Culford School 11+ Admissions: Entrance Assessment, Registration and Fees

Entry to Culford School at 11+ means a place in Year 7 of the Prep School, known as the Lower Third, decided by an online assessment in English and mathematics alongside verbal and non-verbal reasoning, together with a report from the child's current school. Registration opens the process; it does not guarantee a place. Families register with the admissions office, the child sits the online assessment individually, and an offer follows a school reference and, in some cases, an interview.

Places at 11+ sit alongside entry at 7+, 13+ and into the Sixth Form, and the school describes September as its main intake while accepting enquiries at other times, so it is worth checking availability directly with admissions.

How 11+ entry works

A Year 7 place at Culford sits within the Prep School's age range of seven to thirteen, with the Lower Third as the point of 11+ entry alongside earlier entry at 7+ and later entry at 13+ into the Senior School. The school describes September as when most pupils join, though enquiries and assessments can be arranged at other times, subject to places being available. Families are encouraged to visit before applying, either at an Open Morning held each term or on a personal tour arranged through the admissions office.

What the 11+ assessment involves

The 11+ assessment is sat online and individually, in English and mathematics together with verbal and non-verbal reasoning, with breaks built into the session so it feels less like a formal exam hall. A reference from the child's current school forms part of the decision, and candidates may also be asked to attend an interview. Successful candidates are invited to a Culford Discovery Day, a chance to experience the school before a final decision is confirmed, and the school aims to issue results within about a week of the assessment.

Steps in the registration and admissions process

Culford sets out 11+ admissions as a sequence of steps handled through the admissions office, with no single fixed application date.

• Contact the admissions office to check place availability and arrange a visit or Open Morning
• Complete the registration form and pay the non-refundable registration fee
• Sit the online entrance assessment, arranged around the child's age and year group
• Attend the Discovery Day and, where required, an interview with a senior member of staff
• Receive the decision and return the acceptance form with the non-refundable acceptance fee to confirm the place

Scholarships and bursaries at 11+

Culford offers scholarships worth up to ten per cent of fees at 11+, recognising talent and potential across academic subjects, STEM, art, drama, music, DT and sport including golf, tennis, football and major games. An award made at 11+ is expected to continue through the rest of Prep School, subject to satisfactory progress, and is reviewed again on entry to the Senior School. Scholarship applications must reach the school at least a month before the scholarship examinations, together with a supporting reference from the child's current head.

Bursaries run separately from scholarships and are means-tested, reviewed annually and kept confidential; families apply by submitting a financial circumstances form to the school's bursaries team.

How to prepare for the 11+ assessment

As the test is sat online and individually, without a hall full of other children present, familiarity with the online format helps alongside routine practice with verbal and non-verbal reasoning question types. Keeping the current school informed that a reference will be requested gives that reference time to be prepared thoughtfully, avoiding a rush. A calm, well-rested child tends to cope better with the Discovery Day and any interview than one drilled heavily in the days beforehand.

Fees and what they cover at Year 7

Year 7 fees are set per term and vary by whether a pupil is a day pupil, a part boarder, a full boarder or an international boarder, with a separate termly catering charge added to day fees. Extended day provision, covering breakfast club and supper with prep supervision, is included within day fees, with no separate charge. Sibling discounts apply from a second child onwards, increasing with each additional child at the school. Exact current figures are published on the school's fees pages and reviewed for each academic year.

Related guides

• Independent school fees compared

Preparing for the Culford School 11+ with Taylor Tuition

Preparation for the Culford 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.