Woodhouse Grove School: Comprehensive 11+ Admissions Guide

Key Information Summary

• Location: Apperley Bridge, West Yorkshire
• Type: Independent co-educational day and boarding school
• Age Range: 3-18 years (Nursery to Sixth Form)
• Students: Approximately 1,000 pupils including 90 boarders
• Founded: 1812
• Entry Points: Multiple entry points with main intake at Year 7
• Assessment: Academic testing, interviews, and portfolio review
• Facilities: 25m swimming pool, sports complex, performing arts centre

About Woodhouse Grove School

Woodhouse Grove School, known affectionately as 'The Grove', has been educating young people in West Yorkshire for over two centuries. This Methodist foundation school combines traditional values with progressive educational approaches, creating a nurturing environment where students can flourish academically and personally.

The school operates across three distinct divisions: Ashdown Lodge for nursery pupils, Brontë House serving the junior years, and the senior school covering Years 7-13. This seamless progression allows families to benefit from continuity throughout their child's educational journey whilst ensuring age-appropriate learning environments at each stage.

The Grove's commitment to developing well-rounded individuals is evident in its extensive co-curricular programme. From competitive sports teams to dramatic productions and music ensembles, students are encouraged to explore their talents beyond the classroom. The school's modern facilities, including a state-of-the-art sports complex and purpose-built performing arts centre, provide exceptional opportunities for creative and athletic development.

Academic excellence remains at the heart of the Grove experience, with small class sizes enabling personalised attention and tailored learning approaches. The school's motto, "I am the best of me," perfectly encapsulates their philosophy of helping each student discover and develop their unique potential whilst preparing them for the challenges of modern life.

Fees and key dates for 2026/27

Woodhouse Grove School publishes day fees of £6,582 per term for 2026/27, with boarding at £15,114 per term, taken from the school's own fees page in October 2026. Registration dates for the next 11+ round are published by the school's admissions office. Fees and dates change each year, so the school's website remains the reference for the current round.

The 11+ Assessment Process

Woodhouse Grove School employs a comprehensive assessment process for Year 7 entry that evaluates both academic ability and personal qualities. The school seeks to identify pupils who will thrive in their supportive yet challenging environment.

Academic Assessment Components:

• English comprehension and creative writing tasks
• Mathematics covering arithmetic, problem-solving, and reasoning
• Verbal and non-verbal reasoning assessments
• Science aptitude evaluation for scholarship candidates

Personal Evaluation:

• Individual interviews with senior staff members
• Group activities to assess collaboration skills
• Review of current school reports and references
• Discussion of interests, aspirations, and values

The assessment day is designed to be engaging rather than intimidating, allowing candidates to demonstrate their abilities in a relaxed atmosphere. The school particularly values curiosity, resilience, and kindness alongside academic capability.

Scholarship Opportunities

The Grove offers various scholarship programmes recognising exceptional talent in academics, music, art, drama, and sport. Scholarship assessments include additional specialist evaluations in the relevant discipline, providing opportunities for gifted pupils to access this outstanding education.

How to Apply

Application Timeline:

• Registration opens 18 months before intended entry
• School visits and tours throughout the academic year
• Assessment days typically held in January and February
• Offers confirmed by March for September entry
• Acceptance deadline usually early May

Required Documentation:

• Completed application form with registration fee
• Current school reports (previous two years)
• Headteacher reference and recommendation
• Birth certificate copy
• Any relevant medical or learning support information

Financial Support:

The school offers means-tested bursaries up to 100% of fees for families who would benefit from financial assistance. The Grove's commitment to accessibility ensures that talented pupils from all backgrounds can access their exceptional education.

International families are particularly welcomed, with comprehensive support programmes helping overseas pupils settle into British school life whilst maintaining connections to their cultural heritage.

Preparing for the Woodhouse Grove School 11+ with Taylor Tuition

Families preparing for the Woodhouse Grove 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.