Key Facts
| School type | Independent day school, girls, 4 to 18 (Pre-Prep, Junior, Senior and Sixth Form) |
|---|---|
| Location | Exeter, Devon |
| Entry points | 7+, 10+, 11+, 13+, 16+ |
| Assessment | Entrance assessment covering English, English comprehension, Mathematics, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, and creative writing, sat in a group assessment day or individually |
| Test provider | Not named by the school; practice assessments are linked from the admissions page and hosted on Quest Assessments |
| Day fees (2026-2027) | £7,475 per term including VAT (Senior School and Sixth Form, Years 6 to 13); £6,254 per term for Junior School (Years 3 to 5) |
| Scholarships and bursaries | Academic, art, drama, music, sport scholarships at 11+, 13+, 16+; means-tested bursaries up to 45% of fees |
| A level average point score per entry (DfE, 2024/25) | 47.94 (average grade A-) |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly. Compare fees at other independent schools.
You get into The Maynard School by registering, attending a taster day and sitting an entrance assessment, with the main intake at 11+ into Year 7 and further large intakes at 13+ into Year 9. The 11+ assessment covers English, English comprehension, mathematics, verbal and non-verbal reasoning and creative writing, whilst the 13+ assessment adds a science paper and replaces the comprehension strand with creative writing and comprehension together.
Girls also join the Junior School from Year 3 through a reading assessment and written papers, join the Sixth Form by interview and conditional offer, and may join mid-year where a place is free. The school does not publish a test provider for its live papers, and it advises that extra coaching is not necessary for the junior assessments.
| Entry point | Year group | Assessment | Interview | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7+ | Year 3 | Junior School assessment: individual reading assessment with a prose passage and comprehension questions, then written English, Mathematics and Non-Verbal Reasoning; the same format applies to Years 4 and 5 | Taster session to meet peers, which can be combined with the formal assessment | Not published |
| 10+ | Year 6 | Junior School assessment in a format similar to the Senior School assessments | Taster session, which can be combined with the assessment | Not published |
| 11+ | Year 7 | Entrance assessment covering English, English comprehension, Mathematics, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, and creative writing, sat in a group assessment day or individually | Taster day, with the option of meeting the Head; references requested after registration | Many girls join at this point; number of places not published |
| 13+ | Year 9 | Entrance assessment covering English, Mathematics, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, creative writing and comprehension, and Science, sat in a group assessment day or individually | Taster day, with the option of meeting the Head; references requested after registration | Many girls join at this point; number of places not published |
| 16+ | Year 12 (Lower Sixth) | No written test listed; interview with a 10-minute academic presentation, latest report, reference and predicted GCSE grades, then a conditional offer | Interview with the Head, the Director of the Sixth Form and relevant Heads of Department | Number of places not published |
Entry points and places
Girls can join at Reception, in Years 3 to 6 for the Junior School, in Year 7 at 11+, in Year 9 at 13+, in Lower Sixth or Upper Sixth, and mid-year in any year group where a place is available. The school describes Year 7 and Year 9 as the points at which many students join each year.
The admissions pages do not publish a number of places or forms of entry for any year group, so the Registrar is the person to ask about availability. Pre-Prep is described as having small class sizes, again without a figure.
- Pre-Prep: Reception to Year 2, by taster session and offer
- Junior School: Years 3 to 6, by formal assessment
- Senior School: Year 7 (11+) and Year 9 (13+), by entrance assessment
- Sixth Form: Years 12 and 13, by interview and conditional offer
- Mid-year: any year group, subject to availability
How the 11+ assessment works
The 11+ assessment for Year 7 entry consists of papers in English, English comprehension, mathematics, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, and creative writing. The mathematics is based on the National Curriculum, so it follows what girls are already taught in primary school.
The school runs a group Entrance Assessment Day every January, and a girl who cannot attend can book an individual assessment at another time. Neither the length of each paper nor the company that provides the live tests is stated on the admissions pages, so those details are worth confirming with the admissions team when registering.
Practice assessments are linked from the admissions page and are hosted on Quest Assessments.
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.
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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.
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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 tutorHow the 13+ assessment works
The 13+ assessment for Year 9 entry covers English, mathematics, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, creative writing and comprehension, and science. The comprehension strand involves reading and analysing written sources and graphs on a theme, and the mathematics and science are based on the National Curriculum.
Registration and the assessment follow the same sequence as at 11+, with a taster day beforehand and a group Entrance Assessment Day every January or an individual sitting at other times. The pages describe a single school assessment and do not mention a pre-test in Year 6 or Year 7, Common Entrance or conditional offers at this age.
Registration and the admissions timeline
The Senior School process runs in seven steps, and the Junior School and Pre-Prep follow a similar order with a taster session in place of the full assessment. A published registration deadline for 11+ or 13+ entry was not given on the pages, so families are best placed to ask Admissions on 01392 355998 which sitting a given registration will join.
Registration is completed online after reading the Registration Form Declaration, with proof of address, two forms of ID for each parent or guardian, a recent photograph and the girl's birth certificate to hand. A non-refundable registration fee is payable on completing the form.
- Enquire, after which the Registrar calls to arrange a visit
- Visit an Open Event or arrange a bespoke visit, with the option of meeting the Head
- Attend a taster day
- Register using the Registration Form; references are requested and the assessment is booked
- Sit the entrance assessment
- Receive the offer by phone or in writing
- Accept by signing the Acceptance Form after reading the Terms and Conditions booklet, and pay the acceptance fee that secures the place
Interviews, references and sixth form entry
Sixth Form entry is by interview, reference, latest school report and predicted GCSE grades, and the pages list no written entrance test. The candidate brings a CV and a short personal statement, gives a 10-minute presentation on an academic topic, and talks with the Head, the Director of the Sixth Form and relevant Heads of Department.
The resulting offer is conditional on at least six grade 7s at GCSE, a grade 7 in both maths and English, and a grade 7 or 8 in each subject to be studied at A-level. According to the school, students are considered on individual merit. Visits take in the annual Sixth Form Open Evening in the autumn term.
For 11+, 13+ and Junior School entry, references are requested after registration, and the taster day gives the girl a chance to sample school life and meet peers.
Scholarships and bursaries
Scholarships are available in academic, art, drama, music and sport at 11+, 13+ and 16+, each worth between 5 and 10 percent of tuition fees and awarded on merit. A candidate may apply for up to two, may hold a maximum of two, and may combine them with a means-tested bursary. They depend on active participation in school activities.
Academic scholarships involve an interview with the Head and take account of entrance results, school reports and interview performance. Art asks for submitted images (five at 11+, ten at 13+), music expects Grade 3 at 11+, Grade 5 at 13+ and Grade 7 at 16+, and drama requires a short monologue.
Bursaries are means-tested on parental income and can reduce fees by up to 45 percent; families with a combined income at or above the published threshold are not eligible. The Finance Office calculates each award, reviews it annually and continues it through the Sixth Form. The Maynard Award at Lower Sixth combines scholarship and bursary and can reach 100 percent of fees.
Fees and what they include
Fees are charged termly, are shown on the school's fees page with VAT at 20 percent, and cover wraparound care from 08:00 to 17:30. Year 6 is charged at the Senior School rate, and a Junior School rate applies to Years 3 to 5, with separate lower rates for Pre-Prep.
Beyond tuition, families pay a non-refundable registration fee when completing the form, a non-refundable acceptance fee on formal acceptance, and a refundable deposit for breakages and lost library books with the first term's fees. Lunch is charged per day in advance and is compulsory from Reception to Year 7.
Most extra-curricular activities are free, whilst private music lessons, speech and drama and tennis are invoiced by the teacher. A subsequent daughter receives a 10 percent reduction in fees, and fees fall due on or before the first day of each term.
Where pupils join from
The school has its own Pre-Prep and Junior School, and entry to the Senior School at 11+ is a separate application with its own assessment. The admissions pages do not state that Junior School pupils move up automatically, though talented internal Year 6 candidates are encouraged to apply for 11+ scholarships.
No external feeder or partner schools are named. Girls from other schools join at Year 7, Year 9 and the Sixth Form, and the school notes that it takes several Sixth Form girls from other schools each year. Girls moving up from Year 11 also join the Sixth Form.
How to prepare
Preparation is best tied to the papers named by the school, starting with the practice assessments linked from the admissions page, which cover Junior School and Senior School entry. Working through them lets a girl meet the English, maths and reasoning formats in a calm setting before the assessment day.
For 11+ and 13+, regular reading and writing practice supports the comprehension and creative writing papers, whilst National Curriculum maths and, at 13+, science are the content to revise. The school advises that extra coaching is not necessary for Junior School assessments, which look at potential as well as current ability.
Scholarship candidates can prepare the specific items listed: a monologue, an art portfolio, instrumental pieces with sight-reading, or a presentation. The Head's videos on the admissions pages offer further guidance.
Related guides
- Best private schools in Devon
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- Exeter School (11+)
- Blundell's School (11+)
- Mount Kelly (11+)
- Stover 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 Maynard School 11+ with Taylor Tuition
Preparation for the Maynard 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.
Read more about our 11+ entrance exam tutors, or send an enquiry and we will come back with tutor recommendations.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Maynard School entrance exam?
- At 11+ it consists of papers in English, English comprehension, mathematics, verbal and non-verbal reasoning and creative writing. At 13+ it covers English, mathematics, reasoning, creative writing and comprehension, and science. A group assessment day runs every January, and individual sittings can be booked at other times.
- How much are the Maynard School fees?
- Fees are set termly and published, including VAT, on the school's fees page, with separate rates for Senior School and Sixth Form, Junior School and Pre-Prep. They include wraparound care from 08:00 to 17:30. Registration, acceptance and deposit payments are extra, and a subsequent daughter receives a 10 percent reduction.
- Does the Maynard School offer scholarships and bursaries?
- Yes. Academic, art, drama, music and sport scholarships are offered at 11+, 13+ and 16+, worth 5 to 10 percent of tuition fees. Means-tested bursaries can reduce fees by up to 45 percent, and the Maynard Award at Lower Sixth can reach 100 percent of fees.
- What do you need to join the Maynard School Sixth Form?
- Entry is by interview, reference, latest report and predicted GCSE grades, with a 10-minute presentation at interview. The conditional offer requires at least six grade 7s, a grade 7 in maths and English, and a grade 7 or 8 in each A-level subject.
- How can a parent register a daughter at the Maynard School?
- Complete the online Registration Form after reading the declaration, with proof of address, parent ID, a photograph and a birth certificate ready, and pay the non-refundable registration fee. References are then requested and the assessment is booked. Admissions can be reached on 01392 355998.
- Is there a catchment area for the Maynard School?
- The admissions pages do not describe a catchment area. Entry at each stage depends on registration, a taster session or day, the school's assessment or interview, and the availability of places.
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