Key Facts
| School type | Independent day and boarding, co-educational, ages 3 to 18 (Senior School from 11 to 18) |
|---|---|
| Location | Ipswich, Suffolk |
| Entry points | 11+ (Year 7), 13+ (Year 9), 16+ (Sixth Form) |
| Assessment | School-set papers in Mathematics, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with a short interview with the Head added at the February sitting |
| Test provider | School's own entrance papers (Mathematics, English, Non-Verbal Reasoning) |
| Day fees (2026/27 (from September 2026)) | £8,509 per term (Year 7 and 8); £9,292 per term (Years 9 to 13) |
| Boarding fees (2026/27 (from September 2026)) | Full Boarding £18,711 per term (Years 7 to 13); Flexi Boarding from £802 to £3,214 per term, charged in addition to day fees |
| Assessment date | Entrance assessment held in January before September entry, with a further assessment sitting in February |
Figures correct at the time of writing — always confirm current fees and deadlines with the school directly.
Entry to Ipswich School at 11+ is decided by the school's own entrance assessment: papers in Mathematics, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning, sat in January before September entry. A further assessment window in February covers the same three papers plus a short interview with the Head, for candidates assessed at that stage. Every child who sits the assessment is automatically considered for an academic scholarship, while music and art candidates audition or submit a portfolio separately.
Registration is completed online, and submitting the application form gives the school permission to request a confidential report from the child's current school; parents should let their child's present head teacher know that an application has been made. Places at Year 7 also carry boarding options from age eleven, so families weighing up day or boarding places apply through the same process.
How entry to Year 7 works
Ipswich School admits pupils at three main points: 11+ into Year 7, 13+ into Year 9, and 16+ into the Sixth Form. At 11+, entry follows the school's own entrance assessment; there is no shared local test, and every candidate is automatically considered for an academic scholarship alongside a standard place. Boarding is available from Year 7 for pupils joining Westwood Boarding House or Anglesea Heights Boarding House, so day and boarding families go through the same admissions route.
What the 11+ assessment involves
The main sitting takes place in January before September entry and consists of three school-set papers: Mathematics, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning. A further assessment window in February covers the same three subjects, with a short interview with the Head added for candidates assessed at that stage. Every candidate who sits the assessment is automatically considered for an academic scholarship, and the school also requests a confidential report from the child's current school as part of the same process.
- Mathematics: a school-set paper
- English: a school-set paper
- Non-Verbal Reasoning: a school-set paper
- February sitting only: a short interview with the Head
Registration and the admissions process, step by step
Registration happens online, with a non-refundable registration fee payable at the final step of the form, after which a member of the admissions team contacts the family to discuss the application. Submitting the form gives the school permission to request a confidential report from the child's current school, so parents should let their child's present head teacher know that an application has been made. The entrance assessment follows, either the January sitting or the February sitting with its added interview, and every candidate is considered for an academic scholarship at the same time.
- Complete the online application form and pay the registration fee
- Admissions team contacts the family to discuss the application
- School requests a confidential report from the child's current school
- Child sits the January or February assessment (interview at February sitting)
- Scholarship consideration runs alongside the standard assessment
Scholarships and bursaries at 11+
The school offers several scholarships to external candidates at 11+, alongside the standard entrance process. Academic scholarships, known as Queen's Scholarships in honour of the first Queen Elizabeth, are worth up to half fees and are awarded on the basis of the entrance examination and interview. Music and Art Scholarships are judged separately, by audition or portfolio instead of the written papers, and a Sports Scholarship recognises pupils expected to contribute significantly to sport.
Means-tested bursaries are also available at 11+, for pupils of high academic or all-round ability whose parents could not otherwise afford the fees. Awards take account of both household income and assets and are reviewed annually, so a bursary agreed at 11+ is not fixed for the whole of a child's time at the school.
- Queen's (academic) Scholarship: up to half fees, based on exam and interview performance
- Music Scholarship: awarded by audition
- Art Scholarship: awarded by portfolio
- Sports Scholarship: awarded for sporting contribution
- Means-tested bursary: based on annual review of household income and assets
Boarding options from Year 7
Boarding begins at Year 7, the same point as 11+ entry, so day and boarding applications share a single admissions process. Boys board in Westwood Boarding House, set in its own grounds close to the main school site, while girls board in Anglesea Heights Boarding House, which offers ensuite accommodation. Families choosing boarding still register, sit the assessment and are considered for scholarships in the same way as day applicants.
How to prepare for the assessment
Because the assessment covers Mathematics, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning as three separate school-set papers, preparation is usually most useful when it mirrors that structure: practising comprehension and writing for English, arithmetic and problem-solving for Mathematics, and pattern-based reasoning questions separately, treating each paper on its own terms.
Where the February sitting includes a short interview with the Head, calm and straightforward preparation, talking about the child's current school, interests and reasons for applying, tends to help more than rehearsed answers. The school also requests a confidential report from the child's current school as part of the same process, so keeping that school informed alongside a child's own preparation forms part of one steady run-up to the assessment.
Related guides
Preparing for the Ipswich School 11+ with Taylor Tuition
The Ipswich 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 in the East of England and further afield work with us online, 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 does the Ipswich School 11+ entrance exam involve?
- The 11+ assessment consists of three school-set papers: Mathematics, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning, sat at a January sitting before September entry. A further sitting in February covers the same three papers and adds a short interview with the Head. Every candidate who sits the assessment is automatically considered for an academic scholarship at the same time.
- Is there an interview for 11+ entry?
- An interview is part of the February assessment sitting, alongside the same Mathematics, English and Non-Verbal Reasoning papers used in January, and it is conducted by the Head. The January sitting, as published by the school, consists of the three written papers without a separate interview stage.
- What scholarships are available at 11+?
- Academic scholarships, called Queen's Scholarships after the first Queen Elizabeth, are worth up to half fees and are awarded on entrance exam and interview performance. Music and Art Scholarships are judged by audition or portfolio instead of the written papers, and a Sports Scholarship recognises pupils expected to contribute significantly to sport.
- Are bursaries available at 11+?
- Means-tested bursaries are available at 11+ for pupils of high academic or all-round ability whose families could not otherwise afford the fees. Awards are assessed annually against household income and assets, so the level of support can change from one year to the next as circumstances change.
- Is boarding available from Year 7?
- Yes: boarding is available from Year 7, the same point as 11+ entry, with boys housed in Westwood Boarding House and girls in Anglesea Heights Boarding House. Day and boarding applicants follow the same registration, assessment and scholarship process, so choosing to board does not add a separate admissions route.
- Is there a registration fee for 11+ applications?
- Yes, a non-refundable registration fee is payable online at the final step of the application form. Submitting the form also gives the school permission to request a confidential report from the child's current school, so parents should let their child's present head teacher know that an application has been made.
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