Bethany School 11+ Admissions: Entrance Assessment and Fees

Entry to Bethany School at 11+ (Year 7) is arranged through the school's own entrance assessment, separate from any shared local test: families register by a published deadline, children sit an English creative-writing paper and a mathematics paper, and a reference from the current school feeds into the decision alongside performance on the day. Year 7 is the school's most popular entry point, though places at other year groups and in-year admission are also considered where space allows.

Alongside the main Year 7 round, Bethany offers Academic, Performing Arts, Creative Arts and Sport scholarships from 11+, plus means-tested bursaries and fee reductions for Armed Forces, clergy and sibling families, with day and boarding places available across the school.

How entry to Year 7 works

Year 7 is Bethany's most popular entry point, with places also available at Year 8, Year 9, Year 10 and Sixth Form, plus in-year admission across all year groups where space allows. Entry at 11+ runs on a set annual cycle: a taster day for Year 6 pupils, registration by a published deadline, an entrance assessment day, and, for those applying for a scholarship, a separate scholarship assessment in the same week. Families offered a place then attend further transition days before joining.

What the 11+ entrance assessment involves

The Year 7 entrance assessment centres on two written papers: English creative writing and mathematics. Candidates for whom English is an additional language also complete a separate online English-language assessment. A reference from the child's current school is required before a place can be confirmed, and boarding and overseas applicants typically have a video call with the Headmaster earlier in the process. A taster afternoon runs alongside the assessment day, giving children a chance to join lessons and activities.

Registration and the admissions process, step by step

Admissions for Year 7 follow a fixed sequence each year, with exact dates published annually on the school's admissions page.

• Register with the school by the published deadline in the autumn term before entry
• Sit the entrance assessment, and, if applying for one, the scholarship assessment in the same week
• Attend the taster day or afternoon alongside the assessment
• Receive the school's decision and, if a place is offered, accept via contract and deposit
• Attend keeping-in-touch and transition days before joining

Scholarships and bursaries at 11+

Bethany offers scholarships at Year 7 entry across several categories, each giving a percentage reduction in fees, short of a full award. Academic scholarships carry a 12.5 percent fee remission and are awarded to top performers in the entrance assessment, school reference and interview, with no separate application needed. Performing Arts (drama, music, dance) and Creative Arts (art & design, design & technology) scholarships give a 7.5 percent reduction for one discipline, rising to 10 or 12.5 percent for two or more disciplines; Sport scholarships carry a 7.5 percent reduction. Candidates for specialist scholarships submit a separate application, generally by the October deadline for Year 7.

Alongside scholarships, Bethany offers means-tested bursaries, and separate 10 percent fee reductions apply to Armed Forces families, clergy families and siblings of current pupils. The Registrar's office handles enquiries about eligibility for bursary support.

How to prepare for the assessment

Because the assessment weighs an English creative-writing paper and a mathematics paper alongside a school reference, preparation works best when it covers both written technique and ordinary classroom work, avoiding a narrow focus on one test format. Practising short, timed creative writing on an unseen prompt builds the stamina and structure the paper rewards, while steady work on arithmetic and reasoning supports the mathematics paper. Since a reference from the current school also feeds into the decision, consistent classroom performance in the lead-up to assessment day carries as much weight as technique on the day itself.

Other entry points and in-year admission

Beyond Year 7, Bethany admits pupils at Year 9 (13+) and Sixth Form (16+), with Year 8 and Year 10 entry also possible where places allow. In-year admission is considered across all year groups subject to availability, and families can arrange an entrance assessment and taster afternoon on a date that suits them, without waiting for the main Year 7 round. Scholarship assessments for Drama, Music, Dance, Art & Design, Design & Technology and Sport are also open to in-year applicants, subject to availability.

Fees for Year 7 entry

Bethany publishes separate day and boarding fees for each year group, with boarding available on a weekly or full basis. Fees include tuition, lunches, textbooks, compulsory stationery and, for boarders, basic laundry; exam costs, trips and transport are invoiced separately. Family discounts of 10 percent apply for Armed Forces, clergy and sibling families, on top of any scholarship or bursary award.

Related guides

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• Independent school fees compared

Preparing for the Bethany School 11+ with Taylor Tuition

The Bethany School 11+ rewards steady preparation over a year or so, with the last term given to timed practice and interview confidence. Having prepared pupils for entry to leading independent and grammar schools, with placements including Westminster, St Paul's, Wycombe Abbey and Eton, our tutors match the programme to the school's assessment format and to where the child is starting from.

Because the pool includes former heads of department, exam-board examiners and teachers from independent and boarding schools, and more than half of our tutors hold Qualified Teacher Status, families get a tutor who understands what the assessors are looking for. 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.