Key Facts
| School type | Independent day and boarding, co-educational, ages 2 to 18 |
|---|---|
| Location | Bromsgrove, Worcestershire |
| Entry points | Main entry to Year 7 at 11+ and Year 9 at 13+, with further entry to Sixth Form at 16+; occasional places in Nursery, Reception and Years 3 to 6 subject to availability |
| Assessment | Online CAT4 cognitive ability test taken at home, followed by an in-school English test and creative writing task |
| Test provider | CAT4 (Cognitive Ability Testing), plus the school's own English and creative writing papers |
| Day fees (September 2026) | £7,650 per term (Years 7 and 8), including VAT |
| Boarding fees (September 2026) | £10,866 per term weekly boarding, £15,174 per term full boarding (Years 7 and 8), including VAT |
| Assessment date | 26 to 27 November 2026 (Year 7 and Year 9 candidates) |
Figures correct at the time of writing — always confirm current fees and deadlines with the school directly.
Getting into Bromsgrove School at 11+ means registering for Year 7 entry, then sitting an online CAT4 cognitive ability test at home followed by an in-school English test and creative writing task on the assessment day. There is no separate maths paper stated on the school's own admissions pages, and no interview is described for this age group.
Bromsgrove is a co-educational day and boarding school for ages 2 to 18 on the Worcester Road site in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, with Year 7 forming one of its main entry points alongside 13+ and 16+. Places are offered on the results of the assessment and the pupil's current school report; a Music scholarship and means-tested bursaries are both available at this entry point, and the school publishes exam dates and fee figures on its own admissions and fees pages each cycle.
How the 11+ assessment works
The Year 7 assessment at Bromsgrove has two parts. Candidates first complete CAT4 (Cognitive Ability Testing) online, sat at home instead of at the school. On the assessment day itself, candidates then sit an English test and a creative writing task in school.
The school's admissions pages do not describe a separate maths paper or an interview for 11+ entry; the published route runs from CAT4 through to the English and creative writing components. Alongside the assessment, the school asks for examples of the child's current work in maths, English and reading, plus a written report from the current school covering academic achievement and behaviour.
- Online CAT4 (verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial reasoning), completed at home
- English test, sat in school on the assessment day
- Creative writing task, sat in school on the assessment day
How registration and the admissions process run
Families register their child, pay the registration fee and complete a registration form before the assessment day; the school states plainly that candidates must be registered and the fee paid prior to sitting the entrance examinations.
After registration, the sequence runs: CAT4 completed online at home, then the English test and creative writing task sat in school, followed by the school's decision based on those results together with the current school's report and work samples. Families who want an exact date for the next assessment cycle or a firm registration cut-off should check the admissions page directly, since the school updates these each cycle and does not publish a registration deadline separate from the exam date itself.
- Register and pay the registration fee
- Complete CAT4 online at home
- Sit the English test and creative writing task in school
- Current school report and work samples reviewed alongside results
- Decision issued
Scholarships and bursaries at 11+
Bromsgrove offers a Music scholarship at 11+ entry, assessed through a performance on the candidate's principal instrument, an aural test, sight reading, scales and a discussion of musical knowledge. Academic, Art & Design, Drama and Sport scholarships are listed only from 13+ or 16+ entry, not at 11+.
Means-tested bursaries are offered for Year 7 entry, alongside Year 9 and Year 12, and a pupil may apply for both a scholarship and a bursary at the same time. Foundation Scholarships, which the school describes as for able local pupils needing financial assistance, are stated as available from 13+ entry, not 11+. The school's own pages do not publish specific award percentages or application deadlines for the 11+ Music scholarship or for bursaries.
- Music scholarship: available at 11+
- Academic, Art & Design, Drama and Sport scholarships: available from 13+ or 16+
- Means-tested bursaries: available at 11+, alongside 13+ and 16+
- Foundation Scholarships: available from 13+, not 11+
Fees for Year 7 entry
Year 7 sits within the Preparatory School fee band covering Years 7 and 8, which is priced separately from the Senior School band that applies from Year 9 upward. Parents budgeting for 11+ entry should use the Years 7 and 8 figures, since these differ from the Senior School figures.
Termly fees cover day, weekly boarding and full boarding places, and the school states these are inclusive of lunch, with VAT applying from Reception year onward. Costs such as transport, educational trips, the school shop and public examinations are charged separately.
How to prepare for the Bromsgrove 11+ assessment
Bromsgrove states that no preparation is required for its entrance examinations, so there is no need to source school-specific past papers for this assessment. Even so, a calm run-through of the format helps: CAT4 is a computer-based cognitive ability test covering verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial reasoning, and it typically runs differently from the paper-based tests many primary schools use day to day.
For the in-school English test and creative writing task, practice in reading comprehension and in planning and writing a short piece within a time limit tends to help most, since working at pace under a clock is often the least familiar part of the day for an 11-year-old. Keeping the current school's report and work samples in maths, English and reading up to date also matters, since these form part of the school's decision alongside the assessment results.
Related guides
Preparing for the Bromsgrove School 11+ with Taylor Tuition
Preparation for the Bromsgrove 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 test does Bromsgrove School use for 11+ entry?
- Bromsgrove School uses CAT4 (Cognitive Ability Testing), completed online at home before the assessment day. On the day itself, candidates sit an English test and a creative writing task at the school; no separate maths paper is stated on the school's own admissions pages.
- Is there an interview for 11+ entry?
- The school's admissions pages do not mention an interview as part of Year 7 (11+) entry. An interview is described for Sixth Form applicants joining at 16+, alongside a reference and GCSE results, but this is not stated for the 11+ route.
- Do you need to prepare for the Bromsgrove 11+ assessment?
- The school states that no preparation is required for its entrance examinations. Families who want to feel ready can still familiarise their child with an online cognitive ability test format and practise timed writing, since these are unfamiliar formats for many primary-school pupils.
- Are bursaries available at 11+?
- Yes. Bromsgrove School states that means-tested bursaries are offered for Year 7, Year 9 and Year 12 entry, and pupils may apply for both a bursary and a scholarship. Foundation Scholarships, by contrast, are described as available from 13+ entry, not 11+.
- Can you get a scholarship at 11+?
- A Music scholarship is available at 11+ entry, assessed through a performance on the pupil's principal instrument, an aural test, sight reading, scales and a discussion of musical knowledge. Academic, Art, Drama and Sport scholarships are listed from 13+ or 16+ entry only, with no provision at 11+.
- What year group does Year 7 entry sit in for fees?
- Year 7 falls within the Preparatory School fee band covering Years 7 and 8, which is priced separately from the Senior School band. Parents budgeting for 11+ entry should check the Years 7 and 8 fee figures, which differ from the Senior School figures.
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