Key Facts
| School type | Independent day and boarding, co-educational, ages 11 to 18 |
|---|---|
| Location | Pangbourne, West Berkshire (RG8 8LA) |
| Entry points | 11+ (Year 7), 13+ (Year 9) and 16+ (Sixth Form) |
| Assessment | Teacher-led team activities plus a short online assessment, observed by senior staff, alongside school reports and a confidential reference from the current school |
| Day fees (September 2026 to August 2027) | £8,848 per term (Years 7 and 8); £11,538 per term (Year 9 to Upper Sixth) |
| Boarding fees (September 2026 to August 2027) | £14,115 per term (Years 7 and 8, full boarder); £18,645 per term (Year 9 to Upper Sixth, full boarder); weekly and part-boarding rates also published, from £11,631 to £16,187 per term |
| Registration deadline | Early October, the year before the child is due to start; bursary applications due by the end of September in the same cycle, and scholarship applications by the end of October |
| Assessment date | Assessment morning typically held in mid-November of Year 6, the academic year before entry; exact dates published in the school's "Year 7 Key Admission Dates" document |
Figures correct at the time of writing — always confirm current fees and deadlines with the school directly.
Getting into Pangbourne College at 11+ means registering for Year 7 entry, then bringing your child to an assessment morning of teacher-led team activities and a short online assessment, with no separate written exam and no formal interview at this age. The College also asks for the child's current school reports and a confidential reference ahead of that day, and describes the process as designed to identify a child's core strengths both inside and outside the classroom.
Year 7 is one of three standard entry points at Pangbourne, alongside 13+ and 16+, and the school states plainly that no specific preparation or tutoring is required for the assessment. Registration, the assessment morning, and any scholarship or bursary applications each follow their own timing within the admissions cycle, set out below without reference to a particular year.
How the Year 7 assessment works
The Year 7 assessment at Pangbourne is not a set of timed written papers. It centres on an assessment morning of teacher-led team activities, observed by senior staff, together with a short online assessment; the College's own guidance states there is no specific preparation required for either element.
Alongside the assessment morning, the College asks for copies of the child's latest school reports and contacts the current school directly for a confidential reference in advance. Together these give staff a broad picture of the child's classroom performance and their conduct in a group setting, gathered from several sources over time.
- Teacher-led team activities observed by senior staff
- A short online assessment
- Current school reports plus a confidential reference from the child's school
- No separate interview stated for Year 7 entry
Registration and the admissions process, step by step
Registration opens with an online form and a non-refundable registration fee, with a lower rate for UK-resident families and a higher rate for those applying from overseas. Families wishing to be considered for a means-tested bursary or a scholarship should flag this at registration, since each has its own separate deadline within the same cycle.
After registration closes, the assessment morning follows in the same academic year, typically in mid-November of Year 6. Families can also attend an optional taster day during the Michaelmas term beforehand. Once the assessment and reports are complete, the College notifies parents of an outcome; an offer is formally accepted against a deposit, and a welcome event for new families runs ahead of the September start.
- Register online and pay the registration fee
- Optional taster day in the Michaelmas term of Year 6
- Assessment morning around mid-November of Year 6
- Outcome notified, place accepted against a deposit
- Welcome event ahead of September entry
Exhibitions and scholarships at 11+
Pangbourne offers Year 7 awards across six categories: Academic, Art, Music, Design Technology, Drama and Sport. The Academic award needs no separate application, since candidates are automatically considered for it based on their performance in the entrance assessment itself.
The co-curricular awards (Art, Music, Design Technology, Drama and Sport) require a separate application once a child is fully registered with the College. As with many independent schools, Pangbourne does not provide automatic fee remissions for scholarship holders; the College states that some fee remission may be awarded at the discretion of the Scholarship panel, with award holders otherwise benefiting from additional tuition, lectures, visits and mentoring in their specialist area.
Bursaries and financial support
Means-tested bursaries are available at Pangbourne, taking the form of a discount on tuition fees for families with demonstrated financial need. The College is direct about the limits at this entry point: it states that significant financial support is unlikely for Year 7 applicants, and that bursary awards are normally made to day pupils only.
Parents indicate interest in a bursary on the registration form, after which they receive a portal link to complete a Statement of Financial Circumstance. Many applications are then reviewed by an independent assessor, Bursary Administration Limited, typically by phone or video call, with awards ultimately depending on the funds the College has available within its overall budget.
Fees for Year 7 entry
Day fees for Years 7 and 8 are charged per term, with boarding fees higher and varying by boarding pattern. The College offers part boarding (four nights), weekly boarding (six nights) and full boarding, in addition to day places, and fees step up again from Year 9 onward.
Exact figures for day, weekly boarding, part boarding and full boarding places are set out in the school's published Fees Schedule for the relevant academic year, alongside the registration fee and acceptance deposit due once a place is offered. Monthly fee payment options are also available through a third-party payment provider.
How to prepare for Pangbourne's assessment format
Because the College states plainly that no specific preparation or tutoring is required, the most useful groundwork is practical: familiarity with working in a small group on a shared task, since the assessment morning is built around teacher-led team activities and does not involve solitary paper-based tests.
It is also worth keeping the child's day-to-day schoolwork consistent in the run-up to the assessment, since the College requests current school reports and a confidential reference as part of its overall picture. A calm, well-rested child on the assessment morning itself, comfortable with a short spell of online question-answering, tends to represent their ability more accurately than one who has been drilled on unfamiliar test formats.
Related guides
Preparing for the Pangbourne College 11+ with Taylor Tuition
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Frequently asked questions
- Does Pangbourne College have an 11+ exam?
- Not in the traditional written-paper sense. Year 7 entry involves an assessment morning with teacher-led team activities observed by senior staff and a short online assessment, alongside school reports and a confidential reference from the child's current school. The College states there is no specific preparation required.
- How do you register for Year 7 at Pangbourne College?
- Parents complete the online registration form and pay the registration fee, set at a lower rate for UK residents and a higher rate for international families. Registration closes in early October, the year before entry, ahead of the assessment morning typically held in mid-November of Year 6.
- Are scholarships available at 11+?
- Yes. Year 7 scholarships (called exhibitions in some College material) are offered in Academic, Art, Music, Design Technology, Drama and Sport categories. The Academic award needs no separate application and is based on performance in the entrance assessment; co-curricular scholarships require a separate application once a child is registered.
- Do scholarships at Pangbourne College reduce the fees?
- Not automatically. The College states it does not provide automatic fee remissions for scholarship holders, though some fee remission may be awarded at the discretion of the Scholarship panel. Scholars instead receive additional tuition, lectures, visits and mentoring in their specialist area.
- Can you get a bursary for Year 7 entry?
- Means-tested bursaries exist, but the College notes that significant financial support is unlikely for Year 7 applicants, and awards are normally limited to day pupils. Parents indicate interest on the registration form and then complete a Statement of Financial Circumstance, often reviewed by an independent assessor.
- Is Pangbourne College boys only?
- No. Pangbourne College has been fully co-educational for close on three decades, admitting boys and girls aged 11 to 18 as day or boarding pupils.
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