For many independent prep schools – school entry is typically at the beginning of Year 3 – children who are applying for a place take assessments known as the 7 +. And a few take pupils at 8+ the following academic year, however this is rare and 7+ remains the standard entry point for prep schools.

6/7 is the age at which most schools feel that they can accurately assess a child’s academic ability. 7+ assessment is a competitive selection exam, Your child will sit the exam whilst in Year 2. Most schools administer the exam in January but there are a few that do so at other times of the year. Nosce Education will clarify this for you once you have made your school choices.

The Admissions procedure differs slightly between schools, however all schools examine Maths and English. The most competitive schools such as Westminster Unders and UCS Juniors now also include a Reasoning paper containing Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. The tests are usually written exams , but there can be verbal sections testing mental arithmetic, spelling, memory and dictation (for St Paul’s Juniors). The tests tend to be around 30 minutes each and are held at the school on a set date. There are usually some observed activities also, where the school will look at how they interact and work with others, manners and ability to listen and follow instructions. for this reason we suggest a certain amount of interview and interaction based preparation as well as academic tuition.

7+ entrance exams usually take place early in the spring term, for entry the following September. Your child may then be offered a firm place, a place on the waiting list, or be told that they were unsuccessful. Schools rarely release results but Nosce education can intercede on your behalf to ascertain exactly where you went wrong if you are unsuccessful.

Nosce acts as liaison between your family and the shortlisted schools, dealing both with the pragmatics of application and ensuring there is a mutual understanding between the parents’ expectations of the school and the school’s expectations of the child.