Registration for New Hall School 11+ closes in 11 days, on 16 October 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 school, Catholic foundation, co-educational, ages 1 to 19, with girls and boys taught in separate classes from Year 7 to Year 11 |
|---|---|
| Location | Boreham, near Chelmsford, Essex |
| Entry points | Year 7 (11+); also Nursery, Reception to Year 6, Year 9 (13+) and Sixth Form (16+) |
| Assessment | ISEB Common Pre-Tests (verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, English and mathematics), a 15-minute interview with a 3-minute presentation, a creative writing task and a headteacher's reference |
| Test provider | ISEB Common Pre-Test |
| Registration deadline | Year 7 registration closes 16 October 2026; scholarship applications and the Year 7 examination form close 23 October 2026; Year 7 place acceptance is due by 1 March 2027 |
| Assessment date | Interviews and creative writing assessments held 2-13 November 2026; ISEB Common Pre-Tests taken 9-20 November 2026, with an on-site sitting on 14 November 2026 for children not testing at their current school |
Figures correct at the time of writing — always confirm current fees and deadlines with the school directly.
Entry to New Hall School at eleven-plus is decided on the ISEB Common Pre-Tests, an interview built around a short presentation, a piece of creative writing and a reference from the child's current headteacher, with the Admissions Committee weighing all four before offering a place.
Registration for the September Year 7 intake closes some weeks before the assessments themselves, and because the school maintains waiting lists at every entry point, families are advised to register well ahead of the deadline; some choose to register a child from birth.
How Year 7 (11+) entry works
New Hall School admits across a wide age range, with entry points at Nursery, Reception to Year 6, Year 7, Year 9 and Sixth Form. Year 7 is the main eleven-plus entry point into the Senior Division, where girls and boys are taught in separate classes, as they continue to be through to the end of Year 11.
- Nursery
- Reception to Year 6 (Pre-Prep and Preparatory Divisions)
- Year 7 (11+)
- Year 9 (13+)
- Sixth Form (16+)
How the 11+ assessment works
All candidates for Year 7 entry sit the ISEB Common Pre-Tests, an online, multiple-choice assessment covering verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, English and mathematics; these can be completed at the child's current school where that school agrees, and children who cannot sit them there are invited to New Hall itself. Because the pretest is shared across many selective independent schools, a child sits it only once in the relevant academic year.
Alongside the pretest, every candidate attends a fifteen-minute interview at New Hall that opens with a three-minute presentation on a subject of the child's choosing, followed by questions from a member of staff. A separate creative writing task, based on a stimulus given on the day, and a reference from the child's current headteacher complete the picture that the Admissions Committee reviews before making an offer.
The Year 7 admissions timeline, step by step
Registration through the school's online admissions portal marks the start of the process, and the school sets a distinct, earlier deadline for scholarship applications alongside the general Year 7 registration deadline.
- Open Day and Taster Day, held early in the autumn term, give families a first look at the school
- Registration closes a few weeks later, with a separate deadline for the Year 7 examination form and for scholarship applications
- Interviews and creative writing assessments take place at New Hall over a two-week window in November
- The ISEB Common Pre-Tests run over the following fortnight, with an on-site sitting date at New Hall for children not testing at their current school
- Year 7 places are offered in December
- Families confirm acceptance of a Year 7 place the following spring
Do you need to be Catholic to apply to the school
New Hall has a Roman Catholic foundation and describes itself as welcoming all those who share its values, so a Catholic background is not a condition of entry. Pupils of different faiths take part in daily school life, including chapel assembly and daily prayers, alongside the same academic assessment that governs every Year 7 application regardless of faith.
Scholarships and bursaries
New Hall offers scholarships and awards at Year 5, Year 7, Year 9 and Sixth Form entry, spanning academic, music, sport, all-rounder, modern languages, STEM and classical languages categories, together with Catholic and Diocesan scholarships and an Armed Forces Award for full boarders. Every Year 7 applicant is automatically considered for the Academic Scholarship, whilst other categories require a separate application once a family has registered.
Music and sport candidates who are shortlisted attend a further assessment day in January, and those applying for a Modern Languages Award may sit an additional test in French or Spanish; Catholic Scholarship applicants provide baptismal and First Holy Communion certificates along with a reference from their parish priest. Means-tested bursaries are available separately, funded through the Canonesses' charitable trust and Catholic Education Service grants for families who could not otherwise afford a place.
Preparing for the school's 11+ assessment
New Hall states that no specific preparation is required for the ISEB Common Pre-Tests, though it encourages children to try the familiarisation test on the ISEB website so the online, multiple-choice format feels less unfamiliar on the day. As the assessment also includes a three-minute presentation and a creative writing task built around a stimulus, preparation should cover these skills alongside the pretest, with a child practising speaking on a topic of their choosing and writing to a time limit under calm, low-pressure conditions.
Related guides
Preparing for the New Hall School 11+ with Taylor Tuition
The New Hall 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 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 does the New Hall School 11+ assessment involve?
- Every candidate sits the ISEB Common Pre-Tests, an online multiple-choice assessment of verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, English and mathematics, alongside a fifteen-minute interview that includes a three-minute presentation, a creative writing task based on a stimulus, and a reference from the child's current headteacher.
- Do you have to be Catholic to apply to New Hall School?
- No. New Hall has a Roman Catholic foundation and welcomes all those who share its values, and pupils of other faiths take part in school life alongside chapel assembly and daily prayers. The Year 7 assessment process is the same regardless of a family's faith.
- Can my child sit the ISEB Common Pre-Tests at their current school instead of at New Hall?
- Yes, where the child's current school agrees to administer the tests. Children whose school cannot offer the ISEB Common Pre-Tests are invited to sit them at New Hall on a set date within the entrance assessment window, so no family is excluded for lacking access to on-site testing elsewhere.
- What scholarships does New Hall School offer at Year 7?
- New Hall offers Academic, Music, Sport, Modern Languages, STEM, Classical Languages, Catholic and Diocesan scholarships, plus an Armed Forces Award for full boarders, and every Year 7 applicant is automatically considered for the Academic Scholarship. Shortlisted music and sport candidates attend a further assessment day, and other categories require a separate application once registered.
- Are bursaries available at New Hall School?
- Yes. Means-tested bursaries are available for families who could not otherwise afford a place, funded through the Canonesses' charitable trust and through Catholic Education Service grants aimed at low-income Catholic families. Bursary provision sits alongside, and separately from, the school's scholarship and award categories.
- Is there a waiting list for Year 7 entry at New Hall School?
- New Hall maintains waiting lists at every entry point, and the school advises registering a child at the earliest opportunity, with some families registering from birth given demand for places. Waiting list places are then handled according to the school's published admissions policy.
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