Registration for The Dulwich School Cranbrook 11+ closes in 8 days, on 6 November 2026. A free consultation now leaves time to plan the preparation before the assessment.
Book a free consultationKey Facts
| School type | Independent day and boarding, co-educational, 2 to 16 |
|---|---|
| Location | Cranbrook, Kent |
| Entry points | 7+, 8+, 9+, 11+, 13+, 14+ |
| Assessment | Senior School Entrance Assessment Day, attended by every applicant, plus a reference and the two most recent school reports; scholarship applicants also sit a subject assessment |
| Test provider | The school's own informal assessment and Senior School Entrance Assessment Day; no external test provider is named on the pages read |
| Boarding fees (Autumn Term 2026) | Years 5 to 8: day boarding to 8.00pm £17.45 per session; regular boarding booked termly in advance £57.60 |
| Registration deadline | Senior School registration and scholarship application deadline: Friday 6 November 2026 |
| Assessment date | Senior School Entrance Assessment Day: Saturday 21 November 2026 |
| Scholarships and bursaries | Academic, art, music, sport, drama, computer science and DT scholarships for Senior School entry |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly.
How do you get into The Dulwich School Cranbrook? Families register with the Admissions team, send the school's registration form, and the child then attends a Taster Day or an Assessment Day, with entry possible from Fledglings through to Year 11. For Year 3 and above the visit includes an informal assessment set by the school, and Senior School applicants (Year 7 upwards) attend an Entrance Assessment Day.
The school describes no external test provider, no published number of places per year group and no sixth form. What follows sets out the entry points, the assessment stages, the registration sequence, scholarships, fees and the practical steps that suit this process.
| Entry point | Year group | Assessment | Interview | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7+ | Year 3 | Taster Day or Assessment Day with an informal assessment, plus a reference and the two most recent school reports | Not mentioned on the admissions page | Not published |
| 8+ | Year 4 | Taster Day or Assessment Day with an informal assessment, plus a reference and the two most recent school reports | Not mentioned on the admissions page | Not published |
| 9+ | Year 5 | Taster Day or Assessment Day with an informal assessment, plus a reference and the two most recent school reports | Not mentioned on the admissions page | Not published |
| 11+ | Year 7 | Senior School Entrance Assessment Day, attended by every applicant, plus a reference and the two most recent school reports; scholarship applicants also sit a subject assessment | Not mentioned on the admissions page | Not published |
| 13+ | Year 9 | Same Senior School registration, Entrance Assessment Day and scholarship process as other Senior School years | Not mentioned on the admissions page | Not published |
| 14+ | Year 10 | Same Senior School registration and assessment process; the school accepts children up to Year 11 subject to availability | Not mentioned on the admissions page | Not published |
Entry points and places
Dulwich Cranbrook accepts children from Fledglings, its youngest group, through to Year 11, so the entry points from age seven are Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5 in the Prep School, then Year 7, Year 9 and Year 10 in the Senior School. The admissions page does not publish a number of places for any year group.
Availability is checked through the Admissions team, who ask on the enquiry form for the child's year group and the term and year of entry. The Senior School has its own published registration and scholarship deadline.
- Year 3 and Year 4: Little Stream, Prep School
- Year 5 and Year 6: Upper Prep
- Years 7 to 11: Senior School
How the 11+ assessment works
The 11+ assessment at Dulwich Cranbrook is a Senior School Entrance Assessment Day that every Year 7 applicant attends, whether or not they apply for a scholarship. The school sets it itself, and the pages read name no external test provider.
For entry into Year 3 and above the admissions page describes an informal assessment but does not list subjects, papers, timings or question types. Families who want that detail are directed to the Admissions team by email or telephone, and it would be unwise to assume a particular paper format before they have confirmed it.
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Admission follows five steps, and registration comes before any visit or assessment. Each step is described on the admissions page without a fixed number of weeks between them.
- Enquiry and visit: use the online enquiry form, telephone or email, and book an open event or an individual tour
- Registration: complete the registration form and email it to Admissions, with the registration fee paid on submission; registration adds the child to the list for the year group and does not guarantee a place
- Taster Day or Assessment Day: the school asks the current setting for a reference and requests the two most recent school reports, and parents return a taster day information form beforehand
- Offer: sent after the visit with an Acceptance Form and a deposit request, the deposit being returned the term after the child leaves
- Transition: meetings for new families, including an Offer Holder Afternoon and a Senior School Welcome Evening for Senior joiners
Interviews and references
The admissions page mentions no formal interview, and the Taster Day or Assessment Day is the school's way of meeting each child. What it does require is a reference from the child's current setting where one applies, together with the two most recent school reports.
Parents also complete a taster day information form that helps staff get to know the child before the visit. Scholarship applicants need further references, which come from an external coach or club leader, the child's Form Teacher, Head of Year or Head of Department, and the school also requests one from the Head Teacher.
Scholarships and bursaries
Scholarships at Dulwich Cranbrook are linked to Senior School entry and are offered in several subject areas, each with its own assessment session. Any child applying to the Senior School registers whether or not they apply for a scholarship, and scholarship applicants add a subject-specific application form and reference form.
Applications are reviewed first, and successful applicants are invited to a subject assessment before also attending the Entrance Assessment Day. The pages read do not state scholarship values, the entry years they cover or any means-tested bursary, so those questions go to Admissions.
- Academic
- Art
- Computer science
- Design technology and 3D design
- Drama, performing arts and dance
- Music
- Sport
Fees and what they include
Dulwich Cranbrook publishes day fees per term for each year group, rising through the Prep and Senior years, with the figures held in the fees field of this guide and on the school's fees page. Fees are reviewed annually.
Fees include all clubs except those run by external providers, which are fencing, tennis, judo and dance. Catering is billed separately from Reception to Year 11, and breakfast, tea and after-school care are charged per session.
Boarding is listed for the older Prep and early Senior years as day boarding to the evening, regular boarding booked termly in advance, and occasional boarding. Exam board fees for GCSE years are estimated per exam on the fees page.
Where pupils join from
Most of the pathway is internal, since the school runs Nash House for early years, Little Stream for Years 1 to 4 and Upper Prep for Years 5 and 6, followed by the Senior School for Years 7 to 11. The Prep School page describes Upper Prep as preparing children for their next stage, with more specialist teaching including Design Technology and Drama.
The pages read do not explain whether Prep pupils sit the Entrance Assessment Day for Year 7, and no feeder or partner schools are named. Children from other schools follow the same registration, reference and assessment route.
How to prepare
Preparation for this process is mostly practical because the school describes an informal assessment on a Taster or Assessment Day without published papers. A sensible first step is to ask Admissions what the assessment covers for your child's year group, and to attend an open event or tour so the building and staff are familiar.
Return the taster day information form promptly and ask the current school to expect the reference request and report copies. For Year 7 entry with a scholarship, check the subject session for your chosen area and gather the external coach or teacher references early. Steady reading, writing and maths practice at the level of the current school year usually serves best.
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Preparing for the Dulwich School Cranbrook 11+ with Taylor Tuition
Preparation for the Dulwich School Cranbrook 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.
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Frequently asked questions
- How much are The Dulwich School Cranbrook fees?
- Day fees are published per term for each year group on the school's fees page, rising from the Prep years through Year 11. Catering is billed separately, and all clubs are included except those run by external providers. The school reviews fees annually, so check the fees page for the figures for your child's year group.
- Is there an entrance exam for Dulwich Cranbrook?
- Senior School applicants attend an Entrance Assessment Day, and entry into Year 3 and above includes an informal assessment on a Taster or Assessment Day. The school sets these itself. The pages read do not describe the papers, subjects or timings, so Admissions can confirm the format.
- Does Dulwich Cranbrook offer scholarships?
- Yes, for Senior School applicants, in academic, art, computer science, design technology and 3D design, drama, performing arts and dance, music and sport. Applicants submit a subject form and reference form, and successful applications lead to a subject assessment. The pages read do not give scholarship values or bursary details.
- How do parents register for Dulwich Cranbrook?
- Complete the registration form and email it to the Admissions team, paying the registration fee on submission. Registration adds your child to the list for the year group, and a place is offered only once the school has assessed all applicants. A Taster Day or Assessment Day follows, then an offer with an Acceptance Form and deposit request.
- Does Dulwich Cranbrook have a sixth form?
- The pages read describe entry from Fledglings through to Year 11 and mention no sixth form or 16+ entry. Families considering post-16 study can ask Admissions about destinations, and the school has a Destinations page describing where senior pupils go next.
- Is there a catchment area for Dulwich Cranbrook?
- The admissions page does not mention a catchment area. Entry depends on registration, the Taster Day or Assessment Day, references and school reports, and on places being available in the relevant year group.
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