Key Facts
| School type | Independent day school, co-educational, ages 3 to 18 (Senior School 11 to 18) |
|---|---|
| Location | Coventry, West Midlands |
| Entry points | 11+ (Year 7) is the main entry point into the Senior School, with some places also available in Years 8 to 10 and at 16+ (Sixth Form); younger pupils join at 3+ (The Grange) and 7+ (Bablake Junior School) |
| Assessment | The school's own written papers in English Comprehension, English Composition and Mathematics; no interview for standard entry, though scholarship candidates attend a Scholarship Day involving interview and, where relevant, audition or portfolio review |
| Test provider | School's own papers |
| Day fees (2026/2027) | £6,480.16 per term (Senior School, Years 7 to 11) |
| Registration deadline | 5 October, for September entry the following year |
| Assessment date | 17 October, for September entry the following year |
Figures correct at the time of writing — always confirm current fees and deadlines with the school directly.
Getting into Bablake School at 11+ means sitting the school's own entrance papers, set and marked in-house: candidates complete five written papers covering English Comprehension, English Composition and Mathematics. Most Year 7 places go to children applying from other primary and prep schools, alongside pupils moving up from Bablake Junior School.
How entry works at 11+
Year 7 is the main point of entry to the Senior School, with the majority of new pupils joining from other primary and prep schools alongside those moving up from Bablake Junior School. The school also takes a small number of pupils into Years 8 to 10 where places arise, and again at 16+ into the Sixth Form. Bablake is a co-educational independent day school, part of the Coventry School Foundation, educating pupils from age 3 to 18.
What the 11+ assessment involves
Candidates sit five written papers set and marked by the school itself: English Comprehension 1, English Composition 1, English Comprehension 2, English Composition 2, and Mathematics. There is no external test provider; the school publishes its own sample paper for each subject so families can see the format and level of demand before the exam.
Standard Year 7 applicants are not required to attend an interview. Children applying for a scholarship follow an additional process, attending a Scholarship Day that includes an interview and, depending on the scholarship, an audition or portfolio review.
- English Comprehension 1
- English Composition 1
- English Comprehension 2
- English Composition 2
- Mathematics
How registration and the offer process work
Registration follows a fixed sequence: families are encouraged to visit the school first, then complete the online application form, indicating at that stage if they wish to be considered for a scholarship or bursary. Candidates then sit the entrance exam on the published date.
Offers are issued some weeks after the exam. To secure a place, families return the Acceptance Form and pay the acceptance fee, after which they receive details of the Year 7 Welcome Programme. Registration closes in the autumn before entry, and the school publishes the exact date on its admissions page.
- Visit the school
- Complete the online application form
- Sit the entrance exam
- Receive the offer
- Return the Acceptance Form and pay the acceptance fee
Scholarships and bursaries at 11+
Bablake offers Academic, Performing Arts (Music or Drama) and Art Scholarships at Year 7 entry, each recognising talent, commitment and potential, and providing partial fee remission up to a set percentage. Academic Scholarship candidates are automatically considered from their entrance exam performance, with no separate application; Performing Arts and Art applicants submit additional material, such as a portfolio, summary of experience or teacher reference, and attend a Scholarship Day for interview and audition.
Entry Bursaries are separate from scholarships and are means-tested, awarded by the Governors in light of both entrance exam performance and a review of gross parental income; the level of assistance ranges from 10% to 90% of fees. Bursaries and scholarships are only available to those applying at the main Year 7 or Sixth Form entry points, and families indicate interest on the application form.
How to prepare for Bablake's 11+ papers
Because two of the five papers are English Composition, children benefit from regular practice writing under timed conditions, alongside comprehension work that tests close reading and understanding of unseen texts. The school's own sample papers, published for each subject, give the clearest indication of format and expectations and are worth working through calmly, well in advance.
For Mathematics, familiarity with the sample paper's style of questions is the most direct preparation the school itself points families towards. Children with a special educational need or disability can be considered for access arrangements in the exam, based on their normal way of working in their current school, and parents should raise this with the Admissions team in advance.
Fees and financial help
Termly fees apply from Year 7 through Year 11 and are published on the school's fees page, reviewed for each academic year; a fee payment plan is available for families who prefer to spread costs across the year. An acceptance fee is due once a place is confirmed, on return of the Acceptance Form.
Families concerned about affordability should look first at the Entry Bursary scheme, assessed as part of the standard application, and considered together with scholarship eligibility where a child's exam performance supports it.
Related guides
Preparing for the Bablake School 11+ with Taylor Tuition
Preparation for the Bablake School 11+ tends to go best when it starts early and stays steady, and most families who work with us begin between twelve and eighteen months out. Our tutors, who have prepared pupils for entry to leading independent and grammar schools including Westminster, St Paul's, Wycombe Abbey and Eton, plan the work backwards from the school's own assessment format and registration deadline.
The tutors we match to 11+ preparation 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. Every tutor who works with children holds an enhanced DBS check.
Families work with us online from anywhere in the UK or abroad, and in person in central London. Fees start from £50 per 50-minute session and depend on tutor level and subject, with no registration fee and a free initial consultation to talk through your child's current level and the timeline to the 11+. Families receive progress reports after sessions and have a dedicated point of contact, and we reply to enquiries within one working day with tutor recommendations.
Read more about our 11+ entrance exam tutors, or send an enquiry and we will come back with tutor recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
- What exam does Bablake School use for 11+ entry?
- Bablake sets its own entrance papers in-house. Candidates sit five written papers covering English Comprehension, English Composition and Mathematics, and the school publishes a sample paper for each subject so families can prepare using the same format the exam will follow.
- Is there an interview for 11+ entry?
- Standard Year 7 applicants are not required to attend an interview; entry is based on the written entrance papers. Only candidates applying for a scholarship attend a Scholarship Day, which includes an interview and, depending on the scholarship, an audition or portfolio review.
- Can children with SEN get access arrangements for the exam?
- Yes. The school considers access arrangements for children with a special educational need or disability, based on the pupil's normal way of working in their current educational environment, for which evidence is required. Parents should contact the Admissions team in advance to discuss individual circumstances.
- What scholarships are available at Year 7 entry?
- Bablake offers Academic, Performing Arts (Music or Drama) and Art Scholarships at 11+, each providing up to a percentage of fee remission. Academic Scholarship candidates are considered automatically from their entrance exam performance; Performing Arts and Art applicants submit additional material and attend a Scholarship Day for interview and audition.
- How much fee assistance can an Entry Bursary provide?
- Entry Bursaries are awarded by the Governors after considering both entrance exam performance and a review of gross parental income, with support ranging from 10% to 90% of fees. They are only available to those applying at the main Year 7 or Sixth Form entry points.
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