Key Facts
| School type | Independent day school, girls, ages 3 to 18 |
|---|---|
| Location | Reading, Berkshire |
| Entry points | Year 7 (11+) is the main senior-school entry point; girls can also join from Reception to Year 6 in the Junior School and at Year 12 into the Sixth Form, with deferred entry to Year 9 considered at the Head's discretion |
| Assessment | School-set English, mathematics and reasoning papers, an age-appropriate interview chat, and a reference from the candidate's current school |
| Test provider | School's own papers, no external test provider |
| Day fees (2026-2027) | £8,775 per term for Year 7 (Upper III), plus a compulsory termly lunch charge of £395 |
| Registration deadline | Friday 23 October |
| Assessment date | Monday 2 November |
Figures correct at the time of writing — always confirm current fees and deadlines with the school directly.
Entry to The Abbey School at 11+ means registering for Year 7, sitting the school's own English, mathematics and reasoning papers, attending an interview, and having your daughter's current school send in a reference before offers are made. The Abbey is an independent day school for girls in Reading, Berkshire, and describes Year 7 entry as heavily oversubscribed; it does not publish a fixed number of places or forms of entry on its admissions pages.
Girls can also join in the Junior School from Reception to Year 6, or in the Sixth Form at Year 12, and deferred entry to Year 9 is considered at the Head's discretion. The steps below set out how the 11+ process runs, what the assessment covers, and how scholarships and bursaries work for families applying at Year 7.
How entry to Year 7 works
The Abbey admits girls into Year 7 as its main senior-school entry point, alongside entry from Reception through Year 6 in the Junior School and at Year 12 into the Sixth Form; deferred entry to Year 9 is considered at the Head's discretion. The school describes Year 7 entry as heavily oversubscribed and does not publish the number of places or forms of entry on its admissions pages. Families begin with an enquiry, a school visit or open event, then formal registration before assessment.
How the 11+ assessment works
The entrance assessment for Year 7 is set entirely by the school, with no external test provider involved, and comprises three papers: an English paper of 45 minutes covering composition and comprehension, a mathematics paper of 45 minutes, and a reasoning paper of 45 minutes covering verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Alongside the written papers, candidates take part in what the school calls an age-appropriate chat about their interests. The school states that the assessment is designed to evaluate potential, without regard to prior knowledge or exam technique.
- English: 45 minutes, composition and comprehension
- Mathematics: 45 minutes
- Reasoning: 45 minutes, verbal and non-verbal
The interview and reference from your daughter's current school
Every Year 7 candidate takes part in an interview as part of the admissions process, alongside the written assessment. The Abbey also contacts the candidate's current school for a reference ahead of the entrance exam, and interview performance and the school reference are weighed alongside test results, with applicants not ranked purely on marks. Admissions decisions consider a candidate's talents and interests alongside her academic results.
Registration, assessment and offers: what happens and when
Families register online and pay a non-refundable registration fee, with international applicants paying a higher fee. Registration closes in the autumn term before entry, with the entrance assessment following shortly after and offers issued in early December; the school publishes exact dates on its admissions pages each cycle. Families accepting a place sign a parent contract and pay a non-refundable deposit, part of which is later credited against the first term's fees and part refunded when the pupil eventually leaves.
- Register online and pay the registration fee
- Sit the English, mathematics and reasoning papers, plus the interview and an age-appropriate chat
- Current school sends a reference ahead of the assessment
- Offer issued, followed by a signed parent contract and deposit
Scholarships and bursaries for Year 7 entry
The Abbey School offers Academic Scholarships at Year 7 entry, worth a percentage discount on fees that can increase for strong performance in the entrance assessments; awards are confirmed in the offer letter and normally continue throughout a scholar's time at the school. Specialist scholarships in art, drama, music and sport are assessed separately through auditions, portfolios or performances, with candidates who qualify in more than one discipline receiving the award in their strongest area.
Means-tested bursaries are available for Senior School entry; the school assesses parental income and assets, and among families who qualify financially, academic potential is the overriding factor. Bursaries are not offered at Junior School level, are reviewed annually, and enquiries should go to the Head of Finance and Resources.
How to prepare for the 11+ assessment
The school states that no specific preparation is required for its entrance papers and that it does not supply past papers, since the assessment aims to test potential. Parents can still help their daughter grow familiar with the format she will meet: a timed comprehension and composition paper, an arithmetic and problem-solving paper, and a combined verbal and non-verbal reasoning paper, each lasting around 45 minutes. Interview performance and the reference from her current school also count, so encouraging her to talk confidently about her interests and to read regularly for pleasure can matter alongside exam technique.
Related guides
Preparing for the Abbey School 11+ with Taylor Tuition
The Abbey 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 Abbey School's 11+ entrance exam involve?
- Candidates sit three papers set by the school itself: a 45-minute English paper covering composition and comprehension, a 45-minute mathematics paper, and a 45-minute reasoning paper covering verbal and non-verbal reasoning. Candidates also take part in an age-appropriate chat about their interests, and every applicant is interviewed as part of the process.
- Does the school provide past papers for the 11+ exam?
- No. The school states that no specific preparation is required and that it does not supply past papers, saying the assessment is designed to test potential. Interview performance and a reference from the candidate's current school are also considered alongside the English, mathematics and reasoning papers, so admissions decisions are not based on test scores alone.
- Is there an interview for Year 7 entry?
- Yes. Every candidate for Year 7 entry attends an interview, and the school also contacts the candidate's current school for a reference ahead of the entrance exam. The school weighs interview performance and the reference alongside the written papers.
- How does a parent register their daughter for Year 7 entry?
- Registration is completed online through a registration form, with a non-refundable registration fee for UK applicants and a higher fee for overseas applicants. Registration takes place in the autumn term before entry, ahead of the entrance assessment, and the school publishes exact dates on its admissions pages each cycle.
- Are scholarships available at 11+ entry?
- Yes. Academic Scholarships are awarded to Year 7 candidates based on performance across the entrance assessments, worth a percentage discount on fees that can increase for strong performance, and confirmed in the offer letter. Specialist scholarships in art, drama, music and sport are assessed separately through auditions, portfolios or performances.
- How are bursaries assessed for Senior School entry?
- Bursaries for Senior School entry are means-tested, with the school assessing parental income and assets; among families who qualify financially, academic potential is the overriding factor. Bursaries are not available at Junior School level, are reviewed annually, and enquiries should be directed to the Head of Finance and Resources.
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