Key Facts
| School type | Independent day school, co-educational, ages 3 to 18 |
|---|---|
| Location | Moulsford, Oxfordshire |
| Entry points | Pre-School (age 3), Reception (age 4), Year 7 (age 11+) and Year 12/Sixth Form (age 16+), with occasional places in other year groups where space allows |
| Assessment | Taster and Assessment Day in November of Year 6, combining normal lessons, an online assessment and a reference from the current school |
| Day fees (2026-27) | £7,703 per term for Years 7 to 11, excluding VAT |
| Assessment date | November of Year 6 (the year before entry), for the Taster and Assessment Day |
Figures correct at the time of writing — always confirm current fees and deadlines with the school directly.
Getting into Cranford House School at 11+ means registering for a Year 7 place, then attending a Taster and Assessment Day in the November before entry, where a child joins normal lessons and completes an online assessment, with no formal exam papers set. A reference from the child's current school feeds into the decision alongside the assessment, and the Headmaster makes the final call on whether to offer a place.
The school, now generally known as Cranford, is an independent day school in Moulsford, Oxfordshire, educating boys and girls from age 3 to 18. Year 7 is one of its four main entry points, alongside Pre-School, Reception and Sixth Form, and places at 11+ are open to both children moving up from the Junior School and those joining from elsewhere.
How entry to Year 7 works at Cranford
Year 7 is one of the school's four main entry points, sitting alongside Pre-School, Reception and Sixth Form, and it takes both pupils progressing from the Junior School and those applying from other primary schools. A family begins with a personal tour, conducted during a normal school day by admissions staff or senior leadership, before moving on to registration.
Junior School pupils for whom the Senior School is judged suitable can expect to be offered a Year 7 place, though they still take part in the Taster and Assessment Day; transfer is not automatic. Places at every stage remain subject to availability, and the school does not publish fixed pupil numbers or forms of entry for Year 7.
How the Year 7 assessment works
The Year 7 assessment takes the form of a Taster and Assessment Day, held in the November before entry, with no separate exam papers. Candidates spend the day with their prospective year group, taking part in ordinary lessons alongside current pupils, and complete an online assessment as part of the day.
Alongside the assessment itself, the school requests a reference from the child's current school and reports the results to the Headmaster, who makes the final decision on whether to offer a place. Parents are typically invited to join an informal tea or coffee with a member of the Senior Leadership Team while their child is being assessed.
Registration and admissions process, step by step
Securing a Year 7 place runs through five stages. A personal tour comes first, followed by registration and the assessment day, before a formal offer and, finally, induction.
The school states registration and the assessment day do not guarantee a place, since offers depend on both availability and performance on the day.
- Book a personal tour of the school
- Submit the registration form with a non-refundable fee
- Attend the Taster and Assessment Day in November of Year 6
- Accept a formal offer, terms and conditions, and pay the deposit to secure the place
- Take part in a two-day induction, including an off-site trip, before starting in September
Scholarships for Year 7 entrants
Two named scholarships apply at 11+ entry. The Laurence Scholarship, named after the school's founding headmistress, is awarded automatically to whichever Year 7 candidates achieve the highest combined marks in English and mathematics during the Senior Entry Day, with no separate application needed.
The Headmaster's Scholarship covers music, art, drama and sport, and does require an application, made via a Senior Entry Form sent out in September of Year 6. Music candidates typically perform at around Grade 3 standard and undertake aural and sight-reading tests; drama candidates prepare a short monologue or poem and discuss their knowledge of theatre; sport candidates need a supporting letter from a coach or headteacher and take a multi-sport assessment; and art candidates submit a portfolio and take part in a practical assessment and interview.
Bursaries and financial support
Means-tested bursaries run from Reception through to Sixth Form, including Year 7 entry, for families who could not otherwise meet the standard fees. Awards are based on an assessment of income, capital assets, investments and savings, weighed against the suitability of the child to the school.
Because support is reviewed annually, a bursary can move up or down if a family's financial circumstances change after the initial award, and each application is considered on its own merits, without a fixed formula applied. A child needs to be registered with the Admissions Office before a bursary application can be made.
How to prepare for Cranford's 11+ assessment
Because the Year 7 assessment sits inside a Taster Day, with no bank of timed papers, the most useful preparation is making sure a child feels comfortable working on a screen and confident following instructions in an unfamiliar classroom, since the online assessment is only one part of a day built around normal lessons. Reading widely and keeping mental arithmetic and written English in regular practice supports both the assessment and the reference the current school provides.
Parents applying for the Headmaster's Scholarship should factor in extra lead time, since music, art, drama and sport all call for a distinct piece of preparation, whether that is a performance piece, a portfolio or a supporting letter from a coach. For any Year 7 applicant, treating the day itself calmly, simply as part of ordinary school life, reflects how the school itself frames the purpose of the visit; it is not styled as a single high-stakes test.
Related guides
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Frequently asked questions
- Does Cranford House School set an 11+ entrance exam?
- Not in the traditional sense of separate exam papers. Year 7 applicants attend a Taster and Assessment Day in November of Year 6, during which they join normal lessons with their prospective year group and complete an online assessment. The school also requests a reference from the child's current school before making a decision.
- How much is the registration fee and deposit?
- Registering for a place costs a non-refundable fee, payable when the registration form is submitted. Once an offer is accepted, a deposit secures the place alongside the signed terms and conditions, acceptance form and medical form.
- Do children already in Cranford's Junior School still have to be assessed for Year 7?
- Yes. Junior School pupils for whom the Senior School is judged appropriate can expect an offer of a Year 7 place, but they still attend the Taster and Assessment Day alongside external candidates; admission is not automatic without it.
- What scholarships can a child win at 11+ entry?
- The Laurence Scholarship rewards the highest combined marks in English and mathematics on the Senior Entry Day and is awarded automatically, with no separate application. The Headmaster's Scholarship covers music, art, drama and sport, and requires a separate application via the Senior Entry Form sent in September of Year 6.
- Are bursaries available for Year 7 entry?
- Yes, means-tested bursaries are available from Reception through to Sixth Form, including Year 7. Awards are based on an assessment of income, capital, investments and savings, are reviewed annually, and can move up or down if a family's circumstances change.
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