the acceptance deposit is £595.
The Perse School 8 Plus (8+) Scholarships and Bursaries
Scholarships and bursaries are not available to 8+ applicants.
The Perse School 8 Plus (8+) Exam Format
The Perse School 8 Plus (8+) exam consists of the following assessments:
- English
- Mathematics
- Reasoning
The English assessment examines comprehension and writing skills, including spelling, punctuation and grammar, as well as the fluency of your child’s reading and oral skills.
The Maths exam assesses problem-solving abilities and arithmetic skills, including your child’s knowledge of times tables.
The Verbal Reasoning section of the exam is designed to test and assess logical thinking, use of English language and vocabulary.
The Non-Verbal Reasoning exam 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 Perse School 8 Plus entrance examination.
How to Prepare for The Perse School 8 Plus (8+) Entrance Assessment
To prepare your child for The Perse School 8+ entrance exam, we suggest that you make use of our targeted resources. Our practice tests enable familiarisation with the types of questions and the format of the actual exam, which will help your child gain confidence in the lead up to the big day.
With the use of our practice tests, you will be able to precisely identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses, which will guide you in devising a carefully thought-out revision plan that focuses on studying ‘little and often’.
Moreover, our practice tests will help your child get used to answering questions quickly and under time pressure.
The majority of our 8+ resources are accompanied by detailed step-by-step video tutorials for every question. These are available for free with all purchases. It’s like having a world-class tutor explain each question to your child at no extra cost!
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.
The Perse School 8 Plus (8+) Exam Pass Marks and Target Scores
Pupils who are able to score 70%+ consistently in our 8+ practice tests should be on track to pass The Perse School 8+ assessment.
Whilst there are no guarantees, this has historically been a fairly strong indicator that your child should do well in The Perse School 8 plus 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 Perse School 8 Plus (8+) Exam Practice Papers
Recommendations for each section of The Perse School 8 Plus exam can be found below:
English
We highly recommend the following packs to prepare successfully for The Perse School 8 Plus English assessment. They will help improve your child’s comprehension and writing skills:
Full Practice Tests
Comprehension Skills
8+ English: Comprehension Pack 1
8+ English: Vocabulary and Grammar
Comprehension Guide
This guide covers all the key comprehension question types in a clear, step-by-step manner so that both you and your child know exactly what to expect on exam day.
The Complete Guide to 8+ Comprehension
Writing Skills
Writing Guide
Starting from the foundational basics, this guide works its way through all the key skills your child needs to develop to become an excellent writer within the framework of what’s expected at the 8+ level.
The Complete Guide to 8+ Writing
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
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 Perse School 8 Plus maths test:
Full Practice Tests
Targeted Skill Development
8+ Mathematics: Mental Arithmetic
8+ Mathematics: Problem Solving
Reasoning
The following packs will significantly boost your child’s Reasoning abilities ahead of The Perse School 8 Plus Reasoning test:
Listening
The following pack is ideal for developing listening skills ahead of The Perse School 8 Plus entrance exam, helping your child learn how to follow instructions carefully:
The Perse School 8+ Bundle – Save 35%!
✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended practice resources for The Perse School 8+ exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:
8+ The Perse Bundle
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.
Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions were included in The Perse School 8+ past papers. The information provided about The Perse 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 Perse School:
Click here to learn about Year 3 entry via the 7 Plus (7+) Exam
Click here to learn about Year 7 entry via the 11 Plus (11+) Exam
Click here to learn about Year 9 entry via the 13 Plus (13+) Exam
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