Entry at 11+

The following files are available for download

11+ Information Booklet Entry 2021

REGISTER FOR 11+ ENTRY

Entry Requirements

Entry at 11+ into Year 7 is on the basis of performance in an entrance exam and at interview.

The purpose of our entrance processes is not to make Bancroft’s more academically selective, but to help us make offers to children we feel will benefit most from the education we offer. We receive many more applications than we have places.  Some candidates may be placed on a waiting list following the examination and interview and may be offered places if vacancies arise.

Entrance Exam 2021

COVID-19 and 11+ Entrance Tests for September 2021

This year has been an extraordinary one in many ways and we are very aware that many year 6 children have experienced considerable disruption to their schooling and there have been considerable differences in their experiences during school closures.  To make sure that these children are not put at any disadvantage or under extra pressure, we are currently looking at our entrance process for September 2021. We are trying to find new ways in which we can get to know your children better and in which each child is able to demonstrate their potential,

We plan to introduce a new, untaught, on-line aptitude component into our testing process.  This will cover both verbal and non-verbal reasoning as well as some elements of maths and English.  This will sit alongside our tests in maths and English, both of which will be shorter.  All candidates will sit these 3 papers on Friday 15 January.  Please be reassured that any preparation which your child may already have undertaken will not be wasted.  As usual, we suggest that you look at examples of past papers with your children as preparation and encourage them to complete the papers under test conditions.  We do not have a sample of the on-line aptitude test available.  It is also likely that we will interview more children for 2021 entry.

We have temporarily removed our Maths and English papers from this page.  As we have made changes to our testing for 2021, the papers children will sit in January 2021 will be necessarily different from our previous samples.  We plan to replace them with sample papers which will more closely reflect the Janaury 2021 tests.

Candidates who do well in the written examination are invited for interview.

ENGLISH

All children are tested on reading, understanding and writing.  The English paper last 45 minutes. It will cover the following:

Reading and Understanding:  The children are asked to read a passage or poem and answer questions on what they have read.  Some questions call for longer answers and there may also be a few multiple choice questions.  The answer book indicates the type of answer required.  Questions test a variety of skills including: understanding of the vocabulary,  sentence structure and implied meaning.  There may be a longer question which asks the children to give their thoughts on a statement inspired by the text that they have read. They will be assessed here on the quality of their argument and the originality of their approach to the question.

Writing:  Children are given an essay title asking them to take some of the ideas from the passage or poem in the reading booklet and develop them into their own story or description.

Marks are earned by writing relevantly and showing originality and accuracy; punctuation, spelling and grammar are all important here.  They are also awarded for how well their answers are organised and how interesting they are.

MATHEMATICS

Candidates sit one paper, which lasts 45 minutes. A ruler and pencil will be needed, but not a calculator.

Questions cover numeracy, problem solving and shape and space, and should be broadly accessible to children who are working towards level 5 at Key Stage Two.  Questions are in increasing order of difficulty; some of the later questions may include elements from level 6 and include difficult, non-standard problems. We try to make these problems original yet accessible to mathematically talented children. Children should complete as much of the paper as they can.

If we make any further change to the January 2021 tests they will be posted here.

Preparation

Children who are familiar with the format of the Key Stage Two tests should not need further preparation .

Children who are likely to cope comfortably with mathematics at Bancroft’s should only need an experience of solving problems under timed conditions.  Excessive coaching can be counter-productive in the longer term.  Some of the maths questions are designed to test how children cope with unfamiliar problems, and it is not intended that they should be taught any particular methods to prepare for this.

Interviews

Children who perform well in the examination are called back for interview; reports from current schools are taken into account.

Members of our Senior School staff interview pairs of children. These interviews are primarily academic, and do not need any special preparation. It may be useful if children are able to talk about how they enjoy spending their time, and can describe any particular achievements or interests. We only interview children who have shown the potential to thrive at Bancroft’s in the examination.

Applications

REGISTER FOR 11+ ENTRY

Registrations should be accompanied by a non-returnable registration fee of £125 together with your registration form.  Please note that if you are only applying for an Assisted Place and fulfil the necessary financial criteria, the registration fee is reduced to £20.  A copy of your child’s birth certificate must be sent together with your registration form and fee.

Candidates who only apply for an Assisted Place will not be considered for fee-paying places, even if their performance in the examination is good enough to have earned them a place in the School.

If you indicate on the Registration Form your interest for your child to be considered for an Assisted Place or Music Scholarship, an Initial Assessment of Income Form (IAIF) and/or Music Scholarship Application Form will be sent to you separately,

Offers will be posted on 18 February 2021 for entry September 2021.  A £1000 deposit is payable on acceptance of a place; this sum is credited to your final account. Please note that from entry September 2021 onwards the deposit should be paid on-line; we are unable to accept cash payments.

Admissions Enquiries

If you wish to enquire about admissions to Bancroft’s, please complete the form below.

Further information is available from our Admissions Registrar, Mrs Stephanie Wallis:

0208 506 6761

A large print version of our 11+ admissions information can also be obtained from the above contact details.

Entry at 13+

Please note that we currently do not hold a 13+ examination.  Pupils may occasionally be considered for entry at stages other than at 11+ or 16+ if we have spaces available and following a testing process.  Please contact Mrs Wallis for further information.