Key Facts
| Latymer Prep School 7+ papers | English Comprehension 45 minutes, Creative Writing 35 minutes, Maths 40 minutes; interview for selected children the week after (Source: https://www.latymerprep.org/admissions/preparing-for-assessment) |
|---|---|
| St Paul's Prep School 7+ group assessment | Half-day, groups of approximately ten: Maths lesson, English lesson, group problem-solving (Source: https://www.stpaulsschool.org.uk/admissions/entry-to-st-pauls-7-8/selection-procedure/) |
| Westminster Under School 7+ second round | About 120 children are invited back for classroom activities and an interview (Source: https://www.westminster.org.uk/admissions/7-entry-westminster-under-school/) |
| Westminster Under School occasional places | Availability by year group is published each year; places start in September only (Source: https://www.westminster.org.uk/admissions/occasional-places-westminster-under-school/) |
| Alleyn's Junior School and Alleyn's Oakfield | 4+: about 36 children join two Reception classes; 7+: about 8 to 10 new places; applications in the autumn before entry, assessments in January (Source: https://www.alleyns.org.uk/admissions/admissions-to-our-junior-schools) |
| ISEB Common Pre-Tests | Four adaptive online tests (English, maths, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning) taking 2 hours 15 minutes in total (Source: https://www.iseb.co.uk/assessments/common-pre-tests/for-families/) |
| UCS Junior Branch 7+ | Main entry point; about 60 boys join three classes, roughly half from the Pre-Prep; January assessment lasts about three hours (Source: https://www.ucs.org.uk/admissions/admissions-process/year-3/) |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly.
Choosing between 7+ or 11+ means choosing between papers that each prep school sets itself for Year 3 entry, backed by a reference from the current school, and the ISEB Common Pre-Tests that senior schools use for Year 7 entry. What usually settles the decision is what a prep school says about progression to senior school, how early you want a selective decision, and how many years you want to prepare.
Because 7+ schools set their own assessments, no single test defines that route, and schools differ on references, interviews and what they say about later entry. Where an admissions page does not mention something, the sensible step is to email the admissions office and ask before you register, since an unstated policy cannot be assumed either way.
How do 7+ and 11+ differ as entry points?
7+ is entry into Year 3 at a prep school, and 11+ is entry into Year 7 at a senior school, so the two sit four school years apart and use different kinds of assessment. At 7+, the school sets its own papers and often asks the head of the child's current school for a reference. Latymer Prep School, for example, uses three formal papers in English Comprehension, Creative Writing and Maths, and St Paul's Prep School uses written tests in English, Mathematics and Reasoning.
At 11+, senior schools that require the ISEB Common Pre-Tests use four multiple-choice, adaptive, online tests in English, mathematics, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. Adaptive means each child is presented with questions based on their previous answers. Results are age-standardised so that younger and older applicants can be compared, and a child's results can be accessed by all of the senior schools that require them. Most children sit them in Year 6.
Do all 7+ schools use the same assessment?
No, because schools admitting at 7+ set their own assessments, and ISEB's pages do not describe a Pre-Test at 7+. The papers, the second stage and the weight given to the reference all vary, so each school's admissions page is the document to check before you register.
Westminster Under School tests English, Mathematics and Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning in small groups, then invites a smaller group back for classroom activities and an interview. University College School Junior Branch sets English and Maths tests and treats a confidential report from the current school as an important part of selection; its page does not mention a reasoning paper or a formal interview. Alleyn's Junior School assesses English, mathematics and reasoning, with a second assessment for selected candidates.
A practical first step is to list, for each school on your shortlist, the papers, any second stage and who must supply the reference, since those three items differ most between schools. Where a page is silent on any of them, an email to the admissions office settles it before you register and plan your child's autumn around the assessment days.
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Enquire about this tutorWhat do prep schools say about progression to their upper school?
Prep schools that run from 7 to 11 word progression to their upper school differently, so each school's own statement is the one to rely on. Latymer Prep School says it would advise parents if a child might find the pace at its Upper School at 11+ challenging. The page does not describe what that advice leads to, so ask the school what it would mean for your child.
Alleyn's Junior School and Alleyn's Oakfield describe automatic entry to the Senior School for their pupils, as the admissions page puts it, yet those pupils still sit the scholarship or entrance exam and are interviewed. The word automatic therefore needs reading alongside the conditions that follow it, and it is worth asking any school for its exact wording in writing.
What does a first-choice condition on a prep school offer mean?
St Paul's Prep School says boys are accepted on the understanding that St Paul's will be their first choice of senior school, and boys who stay for the full duration of their studies at the Prep School are automatically registered for transfer to St Paul's School at 13+. A condition of this kind shapes the choice at 7+, because accepting the place carries the first-choice understanding with it for the years that follow.
Before accepting an offer with a condition like this, check how it is worded in the offer paperwork and whether it fits the senior schools you may want to keep open. Where a school's page says nothing about a first-choice condition, ask whether one applies.
How do occasional places work between 7+ and 11+?
Occasional places are the way into a school outside its standard entry points, and the rules differ by school. Westminster Under School lists 4+, 7+ and 11+ as standard entry points, does not actively recruit outside them, publishes availability year by year and takes pupils only in September. Its page says a child who sat the 7+ there normally sits the 11+ instead of applying for an occasional place.
Alleyn's keeps a waiting list for some candidates who are not offered a place, active until the September after the assessments, when remaining candidates can join the occasional vacancy list. Latymer says it does not generally hold formal occasional place assessment days. Later openings at these schools depend on a vacancy arising, so any plan that relies on joining later needs checking against each school's page.
What do families trade off between 7+ and 11+?
Families trade an earlier selective decision against more years to prepare. A 7+ application puts selection in Year 3, where Latymer states that children would be working in line with expectations at the top of KS1 for Maths and English, and St Paul's hopes applicants are working at a Greater Depth standard within Year 2. Latymer also says its interview looks at social maturity and attitude to learning, so the papers are not the only evidence considered.
Waiting for 11+ gives more years before the ISEB Common Pre-Tests, which cover four subjects in an adaptive online format that most children meet in Year 6. The useful questions concern your child's readiness for an assessment in Year 3, how settled they are in their current school, and which senior schools you want to keep open.
What should you ask a prep school about where pupils go next?
The most useful questions for a prep school cover the senior schools its pupils move to, any conditions attached to the offer, and how it advises families whose child may find the next stage fast-paced. Latymer says it gives no written or verbal feedback on a child's performance or ranking on any paper, so it is also worth asking what information you will receive after an assessment.
- Which senior schools have your pupils moved to at 11+ and 13+, and is that information published?
- Does the offer carry a first-choice condition for senior school, and is it written down?
- Does the school register pupils automatically for any senior school, and at what age?
- Will pupils still sit the senior school's own entrance assessment or the ISEB Common Pre-Tests?
- How would the school advise us if our child might find the senior school's pace challenging?
- What happens if a place is not available at 7+, and does the school keep a waiting list?
How much preparation do 7+ schools advise?
Schools that comment on preparation describe it as light-touch, and what they say differs. Latymer advises low-key parental preparation, a routine that stays as normal as possible and favourite activities kept up, and it sends exemplar Maths and English papers after registration. Westminster Under School says no preparation is needed for the reasoning papers, though familiarity with the format may help, that excessive practice is not recommended, and that parents are advised to avoid outside tuition.
Latymer's page gives no advice about tutoring, and St Paul's publishes no past papers but links a suggested reading list and Maths and English guidance for 7+. One-to-one help is one option some families use alongside school and home practice, and the choice sits with you and your child.
For one-to-one help if you decide to apply at 7+, read about our 7+ tutors for English, maths and reasoning, or tell us about your child and the schools on your list and we will reply with tutor recommendations.
Related guides
- 7+ tutors for English, maths and reasoning
- 11+ entrance exam tutors
- 7+ exam: format, schools and preparation
- How the 7+ process differs between London day schools
- Choosing between prep schools in London
- ISEB Common Pre-Test guide
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Families who come to us for 11+ study usually want a tutor who can diagnose where the marks are being lost and then build a steady routine around it, and that is how our programmes are set up. Our tutors are drawn from a pool in which more than half hold Qualified Teacher Status, around three in five hold a master's degree or doctorate, and which includes former heads of department, exam-board examiners and teachers from independent and boarding schools.
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Read more about our 11+ entrance exam tutors, or send an enquiry and we will come back with tutor recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
- Does a parent need to register a son at birth for a 7+ place?
- Not at every school. University College School Junior Branch states that its main point of entry is 7+ in Year 3 and that it is not necessary to apply for a son at birth, with applications made through its online portal. Other schools set their own rules on when registration opens, so check each admissions page for the stage at which your child can be registered.
- What if my child has a special educational need or learning difference?
- Tell the school during registration. Latymer says children with diagnosed special educational needs receive access arrangements that parents must notify during registration, and Alleyn's asks parents who know or suspect a disability, language or learning difference to notify the school in writing at registration. Other schools may set their own process, so ask before the assessment day.
- Do siblings get an automatic place at 7+?
- At Alleyn's they do not. Its admissions policy says automatic places are not offered to siblings, and that where candidates have achieved a similar level of performance, priority where possible goes to the sibling of a current pupil. Sibling policies differ between schools, and the pages read for this guide do not mention them elsewhere, so ask each school.
- Is a child's age taken into account at 7+?
- Alleyn's says some elements of its 7+ assessment are standardised and that relative age is considered. The other 7+ pages read for this guide do not mention age adjustment, so a younger child's parents should ask each school whether and how age is considered, instead of assuming it is built into the papers.
- What documents and consents do schools ask for at registration?
- Requirements vary. St Paul's Prep School asks that both parents agree to the application unless there is sole custody, requires an electronic copy of the boy's passport at registration, and treats the application as consent to contact the current school. Westminster Under School asks for proof that a child can live and study in the UK when an occasional place is offered.
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