Key Facts
| School type | Independent day and boarding school, co-educational, ages 11 to 18 (day only at 11+ entry into Year 7, as the Lower School offers no boarding places) |
|---|---|
| Location | Sevenoaks, Kent |
| Entry points | 11+ (Year 7), 13+ (Year 9), 16+ (Year 12) |
| Assessment | ISEB online pre-test (or a Kent Test/other grammar school test score as an alternative), written Maths and English papers, a 40-minute group discussion activity, and a reference from the candidate's current school |
| Test provider | ISEB (online pre-test); a Kent Test or another grammar school test score is accepted as an alternative where a candidate's school does not offer the ISEB |
| Day fees (2026/27) | £12,514 per term (Lower and Middle School day fee, including VAT) |
| Registration deadline | 21 September 2026 (for Year 7 entry in September 2027) |
| Assessment date | 5 January 2027 (Year 7 2027 entrance assessment day at Sevenoaks) |
Figures correct at the time of writing — always confirm current fees and deadlines with the school directly.
Entry to Sevenoaks School at 11+ runs through a two-stage assessment: a pre-test in the autumn of Year 6, usually the ISEB online pre-test, followed for most candidates by an assessment day at the school in January involving written Maths and English papers and a group discussion. The school weighs the pre-test result alongside a candidate's current school report, reference and co-curricular interests, admitting around eighty day pupils into Year 7 each year, since the Lower School does not offer boarding places.
Families apply well ahead of entry, with registration closing in the early autumn of the year before admission; the school publishes its exact assessment and results dates on its admissions pages nearer the time.
How entry works at 11+
Entry to Sevenoaks School at Year 7 follows a two-stage assessment process, admitting around eighty children each year as day pupils, since the Lower School does not offer boarding places. Registration opens well ahead of entry and closes in the early autumn of the year before, with families encouraged to visit the school beforehand through open mornings or group visits. The admissions process draws on the pre-test result, the candidate's current school report and reference, and the co-curricular information parents provide.
How the 11+ assessment works
The first stage is a pre-test taken in the autumn of Year 6, usually the ISEB online pre-test where a candidate's current school offers it; families whose school does not offer the ISEB may submit a Kent Test score or another grammar school test result instead. Most candidates then progress to a second-stage assessment day at Sevenoaks in early January, sitting written papers in Maths and English and taking part in a forty-minute group discussion activity led by Sevenoaks teachers, alongside a confidential reference requested from the candidate's current school. The school says it can accommodate candidates who qualify for Access Arrangements, and is willing to arrange overseas testing for international candidates.
Registering and applying for Year 7 at Sevenoaks
Applying to Sevenoaks for Year 7 follows a set sequence, beginning with a visit to the school and ending with acceptance of a place. The school weighs the pre-test result alongside the current school's report and reference, and the co-curricular information parents provide; a single test score does not decide the outcome alone.
- Visit: attend an open morning or group visit, or arrange an individual meeting with the Admissions team
- Application: complete the online application form and pay the registration fee ahead of the published deadline
- Confirmation: between the summer and early autumn before entry, confirm intent to proceed and provide co-curricular, medical and learning-support information; apply for a means-tested bursary at this stage if eligible
- Scholarships: apply for a Music Scholarship at the confirmation stage; Academic Scholarships are assessed automatically from entrance exam and group discussion performance
- Assessment: complete the pre-test, then, for most candidates, the assessment day at Sevenoaks
- Results: offers, including scholarships, are sent by email; some candidates are placed in a reserve pool, which is not ranked.
- Acceptance: confirm the place with a deposit and a completed Acceptance Form by the deadline given in the offer letter
Scholarships and bursaries at the school
Sevenoaks describes its academic and co-curricular scholarships as honorary: scholars receive recognition and specialist guidance, and the awards carry no discount on fees, except free tuition in one instrument for music scholars. Academic Scholarships are available at every entry point, awarded on performance in the entrance exams and group discussion together with the school reference; Music Scholarships are open to external candidates at all entry points, while art, drama and sport scholarships are offered only from 13+ entry.
Fee discounts instead come through the school's means-tested bursary programme, open to day pupils joining at 11+, 13+ or 16+ who pass the entrance assessments and live within a reasonable daily commute of the school. A Financial Assistance Panel reviews each family's circumstances, informed by an independent assessor, and can award a discount spanning a small proportion of fees up to the full amount, plus an allowance for costs such as trips and equipment.
Preparing for the Sevenoaks 11+ assessment
Because the process runs in two stages, preparation usefully splits in two as well: familiarisation with the ISEB online pre-test format, or with the Kent Test or another grammar school test for those taking it instead, followed by practice for the written Maths and English papers set on the assessment day. Sevenoaks publishes past Maths and English papers, a list of topics that may be tested in Maths, and an example mark scheme, which families can use to gauge the standard expected. The group discussion is not something to rehearse with set answers; children tend to benefit simply from practising talking and listening confidently in a small group.
After the assessment: results, the reserve pool and accepting a place
Offers, including scholarship offers, are sent by email, with some candidates placed in what the school calls a reserve pool, an unranked list; further places can be released once grammar school allocations elsewhere are announced. Families who accept a place do so by paying a deposit and returning a signed Acceptance Form by the date given in the offer letter, and those who decide not to take up a place are asked to let the school know promptly so it can be offered to another reserve candidate.
Successful applicants are also invited to a post-offer taster day at the school, which the school says helps families reach a final decision, though those who have already accepted a place are equally welcome to attend and enjoy the day.
Related guides
Preparing for the Sevenoaks School 11+ with Taylor Tuition
Families preparing for the Sevenoaks 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 in Kent 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 test do candidates take for Sevenoaks School's 11+ entry?
- Most candidates sit the ISEB online pre-test in the autumn of Year 6; where a candidate's school does not offer the ISEB, a Kent Test score or another grammar school test result can be submitted instead. Most candidates then progress to a second-stage assessment day at Sevenoaks in January, involving written Maths and English papers and a forty-minute group discussion activity.
- How many places does Sevenoaks offer at 11+?
- Sevenoaks admits around eighty children into Year 7 each year, all as day pupils, since the Lower School does not offer boarding places. Entry is also possible at 13+ (Year 9) and 16+ (Year 12), where boarding places are available.
- Do Sevenoaks scholarships reduce the fees?
- No. Sevenoaks describes its academic and co-curricular scholarships as honorary: they carry recognition and specialist guidance, with no fee reduction, except that Music Scholars receive free tuition in one instrument. Families seeking help with fees are directed instead to the school's means-tested bursary programme.
- How does Sevenoaks assess bursary eligibility?
- Eligibility is based on combined household income and other circumstances, reviewed by a Financial Assistance Panel after an independent assessor visits the family at home or conducts an online interview. Awards can range from a small discount up to the full fee, plus an allowance for costs such as trips and equipment; bursaries are only available to day pupils within a reasonable commute of the school.
- What happens if my child isn't offered a place straight away?
- Some candidates who do well in the assessments are placed in what Sevenoaks calls a reserve pool, an unranked list. Further places can become available in early March, once grammar school allocations elsewhere have been announced, and the school offers them to the most suitable candidate in the pool.
- Can international candidates sit the Sevenoaks 11+ assessment overseas?
- Yes. Sevenoaks says it is happy to consider testing overseas where necessary for international candidates, and families are asked to email the Registrar to discuss the options available. The school also states it can accommodate candidates who qualify for Access Arrangements as part of the same assessment process.
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