Key Facts
| School type | Independent day and boarding, co-educational, 11 to 18 |
|---|---|
| Location | Cambridge, Cambridgeshire |
| Entry points | 11+ (Year 7), 13+ (Year 9), 16+ (Sixth Form) |
| Assessment | Online Quest assessment (English, mathematics, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, puzzles and problem solving, creative comprehension) plus an on-site interview and group activity day and a current-school report |
| Test provider | Quest |
| Day fees (2026/27) | £8,547 per term (Years 7 and 8) |
| Assessment date | Early January 2027 (for September 2027 entry) |
Figures correct at the time of writing — always confirm current fees and deadlines with the school directly.
Entry to The Leys School at 11+ depends on performance in the school's own online entrance assessment, sat in January of Year 6, together with a supporting report from the child's current school and, for strong candidates, an interview. Registration opens well before the assessment date, and the school offers day places only at this entry point, as Year 7 admission is moving onto a neighbouring site as part of a merger with St Faith's, Cambridge.
The assessment is delivered online by Quest and covers English, mathematics, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, puzzles and creative comprehension, alongside an on-site day of interviews and group activities. Year 7 is one of three entry points to the school, alongside Year 9 (13+) and Sixth Form (16+), the points at which The Leys awards its academic and other scholarships.
How entry to Year 7 works
Year 7 (11+) is one of three points at which the school admits pupils, alongside Year 9 (13+) and Sixth Form (16+). At Year 7, only day places are offered, reflecting the school's admissions arrangements arising from its merger with a neighbouring school. Families complete the application form first, after which the school requests a report from the child's current school and invites successful applicants to an assessment day.
How the Year 7 entrance assessment is structured
The entrance assessment is an online test delivered by the provider Quest and takes 105 minutes in total, sat alongside an on-site day of interviews and group activities.
A report from the child's current school is requested as part of the process, and the school states that children are not expected to prepare formally for the test.
- English: 30 minutes, non-adaptive
- Mathematics: 20 minutes, adaptive
- Verbal reasoning: 10 minutes, adaptive
- Non-verbal reasoning: 10 minutes, adaptive
- Puzzles and problem solving: 15 minutes, non-adaptive
- Creative comprehension: 20 minutes, non-adaptive
Registration, assessment and offers: the process in order
Registration for Year 7 runs through several stages before a place is confirmed.
- Complete the Year 7 application form
- School report requested from the child's current school
- On-site assessment day: online Quest test, interviews and group activities
- Scholarship interviews for invited candidates
- Offers made to successful candidates
- Deadline to accept a place
- Further offers made to late applicants
- New joiner information sent and a move-up morning held before term starts
Changes to Year 7 entry and boarding availability
The Leys is merging with St Faith's, Cambridge to form a single all-through school, and Year 7 admissions are changing as a result. From a stated future point, Year 7 pupils will be based at the Middle School on the current St Faith's site, moving away from the main Leys site, and boarding will no longer be offered to pupils joining in Year 7. The school's admissions pages set out the exact position for the entry year in question, so families should check these directly given the transition is under way.
How scholarships are awarded at 11+
There is no separate scholarship application at Year 7; instead, candidates who perform well in the entrance tests and receive a strong recommendation from their current head are invited to a further round of interviews with the Head, the Head of Mathematics and the Head of English. Academic performance is the main consideration, though the Head may also take into account ability in art, music, drama, sport or technology. Every candidate invited to this second round is guaranteed a place in Year 7 regardless of whether a scholarship follows.
Bursaries and financial assistance
The school offers means-tested bursaries, awarded as a discount on fees, with the value set according to a family's financial and other circumstances since no fixed percentage is published. Parents wishing to apply for a bursary must do so before their child sits the entrance assessment, and the school publishes a specific deadline each year for bursary applications covering Years 7 to 10. Additional funded places are available through the Gift of Education programme, run with the Royal National Children's SpringBoard Foundation, for disadvantaged or vulnerable pupils.
How to prepare for the assessment
The school states that children are not expected to prepare formally for the Quest assessment, and recommends only a short familiarisation exercise on the provider's website so the format is not a surprise on the day. Since the test covers reasoning, puzzles and creative comprehension as well as English and mathematics, calm practice across a range of question types tends to help more than heavy drilling on any single subject. The interview and group activity day rewards children who can talk about their interests and work comfortably alongside peers they have not met before.
Related guides
Preparing for the Leys School 11+ with Taylor Tuition
Preparation for the Leys School 11+ tends to go best when it starts early and stays steady, and most families who work with us begin between twelve and eighteen months out. Our tutors, who have prepared pupils for entry to leading independent and grammar schools including Westminster, St Paul's, Wycombe Abbey and Eton, plan the work backwards from the school's own assessment format and registration deadline.
The tutors we match to 11+ preparation are drawn from a pool in which more than half hold Qualified Teacher Status, around three in five hold a master's degree or doctorate, and which includes former heads of department, exam-board examiners and teachers from independent and boarding schools. 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 Year 7 (11+) entrance assessment involve?
- Candidates sit an online assessment delivered by Quest, lasting 105 minutes in total and covering English, mathematics, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, puzzles and problem solving, and creative comprehension. On the same visit, candidates take part in interviews and group activities, and the school requests a report from the child's current school as part of its decision.
- Is there an interview as well as the online test?
- Yes. All candidates attend an on-site assessment day that includes interviews and group activities alongside the online Quest test. Candidates who perform strongly in the test and receive a strong recommendation from their current head may also be invited to a further scholarship interview with the Head, the Head of Mathematics and the Head of English.
- How are scholarships decided at Year 7?
- There is no separate scholarship application. Strong performers in the entrance tests, backed by a supporting recommendation from their current head, are invited to interviews with senior staff, where academic performance is the main consideration alongside ability in art, music, drama, sport or technology. Every candidate invited to this stage is guaranteed a Year 7 place whether or not a scholarship is awarded.
- Can we apply for a bursary for Year 7 entry?
- Yes, the school offers means-tested bursaries as a discount on fees, with the value set according to individual financial and other circumstances. Parents must apply for a bursary before their child sits the entrance assessment, and the school publishes a specific deadline each year for bursary applications covering Years 7 to 10.
- Is boarding available for children joining in Year 7?
- Boarding is not offered to pupils joining the school in Year 7 under the current admissions arrangements, with day places only available at this entry point. This reflects a wider change to Year 7 admissions as the school merges with a neighbouring school; boarding remains available for pupils joining at later entry points.
- How is my child's current school involved in the application?
- The school requests a report from the child's current school as part of the admissions process, alongside the entrance assessment and, for many candidates, an interview or group activity day. This report is considered together with test performance and interview impressions when offers are made.
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.