Key Facts
| School type | Independent day school, co-educational, 1 to 16, part of Dukes Education |
|---|---|
| Location | Cambridge, Cambridgeshire |
| Entry points | 7+, 11+, 13+ |
| Assessment | Invitation to the school's own assessment session, school report and reference, then a one-day Senior taster day |
| Test provider | The school's own assessment session; no external test provider is named on the school's pages |
| Day fees (2026/27) | Reception to Year 2: £5,860 per term; Year 3 to Year 6: £6,450 per term; Year 7 to Year 11: £7,790 per term (including VAT) |
| Scholarships and bursaries | Academic scholarship at 7+; subject, sport and creative arts scholarships at 11+ and 13+; reductions of 5% or 10% |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly. Compare fees at other independent schools.
Sancton Wood School admissions work through an online application, an invitation to the school's own assessment session for children from Year 3 upwards, a taster day that includes a short interview with the Head of the Prep or Senior School, and a review of school reports and references. The main senior entry point is Year 7 (11+), with Year 3 (7+) for the Prep School and scholarship entry at Year 9 (13+).
The school takes pupils from age one to sixteen and says it will consider an application at any entry point, subject to places. Because the assessment format is not published on its pages, the steps below follow what the school does set out: who to contact, what to upload, and what happens between application and offer.
| Entry point | Year group | Assessment | Interview | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7+ | Year 3 | Invitation to the school's own assessment session (Year 3 upwards), school report and reference, then a two-day Prep taster day | Short interview with the Head of the Prep School during the taster day | Not published |
| 11+ | Year 7 | Invitation to the school's own assessment session, school report and reference, then a one-day Senior taster day | Short interview with the Head of the Senior School during the taster day | Guaranteed entry point within the Dukes Education family; number of places not published |
| 13+ | Year 9 | Same application route as other year groups; scholarship applicants also submit a personal statement and portfolio | Scholarship Interview Day for scholarship applicants; taster-day interview for all applicants | Occasional places subject to availability; scholarship entry point |
Entry points and places
Sancton Wood offers guaranteed entry at Nursery, Reception, Year 7 and Year 12 as part of the Dukes Education family, and occasional places in other year groups when space allows. From age seven upwards, the entry points that matter most are Year 3 for the Prep School and Year 7 for the Senior School, with Year 9 appearing as a scholarship entry point. The school says it will consider applications at any entry point.
Admission depends on available places and on completing the admissions process. Classes are balanced by age and gender whilst the pupil to teacher ratio is maintained, and siblings of current pupils receive priority where possible. The school does not publish a number of places or forms of entry for any year group, so the Admissions Team is the source for availability.
- Year 3 (7+): Prep School entry with academic scholarship
- Year 7 (11+): Senior School guaranteed entry point with scholarships
- Year 9 (13+): scholarship entry; other places subject to availability
How the assessment works
The assessment is a session set by the school itself, to which children are invited once the application is in, and it is open to children from Year 3 upwards. The school's pages do not state its subjects, length or question types, and name no external test provider.
The school describes its aim as checking that a child will learn happily alongside others, and says pupils are not selected by ability alone. One input among several, the assessment is read together with the latest school report, the reference from the current school and the taster day feedback. Families who want specifics on content can ask the Admissions Team on 01223 471703 or at admissions@sanctonwood.co.uk.
11+ tutors
Hannah
Master TutorI am a UK-qualified teacher with 15+ years across private and state schools in the UK and abroad, and hold a BSc from LSE and a PGCE with QTS. I teach English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, 11+ and Common Entrance preparation. My approach is personalised, confidence-building and rigorous.
Enquire about this tutor
Sochima
Master TutorI'm a qualified teacher in a London classroom every day, with a BSc in Computer Science from Brunel and a PGCE with QTS. I teach Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Computer Science to A-Level, plus 11+ preparation, through project-based work that suits SEND learners well.
Enquire about this tutor
Robert
Master TutorI am a qualified teacher with over twenty years' experience in the UK, Gulf and New Zealand, holding an MA in History and PGCE. I teach English, History, Geography and French from KS2 to A-Level and IB, preparing 11+/13+ candidates. My approach is student-led, focused and diagnostic.
Enquire about this tutorRegistration and the admissions timeline
Registration happens online, with no fixed closing date, because places are allocated on a rolling basis once an application is complete. The school suggests applying early, aims to be in touch within five working days of an application during term time, and usually gives a decision five to seven working days after the taster day.
- Enquiry: contact the Registrar through the enquiry form, by phone or by email
- First visit: an Open Morning or a private tour during the school week
- Application: complete the online form, upload the photo page of the passport and the latest school report, give permission to contact the current school, and pay the non-refundable registration fee
- Availability check: the school confirms a place or a waiting list
- Assessment: an invitation to the assessment session follows
- References and reports: requested from the current school
- Taster day: two days for the Prep School, one day for the Senior School
- Decision and offer: an offer letter and acceptance contract are issued
- Holding fee: invoiced after acceptance and refunded when the pupil leaves, provided notice was given and no fees remain unpaid
Interviews, taster days and references
Every applicant is interviewed briefly during the taster day, where the Head of the Prep School or Senior School speaks with the child. The taster day lasts two days in the Prep School and one day in the Senior School, and a buddy is chosen to help the child settle in.
Afterwards the Head of School reviews the taster day feedback, the school reports and the references before the admissions decision is made. Parents give permission for the school to contact the current school, and are asked to declare any special educational needs or disabilities and upload relevant documentation, so that the school can plan support from the start.
Scholarships and bursaries
Scholarships are offered at three entry points: an academic scholarship for Year 3 (7+), and awards for Year 7 (11+) and Year 9 (13+) in literary, sporting achievement, creative arts (art, music and drama), STEM, humanities and languages. They are open to internal and external candidates, and applications usually open in September and close in January of the year before entry.
Applicants submit an online form and a portfolio of evidence such as certificates, reports, references, recordings or work samples, plus a personal statement of about 300 words for 11+ and 13+. External candidates also register and pay the registration fee. A Scholarship Interview Day follows, and offers are made after it.
The Principal and Ambassadors scholarship reduces fees by 10%, and all other scholarships reduce fees by 5%. A pupil may apply in several categories, up to a maximum of two applications, and can hold no more than two awards. Benefits include a free Summer School course, an academic mentor and membership of the Dukes' Scholars programme. The scholarship pages read give no information on bursaries, so families needing financial support should ask the Admissions Team directly.
Fees and what they include
Fees are charged per term and differ by year group band: Reception to Year 2, Years 3 to 6, and Years 7 to 11, with the amounts shown on the fees page and in the key facts above. Stated amounts include VAT, and the fees cover hot lunches five days a week plus a mid-morning snack.
Most extra-curricular clubs are free. EAL support is an extra charge for one weekly session. Fees are due by direct debit on the first day of term, and bank transfer or cheque is also accepted. Withdrawing a child needs one full term's notice in writing, or fees in lieu of notice, and a change of days needs a term's notice. Nurseries accept the Government 15 and 30 hours funding for eligible children.
Where pupils join from and move on to
Sancton Wood has its own Nursery, Prep School and Senior School, and the move from Prep to Senior is built up gradually from Year 5. Some senior teachers teach in the Prep School, Year 6 pupils can join Senior clubs on Wednesday afternoons, and Transition Days include lunch and sport with Year 7. Being part of Dukes Education, the school welcomes pupils from other Dukes nurseries, prep schools and senior schools; it names no other feeder schools.
The school's pupils are aged up to sixteen. In Years 10 and 11 the school works with students on which sixth form suits them, runs a careers programme and holds an A-Level transition event with local providers and former students.
How to prepare
Preparation is best tied to the stages the school actually uses: the assessment session, the reports and the taster day. Since the assessment content is not published, the most useful step is to ask the Admissions Team what the session covers for your child's year group, then practise the core skills of reading, writing and number work in ordinary school-level terms.
Book an Open Morning or a private tour before applying, so that your child has seen the Prep or Senior School before the taster day. Have the latest school report, the passport photo page and any special educational needs documentation ready for the online form. Explaining the taster day as a chance to spend time with peers and meet the academic team tends to keep it relaxed.
Related guides
- Best private schools in Cambridgeshire
- Independent school fees compared
- The Perse School (11+)
- The Stephen Perse Foundation (11+)
- King's Ely (13+)
- Kimbolton School (11+)
- The ISEB Common Pre-Test explained
- 13+ Common Entrance explained
- The 11+ entrance exam explained
- The 7+ entrance exam explained
- 11+ and 13+ scholarship exams explained
- What is a bursary? Private school bursaries explained
Preparing for the Sancton Wood School 11+ with Taylor Tuition
Families preparing for the Sancton Wood School 11+ usually come to us a year or so before the assessment, though shorter runs work where the foundations are already sound. Having prepared pupils for entry to leading independent and grammar schools, with placements including Westminster, St Paul's, Wycombe Abbey and Eton, our tutors build each programme around the format the school actually uses, whether a written paper, an online pre-test, an interview or a combination of them.
More than half of our tutors hold Qualified Teacher Status and around three in five hold a master's degree or doctorate, and the pool includes former heads of department, exam-board examiners and teachers from independent and boarding schools, so the preparation is led by people who know how selective schools assess. 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.
Read more about our 11+ entrance exam tutors, or send an enquiry and we will come back with tutor recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
- How do you apply to Sancton Wood School?
- Contact the Registrar through the enquiry form or on 01223 471703, visit on an Open Morning or private tour, then complete the online application with the latest school report, passport photo page and permission to contact the current school. The registration fee is non-refundable. The school then confirms a place or a waiting list.
- Is there an entrance exam for Sancton Wood School?
- Children from Year 3 upwards are invited to an assessment session set by the school. Its subjects, length and test provider are not stated on the school's pages. The school also uses a taster day with a short interview, school reports and references before deciding.
- How much are Sancton Wood School fees?
- Fees are charged per term in three bands: Reception to Year 2, Years 3 to 6, and Years 7 to 11. They include VAT, hot lunches and a mid-morning snack. The amounts for each academic year are published on the school's fees page and in the key facts on this page.
- Does Sancton Wood School offer scholarships?
- Yes, at Year 3, Year 7 and Year 9, for internal and external candidates. Year 3 is academic; Years 7 and 9 cover literary, sporting, creative arts, STEM, humanities and languages. Awards reduce fees by 5% or 10%, and a pupil can hold up to two awards.
- Is there a registration deadline for Sancton Wood School?
- The pages read give no fixed deadline for general admission. Places are allocated on a rolling basis once applications are complete, so the school encourages early applications. Scholarship applications have their own opening and closing dates, listed in the key facts.
- Does Sancton Wood School have a sixth form?
- The school's pages describe pupils aged one to sixteen and the apply page covers Nursery to Year 11. Its admissions page mentions guaranteed Year 12 entry within Dukes Education. In Years 10 and 11 the school helps pupils choose a sixth form and holds an A-Level transition event.
Enquire about 11+ preparation
Start your enquiryHow Taylor Tuition can help
Expert, one-to-one support from specialist tutors.
Editorial Notice
We use automated research tools to help collate and maintain information across our website. While each post is reviewed before publication, some details may be incomplete or inaccurate.
Free 11+ familiarisation pack
English, Maths, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with mark schemes.
Taylor Tuition
Educational Consultancy
Contributing expert insights on education, exam preparation, and effective learning strategies to help students reach their full potential.