Key Facts
| School type | Independent day school, co-educational, ages 2 to 19 |
|---|---|
| Location | Wrenthorpe, Wakefield, West Yorkshire |
| Entry points | 2+ (Pre-School), 4+ (Reception, Junior School), 11+ (Year 7, Senior School), 16+ (Sixth Form) |
| Assessment | Maths, English, and Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning papers sat in school, alongside a reference from the child's current school |
| Day fees (2026-27) | £7,245 per term (Senior School, including VAT) |
| Assessment date | Friday 13 November (Year 7 Entrance Assessment Day, for September 2027 entry) |
Figures correct at the time of writing — always confirm current fees and deadlines with the school directly.
Getting into Silcoates School at 11+ means registering for Year 7 entry and sitting a formal entrance assessment in Maths, English, and Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, taken in school alongside a reference from the child's current school. The assessment day also includes an afternoon of activities and a chance to meet the Head and Heads of School, and candidates who register are considered whether they are already at Silcoates Junior School or joining from another school.
Silcoates is a co-educational day school in Wrenthorpe, near Wakefield, taking pupils from Pre-School through to Sixth Form. Year 7 is the main entry point at which the school assesses applicants formally, with scholarships and means-tested bursaries also available to help with the cost of a place.
How entry works at the school
Silcoates admits pupils from Pre-School through to Sixth Form, with Year 7 acting as the main entry point at which the school runs a formal assessed admissions process. Both children already at Silcoates Junior School and those applying from other primary or prep schools follow the same Year 7 route, sitting the same entrance assessment and going through the same registration steps.
The school operates as a day school across all its sections, having previously offered boarding, so families are not choosing between day and boarding places at 11+.
How the 11+ entrance assessment works
The Year 7 entrance assessment is completed in school and covers Maths, English, and Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Alongside the papers, the school asks for a report from the child's current school, which forms part of the overall picture of the candidate.
The assessment day is not limited to testing: it includes a timetable of activities during the afternoon and gives candidates the opportunity to meet the Head and the Heads of School. This is intended to give families and children a fuller sense of the school on the same visit as the exam itself.
- Maths
- English
- Verbal Reasoning
- Non-Verbal Reasoning
Registering and the admissions process, step by step
Families begin with an enquiry to the Admissions team, by form, email or phone, followed by a school visit during a normal working day so parents can see lessons in action. Candidates joining in Year 6 or above are invited to meet the Head and the Head of Junior School as part of this stage.
Formal registration follows, using a Registration Form together with a non-refundable registration fee. Registered candidates are then invited to a taster day, where they experience lessons with their prospective class and are paired with a buddy pupil, before sitting the entrance assessment itself.
- Enquiry and initial contact with Admissions
- School visit or tour
- Registration Form and registration fee
- Taster day with a buddy pupil
- Year 7 entrance assessment
What happens after the assessment
Families receive a formal written offer following the entrance assessment. A place is secured by paying a refundable deposit on acceptance.
Once a place is accepted, the school sends a joining pack with transition information, and a teacher makes contact with the family within the first school days after acceptance to begin settling the child in ahead of starting.
Scholarships and bursaries
Silcoates awards a limited number of scholarships each year to pupils entering Year 7, open to both Junior School pupils and external candidates, across Academic, Music and Sport categories. Academic scholarships are based on attainment in the entrance assessment, a school reference and an interview with the Head, with remission of up to 20 percent of fees. Music scholarships require a minimum standard on the candidate's main instrument, an audition and an interview with the Director of Music, and Sport scholarships require trials and interviews in named sports; both carry remission of up to 10 percent alongside additional support such as instrumental tuition or specialist coaching.
Bursaries sit alongside scholarships and are means-tested, not merit-based; families complete a Statement of Financial Circumstances form and awards are reviewed annually. The school notes that bursary funding comes from fee income, with no endowment behind it, so awards are set with an eye to keeping fees affordable for all families while still widening access.
How to prepare for the assessment
Because the entrance assessment covers Maths, English, and both Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, familiarity with all four areas helps a child approach the day calmly and avoids the shock of an unfamiliar question type. The current-school reference also carries weight, so keeping the child's own teacher informed that an application is underway is worthwhile.
The taster day before the assessment gives a child a chance to experience a Silcoates classroom and meet a buddy pupil beforehand, which can settle nerves ahead of the formal test. Seeing the visit and the assessment as connected parts of the same process, with the exam kept in that wider context, tends to help families keep the day in perspective.
Related guides
Preparing for the Silcoates School 11+ with Taylor Tuition
Families preparing for the Silcoates 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
- Is Silcoates School selective at 11+?
- Entry to Year 7 requires a formal entrance assessment in Maths, English, and Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, sat in school, together with a reference from the child's current school. Earlier entry points into Pre-School and the Junior School do not carry the same formal assessment. Both current Junior School pupils and children from other schools apply through the same Year 7 process.
- What does the Silcoates 11+ entrance exam cover?
- The assessment covers Maths, English, and Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, all completed during a single assessment day in school. The day also includes a timetable of activities in the afternoon and a chance for candidates to meet the Head and Heads of School. A report from the child's current school is submitted alongside registration.
- Does Silcoates School offer boarding?
- No; Silcoates operates as a day school across Pre-School, Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form. It was previously a boarding school but no longer offers boarding places.
- How are scholarships awarded at Silcoates for Year 7 entry?
- Academic scholarships are awarded on attainment in the Year 7 entrance assessment, a current-school reference and an interview with the Head, with remission of up to 20 percent of fees. Music scholarships require a minimum standard on the candidate's main instrument plus an audition and interview, and Sport scholarships require trials and interviews in named sports; both carry remission of up to 10 percent.
- Are bursaries available at Silcoates School?
- Yes. Bursaries are means-tested, awarded on completion of a Statement of Financial Circumstances form, and can cover up to 100 percent of fees depending on family circumstances. Awards are reviewed annually and can change if circumstances change, following consultation with parents.
- Can children from other schools apply for Year 7 at Silcoates?
- Yes. The Year 7 entrance assessment is open to both current Silcoates Junior School pupils and external candidates applying from other primary or prep schools, and both groups follow the same registration and assessment process.
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